Strategy Partner

About Elmwood

We're a globally recognised, award winning strategic brand design consultancy with studios in London, New York, Singapore and Shanghai. Every day, we partner with some of the world's most ambitious consumer, corporate, and healthcare brands to craft high impact creative that moves people and markets.

Rooted in purpose and powered by creativity, our mission is simple: get our clients from intent to impact - faster.

As proud members of the MSQ Group and B Corp certified, we unite strategy, design, and experience to shape brands that are not only standout but stand FOR something.

"The world doesn't need more brands, it needs better ones." Daniel Binns - Elmwood Global CEO

The Department

Alongside client service and design, we are part of a powerful triumvirate in Elmwood that builds brands with intent to help them get to their future faster. We practice both provocation and strategy - bringing a curious mindset and clarity of intent to the way we shape conviction for brands. Our strategy practice translates opportunity into tangible outcomes, connects the dots, maps the future of a brand, and guides smart decision making. Our provocation practice embraces outside in thinking, challenges assumptions, takes a fresh perspective, poses questions, and suggests the ordinary.

The Role

This role plays a crucial part in pitching, winning, leading and delivering large projects and workstreams for our clients of today, and tomorrow. You'll be part of fast growing, strategy team with your own portfolio of client brands to lead. Equally at ease engaging c suite clients as rolling up your sleeves to do the work, you'll get your kicks inspiring creative teams and seeing the impact you make on client's brands. This is a permanent role, offered on a full time or more flexible part time working arrangement (of no less than 4 days pw).

What You'll Do

We're looking for a strategy partner with an entrepreneurial attitude, an ability to simplify the complex and a passion for the power of design, to help our corporate clients shape their convictions, drive distinctiveness and build brands with intent. You will;

• Focus on our growing corporate pillar with a diverse range of clients from B2B to consumer culture but with the ability to stretch across healthcare and consumer brands where needed
• Take an active role in new business, creating inspirational pitches that win new clients and identify new growth opportunities within existing relationships.
• Drive strategic vision across client portfolios, connecting brand strategy to business growth
• Deliver the highest quality strategic content across insight and opportunity mapping; to brand and portfolio strategy and creative strategy.
• Partner with our clients at c suite level to shape agendas and develop innovative strategic approaches to complex business problems.
• Identify opportunities clients haven't yet recognised, becoming an indispensable strategic partner at the most senior level
• Be the go to expert on client audiences, categories, objectives, priorities - working with the team to transform insight into ideas with intent.
• Craft compelling stories that make the link between business and brand strategy and show how design can help to deliver this
• Present with gravitas and conviction at all levels, bringing strategic narratives to life
• Lead workshops and collaborative sessions that inspire teams, generate ideas and help clients to think differently
• Lead the creation of new platforms or processes that create opportunity and elevate our strategic output
• Ensure that every strategy workstream is set up to achieve our creative and commercial ambitions
• Elevate the strategic thinking of the entire team, mentoring directors and strategists to deliver more impactful work
• Balance the needs of the client and the business as someone people look to to help define our 'next'
• Own a strategic expertise that becomes a signature capability for Elmwood
• Bring a T shaped attitude balancing left brain organisation with right brain creativity

What You'll Bring to Elmwood

You'll will be both a leader and natural collaborator, becoming an indispensable partner for global businesses, confident in classic brand strategy such as purpose, positioning, innovation, architecture, and portfolio strategy, as well as powerful design strategies. You will demonstrate;

• Passion about building brands with purpose, clarity and measurable impact.
• Proven impact at C Suite level with clients as a strategic partner that has helped to drive change within an established business or up scale a fast growth challenger.
• Extensive experience in brand and design with a deep expertise in the fundamentals of brand strategy as well as a confident understanding in how to design and refresh brand identities
• Speak the language of design and with knowledge of its powerful role in digital content and brand experience
• Confidence in the use and application of AI tools and platforms to enhance strategy delivery
• Rich experience of different clients and sectors (destination, leisure, sport and entertainment is an advantage but not a necessity) at reputable agencies or consultancies
• Some experience in culture/employee engagement, customer experience, innovation, digital platforms and/or research insights and analytics
• A true team player attitude, someone who knows their way around brand strategy but retains a passion for learning about and trying new ideas for the benefit of both the team and the client.
• Senior level experience but also be willing to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into some of the menial tasks when required
• A brilliant collaborative communicator, able to connect with clients and quickly win their trust and confidence,
• Talking their talk to provide solutions to their brand challenges
• Passionate about your job and your career but with a maturity that allows for balance in your life and your support of colleagues
• Someone who believes that great work comes first

If your experience looks different from what we've described, but you believe you'd make a great fit - we'd love to hear from you.

What We Offer (London Studio)

We care about our people, and that's why we create a collaborative culture where new thinking is celebrated, ambition is supported, and people are rewarded for their contribution. Whilst a competitive package, professional development and the opportunity to shape our next chapter is all standard here at elmwood, we thought we would highlight a few of our favourite benefits:

• Hybrid working with flexi start/end time (8-10am / 4-6pm)
• A vibrant studio space in the heart of Covent Garden with unlimited tea/coffee, fruit baskets, showers, bicycle storage etc
• 26 days annual leave + wellbeing days + 3 additional days over Christmas & New Year + Enhanced parental leave
• Workcation (work from anywhere for up to 4 weeks per year)
• Private health insurance
• Wellbeing initiatives like subsidised Gym, Physio Sessions, GP Services, Life Coaching
• Apple MAC and iPhone hardware

Let's Build Better Brands - Getting them from Intentto Impact Faster

If you're ready to help shape the future of brand consultancy by growing purposeful, performance driven partnerships, we'd love to hear from you.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Elmwood is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate and value difference, and we're committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels they belong. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences - including underrepresented groups.

Need adjustments to support your application? Let us know. We're happy to provide alternative formats, remote interviews, or any other support you might need to show your best self.