Senior Applied Strategist (Level II)

Open to Candidates in New York, Los Angeles , Cincinnati

The Vision

Citizen Relations is at the forefront of AI transformation. We are moving beyond the traditional boundaries of PR and earned media into the broader, more impactful territory of Reputation. To lead this evolution, our Applied Strategy & Intelligence group has evolved beyond the traditional agency approach in favor of a high-functioning Pod Model. This team is a flat, skills-first structure where intelligence, technology, and strategy converge.

We are seeking a Senior Applied Strategist (Level II). This evolved breed of strategy is a Consultant-Doer that supports clients bridge the gap between high-level business ambitions, and brand, channel and measurement strategy. This role is designed for those who can think critically about the lifecycle of MarComm efforts, and orchestrate plans that result in real-world business impact.

The Team

This role sits within our Applied Strategy & Intelligence (Ap-SI) team. We are a forward leaning team, modernizing our ways of working through our unique approach:

• Dedicated teams
• Value-based, outcomes focused
• Integration & workflows oversight and development
• Fully integrated across all shades of strategy
• Always-on strategic counsel and decisioning from planning through to optimizations
• Applied solutions across the full customer lifecycle from discovery to loyalty
• Connects brand, reputation and creative strategy to performance and business.
  
  

The Role: Strategic Orchestrator

As a Level II Applied Strategist, you are a business leader. You will oversee a dedicated team—including an Applied Strategist and an Applied Intelligence Manager—while partnering cross-functionally with our PR, Creative, and Experiential departments.

Key Accountabilities:

• Client Impact: Drive tangible results for clients by anchoring every strategic decision in performance data and commercial reality.
• Business Autonomy: Manage the profitability of a portfolio, including resourcing, forecasting, revenue growth, and contribution margins.
• The Applied Edge: Close the gap between traditional silos. You will own the entire marketing motion, moving strategy from a step in the process to an embedded, optimized partner.
• Solutions Design: Identify or develop integrated strategies to specific business or customer challenges
  
  

AI Enablement & The Modern Workflow

Our team is tech-agnostic, but tech-enabled. You will lead your team through a sophisticated stack to find insights others miss:

• Human in the loop: Leveraging Google AI (Gemini, AI Studio), and proprietary AI agents to optimize Human-in-the-Loop workflows.
• Governance: Strong POVs and practice when it comes to managing client data and brand safety in an AI ecosystem.
• Data Fluency: Orchestrating tools like SEMRush, Talkwalker, and various Analytics platforms (Google/Adobe/Social/CRM) to track and optimize reputation in real-time.
• Systems Thinking: Working as a multi-specialist expert in service of connecting dots between strategic disciplines (business, brand, channel, and measurement)
  
  

Skills & Attributes

Ideal candidates will possess some, if not all, of these critical skills:

• Strategic Agility: Connecting dots across the entire marketing motion, from commercial goals to channel execution.
• Data Fluency: The ability to read, decide, and consistently optimize based on performance signals.
• Systems Thinking: Designing bespoke or implementing standard workflows that provide each client with the right solutions.
• Commercial Acumen: Tying MarComm imperatives back to products, addressable markets, and growth goals.
• Creative Partnership: Fusing proactive ideation with creative expertise to turn insights into "Earned" moments.
• Tool Adaptability: Effortlessly maneuvering between legacy platforms and emerging tech-agnostic tools.
• Consultative Communication: The high-level ability to articulate the "Why" and the "How" to C-suite stakeholders.
• Bias for Action: A proactive, thoughtful willingness to bring ideas forward and execute without friction.
  
  

Experience & Qualifications

• 8-12 years of experience in agency strategy, management consulting, or digital transformation roles.
• Proven track record of managing a multi-million dollar book of business and driving growth.
• Deep familiarity with the AI landscape and a willingness to act when it comes to adopting new tools.
• Experience working in flat or matrixed organizations where teams are cast based on skills over roles.
  
  

Why This Role?

This isn't a traditional strategy job. This is an opportunity to define the future of agency work. You will have the ability to lead a portfolio of work, define new and improved ways to use technology to scale, and build consultative authority to transform how global brands manage their most valuable asset: their reputation.

Transparency matters to us. For this role, you can expect a salary between $135,000-170,000 annually depending on experience.

Joining Citizen Relations, you are part of the Plus Company. This network of entrepreneurial agencies is designed to collaborate, not compete. It empowers every agency – and every individual – to bring their own unique capabilities together to make magic happen. You will be empowered to take risks, dream big, develop your skills and grow in your career with the full support of the network and all it has to offer.

We thank all applicants. However, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Citizen is an equal opportunity employer. It prohibits discrimination based on age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other legally protected class in accordance with applicable federal, provincial and local laws. Citizen Relations is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible workplace. If you are contacted for an interview and require accommodation during the interviewing process, please let us know.