What are the responsibilities and job description for the Strategy Director position at Smith Hanley Associates?
Strategy Director
Chicago preferred | Remote considered
Compensation: ~$140K–$160K base bonus
Contact: dwilberschied@smithhanley.com
Strategic consulting leader with experience driving brand strategy, innovation, and business growth initiatives for clients navigating complex and ambiguous challenges. Brings a strong combination of strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and client leadership, with the ability to guide engagements from early discovery through execution and long-term partnership growth. Comfortable operating as a true seller–doer within fast-paced consulting and agency environments.
Key Strengths
- Leads end-to-end strategic engagements across innovation, brand, and growth strategy initiatives.
- Excels at uncovering the “problem behind the problem” and reframing client challenges into actionable strategic opportunities.
- Strong commercial mindset with experience owning revenue goals, growing client relationships, and expanding accounts over time.
- Skilled facilitator who can guide executive stakeholders through ambiguity, alignment sessions, workshops, and innovation sprints.
- Integrates consumer, cultural, category, and commercial insights into clear, story-driven recommendations that influence decision-making.
- Comfortable leveraging both qualitative and quantitative research to support strategic direction and innovation development.
- Adept at balancing strategic vision with hands-on execution in deadline-driven consulting environments.
- Mentors and develops junior team members while fostering collaborative, growth-oriented team cultures.
- Naturally curious and entrepreneurial, with interest in evolving methodologies and AI-enabled strategic approaches.
Ideal Background
- 7 years of experience across strategy, innovation, consulting, planning, or design-thinking environments.
- Experience within insight-led consultancies, innovation firms, ad agencies, or brand experience organizations preferred.
- Exposure to Brand Architecture, Brand Positioning, Innovation Sprints, Market Entry Strategy, and Consumer Journey Mapping.
- Proven ability to drive organic account growth through consultative, insight-led relationship management.
- Strong executive communication skills, emotional intelligence, and ability to influence senior stakeholders.
Salary : $140,000 - $160,000