Strategy Director (Tokyo)

At AKQA (part of WPP) we believe in the imaginative application of art and science to create beautiful ideas, products and services.

With an entrepreneurial and collaborative approach, we design adaptive digital services and applications that capture the imagination, delivering impressive returns for our clients.

As a Group Strategy Director, you will operate on behalf of our client, leading their strategic capabilities, with an acute understanding of how communications and culture, technology and psychology, intersect in the mind of the consumer.

Additionally, you are able to analyze data and insights to create a compelling story. You will frame problems in unexpected ways and be relied upon for clarity, leadership, and perspective by the internal team and clients. Serving as strategic lead on accounts and across the agency, you will use both qualitative and quantitative research to answer

questions, prove or disprove hypotheses, and mine insights.

While certain expectations around this role would require whomever fills it to live within a commutable distance, AKQA

has developed a hybrid work structure where its team can choose when to come into the Studio, providing an inclusive, supportive and collaborative culture.

ROLE REQUIREMENTS

• Partner with account leadership to grow the business and strategic acumen of the account. Will also be responsible to dig deep into specific brands to understand the consumer journey, passion points, and interests of our audiences.
• Lead strategic engagements and CX programmes with clients, supported by the local and global teams.
• Deliver strategic outcomes for clients with an equal mix of team leadership and hands-on delivery.
• Partner with the growth team to look at analytics and drive data driven opportunities.
• The ability to work well under pressure, with a high degree of flexibility and fluidity and have an objective-focused and positive approach.
• Strong customer service ethos, a commitment to quality and the will to consistently drive improvements.
• A passion for creativity, innovation and business strategy.
• A commitment to high standards of excellence and integrity.
• Excellent business acumen and sound judgement.
• Be entrepreneurial, with a collaborative, supportive and team-based approach.
• Proven track record in leading and growing strategic, creative, and technology-centered work.

QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS

• Ability to understand and lead a cross-disciplinary team through the dynamics of a client’s business and the sector in which it operates.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to partner with senior clients are essential.
• Ability to use insights to help drive the creative process in partnership with your creative peers: honing and crafting ideas through human centred insight, and selling them successfully to clients.
• Familiarity with the design, application, and analysis of a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research techniques.
• Can provide strategic direction on product and experience initiatives, identifying the key value proposition,human needs, and value to the business.
• Can clearly and persuasively communicate strategic recommendations to internal and external audiences with variable levels of understanding.
• Must have at least 12-15 years of experience in a strategic discipline, with a digital, communications or consulting background.
• Product strategy and design thinking is a requirement, with a significant amount of this experience devoted to work in digital environments.
• Brand and communications planning experience is a must, as is business strategy experience.
• Understands how business, brands and customers interact, with deep knowledge of the role that technology plays in this relationship.
• Experience in insight and idea generation, can judge ideas for their distinctiveness, relevance and effectiveness.
• Ability to translate strategic recommendations into actionable experiences, products, and services.
• Familiarity with a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research techniques, ability to design and implement measurement plans.
• Can clearly and persuasively frame and communicate strategic recommendations to senior audiences,internally and externally.
• Team player with strong leadership skills, able to manage people across multiple projects under high pressure.
• Organized, professional, proactive, clear & concise communication style, simple language & high cultural awareness.
• Track record of nurturing and mentoring junior through to senior team members.