Company Profile
Elmwood Design Consultancy is a leading global design agency renowned for creating impactful and innovative brand experiences. With a rich history of design excellence, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity and design to deliver outstanding results for our clients.
As an agency, our goal is to be an invaluable partner to our clients and help them grow their brands based on evidence-based marketing principles. With access to MSQ’s broader capability set, particularly in digital and tech, we bring greater insight and channel-specific expertise to meet the needs of today’s leading brands.
As a Senior Strategy Director, you will be both a leader and a natural collaborator, becoming an indispensable partner for global businesses. You will lead the strategic direction of high-profile client projects, ensuring that high-quality strategic thinking is infused into every aspect of brand development. You will be responsible for aligning brand strategy with our client's business objectives and crafting compelling narratives that bridge the gap between business ambitions and creative execution. Your role will encompass collaboration across teams and geographies, inspiring creativity, facilitating ideation, and delivering strategic content of the highest calibre.
To be a truly great Senior Strategy Director at Elmwood your focus will be on:
Strategic Visions: You possess a keen strategic vision, are able to see the bigger picture, and understand how different elements of a business or brand interact. This involves identifying challenges and opportunities and devising innovative solutions that align with the organization's objectives.
Leadership & Collaboration: Strong leadership and collaboration skills are essential. You will lead cross-functional teams and collaborate with the creative and client services team, including C-suite executives and clients. Effective communication, mentorship, and the ability to inspire and motivate others are crucial for fostering teamwork and achieving strategic objectives.
Adaptability & Innovation: You must adapt and innovate in your approach in the constantly evolving landscape. You are adept at embracing change, staying abreast of industry trends, and being willing to challenge conventional thinking to drive innovation and differentiation. Foster a culture of experimentation and continuous learning within your team, encouraging them to explore new ideas and approaches to problem-solving.
The Role in Detail
Strategic Vision & Planning:
- Lead and drive strategic initiatives throughout the lifecycle of high-profile client projects, ensuring that high-quality strategic thinking is ingrained in every aspect of brand development.
- Embrace a business-centric approach, recognizing the intrinsic connection between brand and business, and ensuring that creative storytelling and positioning are anchored in our clients' strategic business objectives.
- Develop and articulate compelling narratives that seamlessly bridge the gap between business goals and brand strategy, highlighting the pivotal role of design in achieving these objectives.
- Produce and deliver strategic content of the utmost quality, characterized by clarity of thought and precision, spanning from brand strategy and portfolio strategy to creative ideation.
- Inspire and facilitate idea generation, both internally and externally, leading the creative process and fostering a culture of innovation.
- Uphold the highest standards of output across all aspects, from intellectual content to delivering persuasive presentations to senior client audiences, adept at creating engaging decks with a clear strategic narrative.
- Take a proactive role in driving new business opportunities, developing compelling pitches that resonate with clients and identify avenues for growth within existing relationships.
- Champion the exploration and implementation of pioneering platforms or processes that leverage emerging technologies and methodologies, fostering innovative ways of working suited for the digital age.
Cross Functional Collaboration
- Collaborate seamlessly across teams and geographical locations to spearhead cohesive global projects, fostering synergy and alignment.
- Collaborate with CSD/MD/CD to assess and compose client teams to align strategic initiatives with overall business objectives.
- Facilitate cross-functional meetings and workshops to ensure alignment and integration of efforts across different departments.
- Communicate regularly with key stakeholders to provide updates on strategic initiatives, solicit feedback, and address any concerns or challenges.
- Act as a liaison between different departments, bridging gaps and facilitating communication to drive cross-functional collaboration and alignment.
- Leverage insights and expertise from various teams to inform strategic decision-making and optimize business outcomes.
Leadership & People Management
- Provide direction and development to team members ensuring performance is managed in line with the performance review process (junior, peer and senior)
- Strong mentoring, coaching and leadership skills
- Set clear expectations and goals for team members, providing ongoing feedback and support to help them excel in their roles.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability within the team, celebrating successes and addressing challenges as they arise.
- Lead by example, demonstrating integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to excellence in all aspects of your work.
Desired Skills and Expertise
- Proven impact at the C-suite level, driving change within established businesses or scaling fast-growing challengers.
- Extensive experience in brand and design, with expertise in brand strategy and brand identity design.
- Proficiency in digital content and brand experience, understanding the role of design in shaping consumer interactions.
- Strong background in innovation, consumer understanding, and driving meaningful customer experiences.
- Deep sector experience in FMCG or Healthcare, ideally both, gained from reputable agencies or consultancies.
- Familiarity with qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, with experience in designing research objectives and insights.
- Deep understanding of SEA / APAC markets, culture, and consumer attitudes.
Personality Traits
- A collaborative team player with a passion for learning and trying new ideas.
- Willingness to engage in both strategic thinking and hands-on delivery.
- Excellent communicator, capable of building trust and confidence with clients.
- Passionate about career growth and development
- Entrepreneurial mindset, adaptable to a changing world.
- Embrace a T-shaped approach, striking a balance between left-brain organizational rigor and right-brain creativity, fostering a holistic and innovative mindset within the team.
