Brand Strategist

THE SHORT VERSION
This role sits at the intersection of strategy and writing. You're not just the person who builds the brand framework - you're the person who turns that framework into words people actually feel. Research decks and brand narratives. Pitch documents and thought leadership articles. Client presentations and LinkedIn posts that make people stop scrolling.
At Cōllective Design Agency (CDA), strategy doesn't live in a slide deck that gets filed away. It lives in the writing - in how we tell a brand's story, how we position an idea, how we show up publicly. We need someone who can do both: think rigorously and write beautifully.
You'll work directly with the Creative Director, Marketing Director and the Founder/CEO. We'll give you the autonomy to own the strategic narrative - what we ask in return is integrity with every word and every recommendation.
WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY DO
Strategy
Lead brand research and strategic frameworks. User research, competitor analysis, stakeholder interviews, market context-you gather the inputs and synthesize them into a strategic direction that's sharp and actionable.
Build brand narratives that hold. Brand positioning, messaging architecture, tone of voice, naming-you craft the story a brand tells about itself, and you make sure it's consistent across every touchpoint.
Shape pitches and proposals. Work with BD and the Creative Director to build pitch decks, proposals, and scope documents. You vet the strategy, the budget logic, and the timeline before anything goes out.
Sit in the room with clients. Present strategy, defend decisions with empathy, listen deeply to what clients are really asking for-not just what they say in the brief.
Content & Thought Leadership
Write thought leadership that positions CDA. Articles, essays, LinkedIn posts, newsletters-you're the voice that establishes CDA as a studio that thinks deeply about branding, culture, and design. Not content-for-content's-sake-writing that earns trust and starts conversations.
Produce case studies that do the work justice. Translate complex projects into compelling stories: the strategic problem, the creative process, the outcome. Sharp writing, clear structure, no fluff.
Write client-facing copy when it counts. Brand copy, taglines, key messaging-when the project calls for it, you're the one putting the final words on the page.
Contribute to CDA's methodology and philosophy. Document how we think, how we work, and why it matters. SOPs, frameworks, workshop materials, internal guides-you help codify the way CDA operates so it scales beyond any one person.
Operations & Collaboration
Keep things moving. Weekly progress reports, meeting recaps, internal documentation. You're disciplined with timelines and deliverables-nothing falls through the cracks.
Bridge strategy and design. Work closely with the Creative Director and design team to ensure every output is both strategically sound and creatively excellent. You bring kindness to every feedback loop, even the tough ones.
Support partnerships and client relationships. Help with onboarding, relationship maintenance, and making sure clients feel heard-because trust is the foundation of every partnership we build.
WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
Must-Haves
Sharp strategic thinker - can synthesize research into clear, actionable direction.
Versatile writer - brand narratives, pitch decks, long-form articles, social posts. Each sounds right for its context.
Confident with clients - presents well, defends ideas, takes feedback with grace.
Disciplined and self-managed. Deadlines don't slip.
Good English - strong English is a real advantage for writing and client work.
Nice-to-Haves
Background in branding, marketing, UX, or creative industries.
Experience in agency, startup, or tech environments.
Familiarity with strategy frameworks: JTBD, brand key, archetypes, competitive mapping, etc.
Published writing - articles, essays, thought pieces - in any medium.
Experience building a LinkedIn or content presence (personal or brand).
The AI Edge - A Real Advantage
We use AI deeply in our strategy and content workflows - research synthesis, writing acceleration, framework generation, presentation building. If you've gone beyond surface-level prompting into real AI-augmented thinking and writing, that's a major plus.
We'll provide the tools and the training. What we need is someone who sees AI as a thinking partner, not a shortcut.