Senior Strategic Manager

Position Overview
The Senior Strategic Manager is a senior planning and strategic leadership role within the Planning team, working closely with the Head of Planning to drive strategic excellence, planning quality, client success, and team capability.
This role acts as a key strategic partner to the Head of Planning, translating departmental direction into actionable plans while leading strategic planning across major client projects and new business opportunities.
Beyond delivering strong strategic outputs, the Senior Strategic Manager is responsible for raising planning standards across the team, driving cross-functional collaboration, developing planning talent, and strengthening the agency's strategic capabilities and business growth.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Assistant to the Head of Planning
Work closely with the Head of Planning to shape departmental priorities, planning standards, and strategic initiatives.
Translate the Head of Planning's strategic direction into actionable plans and day-to-day operational priorities.
Support the Head of Planning in monitoring planning performance, project priorities, and team capability.
Drive the implementation of key planning initiatives that contribute to team capability, client satisfaction, and company growth.
Act as a trusted strategic partner to the Head of Planning in identifying challenges, opportunities, and areas for improvement across the Planning function.
2. Lead Day-to-Day Planning Excellence
Own and oversee the quality of strategic planning across projects, from initial briefing through to final recommendation and presentation.
Ensure consistent strategic standards, frameworks, methodologies, and outputs across the Planning team.
Provide senior strategic guidance on complex client, brand, consumer, and business challenges.
Review and challenge strategic recommendations to ensure they are insight-led, commercially relevant, and actionable.
Establish and continuously improve planning tools, frameworks, and best practices to enhance planning efficiency and quality.
Step in to lead or resolve critical strategic issues on high-priority or complex projects.
3. Lead Cross-Functional Collaboration
Act as the primary Planning lead across Client Service, Creative, Media, and other relevant functions.
Drive alignment between teams throughout the planning and execution process.
Translate strategic thinking into clear direction for Creative, Media, and Client Service teams.
Facilitate faster decision-making by identifying key strategic priorities, resolving conflicts, and maintaining alignment across functions.
Represent the Planning team's perspective in day-to-day cross-functional discussions and major project decisions.
Ensure integrated communication solutions are strategically consistent across channels and touchpoints.
4. Develop Planning Talent
Coach, mentor, and develop planners through regular feedback, project reviews, and on-the-job guidance.
Build strategic thinking, planning capabilities, presentation skills, and commercial acumen within the team.
Identify individual strengths and development gaps and provide appropriate coaching and learning opportunities.
Lead by example in strategic thinking, problem-solving, client management, and cross-functional collaboration.
Build a stronger succession pipeline by identifying and developing future planning leaders.
Foster a high-performance culture that encourages ownership, critical thinking, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
5. Strengthen Client & New Business Success
Lead strategic planning for major client assignments, integrated campaigns, and high-priority strategic projects.
Lead or significantly contribute to major new business pitches, ensuring strong strategic narratives and differentiated recommendations.
Build client confidence through experienced day-to-day strategic leadership and high-quality recommendations.
Develop compelling strategic stories that translate consumer and business insights into clear business opportunities.
Partner with Client Service and other functions to identify opportunities for account growth and deeper client engagement.
Strengthen the agency's strategic credentials through high-quality work, thought leadership, and effective strategic storytelling.
Contribute to business growth by continuously elevating the agency's planning capabilities and strategic offering.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Advertising, or a related field.
Minimum 5-7 years of relevant experience in strategic planning, brand planning, communication planning, integrated planning, or a related agency environment.
At least 2 years of experience in a Senior Planner, Strategic Planner, Planning Manager, or equivalent leadership role is preferred.
Strong experience in developing strategic frameworks, communication strategies, campaign platforms, and integrated recommendations.
Proven ability to lead strategic planning for complex client assignments and major campaigns.
Strong understanding of consumer insights, brand strategy, communication planning, and integrated marketing.
Demonstrated experience working across Client Service, Creative, Media, and other cross-functional teams.
Strong client-facing, presentation, storytelling, and stakeholder management skills.
Proven ability to coach and develop junior and mid-level planners.
Strong business acumen with the ability to connect strategic recommendations to client and agency business objectives.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced agency environment.
Strong English communication skills, both written and verbal.
Core Competencies
Strategic Thinking & Planning
Integrated Communication Planning
Business & Commercial Acumen
Client Leadership
Cross-Functional Leadership
Strategic Storytelling & Presentation
Problem Solving & Critical Thinking
Team Coaching & Development
Project & Priority Management
Planning Excellence & Quality Governance
Key Success Measures
Consistent improvement in the quality and effectiveness of strategic planning outputs.
Successful delivery of major strategic client projects and new business pitches.
Strong client satisfaction and confidence in the Planning team's strategic leadership.
Effective collaboration and alignment across Planning, Client Service, Creative, Media, and other functions.
Improved capability and performance of planners within the team.
Development of a strong pipeline of future planning leaders.
Contribution to agency growth through stronger strategic credentials, client retention, and new business success.