Director - Innovation & Brand Strategy

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    "description": "<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt\">At a glance</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Who:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> Strategic consultant leading brand strategy, innovation, and business development efforts.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">What:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> Lead client engagements end-to-end, bringing your own thinking and vision-setting, and be expected to grow accounts over time</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">When:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> Hiring immediately to support business expansion.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Where:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> Preferably based in the Chicagoland area; with option to be Remote / travel-open.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Salary:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> $140,000–$160,000 (est. base depending on experience) plus discretionary bonus potential</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold\">If you are a business-minded strategic leader, who thinks outside of the box, doesn’t shy away from  ambiguous client challenges, and has a proven track record of growing project opportunities into lasting partnerships… we want to hear from you!</span></p>\n<p><br><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt\">What we’re looking for</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">A strategic mind and change agent who knows how to build</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">We are looking for a strategic thought leader  who is innately curious about people and craves an entrepreneurial opportunity to help grow the Innovation &amp; Brand Strategy vertical within a fast-growing, global strategic brand consultancy.</span></p>\n<p><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Someone who won’t just answer the brief—they’ll challenge it.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">We need a critical thinker to uncover the \"problem behind the problem\" and have a strong point of view to reframe a problem before solving it. They must be comfortable with ambiguity and open-ended briefs and excel in vision-setting and driving actionable solutions with clarity.</span></p>\n<p><br><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Someone with a network of trusted relationships  - a true seller/doer</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">With the support of an established client network, inbound pipeline, and a team behind you, our Directors have an annual minimum revenue target, so we are looking for a proactive relationship builder who is comfortable with revenue accountability and highly effective in building, managing, and growing a client portfolio.</span></p>\n<p><br><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Someone who mentors and leads with compassion and confidence </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">We’re looking for a leader with a growth mindset to mentor team members on and off projects – help build confidence, expand skillsets, and support their overall growth and professional development. Our Directors invest in people to not only drive better project outcomes but also strengthen the overall success and resilience of the business.</span></p>\n<p><br><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt\">What you’ll be doing</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Business Development &amp; Revenue Ownership:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> </span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Fully own a set revenue target by identifying new opportunities/categories and growing a book of business through proactive account expansion to positively contribute to the company's annual goals.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Build trust and maintain a senior-level presence across the entire lifecycle of a partnership, from initial discovery and \"winning\" the business to ongoing relationship management.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Evaluate all proposals through a cost-benefit lens to ensure strategic solutions are both precise for the client’s marketplace needs and profitable for the agency.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">End to End Project Ownership</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Oversee the synthesis of research, data, and trends into story-driven insights that provide effective strategic recommendations from integrated cultural, consumer, category, and commercial perspectives.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Guide junior team members in primary and secondary research (e.g., ethnography, desk research, trend scanning) and complex problem-solving, ensuring the creation and delivery of high-quality outputs (e.g., decks, multimedia).</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Lead high-impact workshops, internal brainstorms, and collaborative client sessions to foster understanding, adoption, drive consensus, and meet company standards under tight deadlines.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Innovation &amp; Growth Strategy:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> </span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Utilize design thinking, whitespace analysis, and market trends to develop actionable roadmaps and bespoke frameworks for growth.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Transform complex data and ambiguous client objectives into structured, story-driven narratives and high-value workstreams.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Advance agency offerings by integrating AI-informed tools and evolving methodologies beyond traditional research boundaries.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt\">What you’ll need</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Foundational skills:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> </span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">At least 7 years of previous related experience (e.g. strategy, innovation, consulting, planning, design-thinking), with preference 3+ years of hands-on experience at an insight-led strategy consultancy, innovation  firm, ad agency, or brand experience agency. </span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Experience designing and delivering insight-led strategic approaches, such as Brand Architecture, Brand Positioning, Innovation Sprints, Market Entry, and Jobs To Be Done.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Familiarity with interpreting cultural trends, consumer journey mapping, and facilitating ideation workshops.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Ability to drive organic account growth through 'insight-led' business development.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Ability to break down a client's business problem to its fundamental truths.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Existing long-term partnerships with clients that you can leverage.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Ability to lead large accounts under challenging situations; flexible to the constraints and considerations of timelines, internal dynamics and client pressure. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Technical Skills:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> </span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: rgb(48, 48, 48); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Ability to work with and leverage Qualitative and Quantitative data and insights to inform the development of innovation and strategy projects.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Expert skill set in creating tools and frameworks and strength in  coaching others to do the same.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Strong writing skills are an absolute must – as compelling and impactful storytelling is at the heart of our philosophy.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">Leadership skills:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> </span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">A commercial and advisory mindset; someone who excels at giving decisive advice, not just presenting options</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Facilitation and consensus-building, ability to guide large groups through ambiguous conversations.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">High emotional intelligence and capacity for self accountability.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Highly collaborative and works well in groups – lone wolves need not apply 🙂</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Courage to voice concerns and leverage radical candor and influence to gain alignment.</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Culturally-savvy and curious; eager to experiment with new methodologies, inputs and tools.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><br><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt\">Backgrounds that fit</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: bold\">Previous Roles</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Consultant</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Planner</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Strategist’</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Innovation Lead </span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: bold\">Places you’ve been</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Creative strategy agency</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Design strategy agency</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Brand Consultancy</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Advertising Agency</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Innovation Agency</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Insight-Led Strategy Firm</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt\">Who this role is for</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(192, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\"> Visionary and Courageous...take the lead</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">You possess the foresight to anticipate market shifts before they manifest and the conviction to act on them with authority.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(192, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold\">Challengers &amp; Contrarians...we’ve saved you a seat</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">You don't just follow the trends; you interrogate them. We want a contrarian who sparks bold strategies as they approach all inputs—cultural, social, and economic—as innovation opportunities.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(192, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold\">Intrepid and Ingenious…seeks force of nature</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">You are a master of synthesis, capable of connecting non-obvious dots across industries to forge fearless, future-proof strategies. You don’t just follow trends; you redefine categories through ingenious, data-backed innovation.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(192, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold\">Smart, curious, cheeky and humble…seeks like-minded to change the world</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Contribute smart as f*ck thinking and support to colleagues on projects, proposals and business development.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold\">Have we piqued your curiosity?</span><span style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">  </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Sound like the role for you? We’d love to hear from you! Even if you’re not 100% sure about potential fit, we still encourage you to apply. We’re looking for the right person, not the perfect series of checkboxes.</span></p>\n<p><br><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(240, 63, 35); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold\">Working at The Sound</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">We offer a market-competitive salary anticipated around </span><span style=\"color: rgb(240, 63, 35); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">$140,000 - $160,000</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> base (dependent on experience and role). Actual salaries will vary depending on a qualified role, candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, location and internal equity.</span></p>\n<p><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">For all your awesome skills, we reward our team members with…</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">A Total Rewards Package which includes a competitive base salary (above) PLUS…</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">A healthy work/life integration with flexible leave benefits tailored to your needs</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Generous health and ancillary benefits to support your family needs</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Retirement match program; Tuition and/or Continuing Education program</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Constant acknowledgment of your performance with shout-outs, bonus incentives, and recognition along the way!</span></li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">Hybrid-work position - With a flexible work schedule, you can hit the gym, catch your kid's big game, take your fur baby for a walk, or meet with friends for an extended lunch – we treat you like a grown-up!</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold\">Who we are</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">The Sound is a Global Exploration, Strategy, and Innovation consulting agency located in Chicago, London, and Vancouver. We use leading-edge market research techniques and marketing models in order to solve client brand, marketing, communications and product challenges.</span></p>\n<p><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">But we aren't your average brand consultancy. Made up of strategic researchers, brand experts, idea generators and cultural anthropologists.  We're best known for providing our clients with the insight, inspiration and strategy needed to answer the brand challenges most important to their business.  </span></p>\n<p><br></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">We are dedicated to </span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic\">engaging brands with people</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\">. </span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"><br><br></span></p>\n<p><span style=\"color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold\">Behind the scenes</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">EEO: </span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> The Sound values DEI and is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building a workforce that reflects the spectrum of perspectives, experiences, and abilities of the world we live in. We recognize that our differences make us strong, and we actively seek out diverse candidates through partnerships with organizations, institutions and communities that represent various backgrounds. We champion belonging and inclusion for all identities, including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, ability status, gender, and country of origin, striving to create a culture where all individuals feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: bold\">AI Use &amp; Data Privacy Notice:</span><span style=\"font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt\"> We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications or analyzing resumes; however, final hiring decisions are always made by humans. By submitting your application, you acknowledge that BambooHR will process your personal data under applicable data protection laws (including GDPR) to evaluate your candidacy. You may exercise your rights to access, rectification, or erasure at any time by contacting us.</span></p>\n<p><br><br></p>",
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