ABOUT THE ROLEWe are looking for a strategist with a passion for customer strategy, data-driven thinking and creativity. You will have one main client, but there will be opportunities to work across all of our brilliant brands.The strategist will play a critical role in supporting senior strategy directors, in collaboration with data strategists and creative, UX strategists and with brand teams across the VCCP Partnership to create world-class, award-winning work.ABOUT YOUYou’ll have a passion for what makes customers tick, and particularly what makes them loyal to brands, how to activate, retain and acquire themYou’ll be able to support the strategy director to develop customer-centric engagement strategies that address business and customer needs, throughout the different stages of their journeyYou will be used to working with and getting the best out of data teams, including strategists,scientists and analystsYou’ll have a minimum of 3 years of agency experience, having spent most of that time as a strategist/plannerYou’ll need to demonstrate an understanding of loyalty, membership and behaviour change programmesSKILL SETINSIGHT MINING AND OUTPUT:Comfortable using a range of traditional and new marketing tools for audience, market and brand research, including AI literacyComfortable analysing & synthesising large amounts of information and data to create a simple, compelling narrative, and insight-driven consumer journeysBUSINESS & MARKETING ACUMEN:Demonstrates understanding of the client’s business challenges and supports the strategy director to develop an appropriate strategy to address themSolid understanding of the full mix of channels & their capabilitiesAbility to plan effective channel plans with a focus on the total customer experiencePassionate about understanding, dissecting and challenging client briefs - and not afraid to ask challenging or thought-provoking questionsAble to add value to clients’ businesses through insight and innovative thinking CREATIVE:Ability to develop compelling and inspiring creative briefs and propositions as a springboard for best-in-class creative workEnsures that all creative output ladders back to strategy, brand & objectives whilst championing the creative causeAble to articulate the strategy underpinning creative thinking, whilst reassuring clients that the work delivers to the briefContinuous drive to improve our creative product in partnership with our teams, both in terms of effectiveness, user experience, and creative fameDATA STRATEGY & OPTIMISATION:Ability to understand/interpret / articulate data findingsDemonstrate ability to take learnings from campaign & apply back to either optimise or inform upcoming/future campaign strategyIdeally, some experience working with data planners to develop effective & robust contact strategies and test and learn plansPRESENTATION SKILLS:Shows confidence, degree of gravitas and enjoys presenting own ideas to clients and to wider agency teamsAble to present complex findings into a simple, clear story, told in a compelling, visually engaging way, with actionable, clear conclusions.Adept in thinking on their feet; able to pitch ideas and strategies at appropriate times and forumsATTITUDE:Innately curious individual: passionate about emerging trends, consumer behaviour, brands, and technology - and sharing these learnings with othersProactiveResilience to keep going in a fast-paced environmentStrive for excellence and has a can-do attitudeNatural team player – willing and able to lend a handPassionate about brands, customer engagement, and creativityABOUT VCCP LOYALTY & CRMWe are the customer engagement arm of the VCCP Partnership. We are 40 strong and growing and work with some amazing brands like The National Lottery, Transport for London, Canon, Cadbury, O2,Co-op, British Gas and more. Our team includes specialists across account management, project management, strategy, creative and design, data science/strategy, and martech. Our job is to help transform the fortunes of our clients by creating a brand-distinctive and differentiated customer experience. At VCCP, you will make the best work of your career, and you will work with some of the most talented people in the industry.