Manifold
Creative Strategist
Strategic Leadership & Insight Generation
Unpack client goals, business context, competitive landscape, and category positioning
Translate client goals into insights and strategic guardrails that guide the Accounts, Creative, and Production teams.
Lead client brief dissection and strategic planning sessions, applying strategic frameworks like
Essentially: You ensure that the creative starts from truth, not guesswork.
Design Thinking (Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test) to all creative initiatives
Conduct in-depth audience and trend research to uncover potent, actionable consumer insights that inform strategy and creative concepts.
Develop robust, evidence-based strategy documents, creative briefs, and strategic narratives that articulate the "why" behind the "what."
Creative Concept Development
Collaborate closely with the Creative, Accounts and Production teams to brainstorm and develop innovative, feasible, and impactful experiential concepts (e.g., interactive installations, large-scale events, immersive branded environments) that connect a client’s brand, story, and audience needs
Ensure all creative output is aligned with the client's brand identity, marketing objectives, budget, and the core strategic insights derived from HCD.
Make sure all concepts have a reason for being — rooted in insight, impact, and experience design principles
Experience Mapping & Journey Design In this role, you will define:
The end-to-end attendee journey
Desired emotional states at each moment
Core interactions
Behavior change or brand takeaways
Essentially, you will build the “attendee POV” blueprint that the rest of the team executes against.
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Facilitation
Act as the strategic link between Account Management, Creative, and Production teams, ensuring seamless integration from concept through execution.
Mentor junior team members on strategic development, research methodologies, and presentation best practices.
Lead:
Creative alignment conversations
Internal brainstorms
Client work sessions
New Business Presentation & Pitching
Must possess skill to serve effectively as the
lead presenter
for high-stakes new business pitches and client strategy reviews.
Design and deliver polished, persuasive, and visually stunning presentations that clearly communicate complex strategic and creative ideas, captivate clients, and ultimately
win new business .
Articulate the value proposition of experiential marketing, demonstrating how our ideas will drive measurable business results.
Measurement & Success Frameworks You will help define, in partnership with Accounts team:
What success looks like (beyond vanity metrics)
KPIs tied to experience goals
Feedback loops and post-event learnings
Qualifications & Experience
5+ years of progressive experience in strategic planning, creative strategy, or a similar role, ideally within an experiential marketing agency, event production firm, or a related field.
Demonstrated expertise in Human-Centered Design (HCD) or Design Thinking methodologies and their practical application in marketing and product/service development.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a portfolio of strategy decks and/or conceptual work that showcases clarity and innovative thinking.
Proven track record of winning new business through outstanding presentation skills and the ability to command a room, tell a story, and build rapport with senior client stakeholders.
High proficiency in presentation software (e.g., Google Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote) and the ability to direct design for maximum visual impact.
A strong understanding of current event production capabilities, marketing technology—including an awareness of the evolution of AI integration in our field, and emerging cultural/consumer trends.
Skills
Exceptional storytelling and deck-building skills
Ability to synthesize complex information into simple, actionable insights
Strong workshop facilitation and interviewing abilities
Comfort collaborating across creative, accounts, and production
Keen understanding of consumer behavior and experience design
Strategic rigor with a creative, intuitive mind
Confident presenter, persuasive communicator
Mindset
Insightful: Sees patterns others miss
Collaborative: Loves shaping ideas with multidisciplinary teams
Curious: Constantly pushes thinking, digs deeper, asks why
Flexible: Able to pivot between high-level strategy and hands-on deck writing
Creative: Thrives in a playful, imaginative, experiential-first environment
This is a full-time position based in our Portland Office. Competitive salary, 401(k) and employee benefits package. Manifold is a growth company with a strong commitment to teamwork and developing our employees while providing high quality client interaction.
At Manifold, we are dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where innovation thrives and every employee can excel. We proudly stand as an equal opportunity employer and welcome individuals from all backgrounds. Our commitment extends to ensuring equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status. If you require any accommodations due to a disability or special need, please indicate your requirements within your application, and our team will be in touch to assist.
Seniority level Mid-Senior level
Employment type Full-time
Job function Marketing and Sales
Advertising Services
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Unpack client goals, business context, competitive landscape, and category positioning
Translate client goals into insights and strategic guardrails that guide the Accounts, Creative, and Production teams.
Lead client brief dissection and strategic planning sessions, applying strategic frameworks like
Essentially: You ensure that the creative starts from truth, not guesswork.
Design Thinking (Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test) to all creative initiatives
Conduct in-depth audience and trend research to uncover potent, actionable consumer insights that inform strategy and creative concepts.
Develop robust, evidence-based strategy documents, creative briefs, and strategic narratives that articulate the "why" behind the "what."
Creative Concept Development
Collaborate closely with the Creative, Accounts and Production teams to brainstorm and develop innovative, feasible, and impactful experiential concepts (e.g., interactive installations, large-scale events, immersive branded environments) that connect a client’s brand, story, and audience needs
Ensure all creative output is aligned with the client's brand identity, marketing objectives, budget, and the core strategic insights derived from HCD.
Make sure all concepts have a reason for being — rooted in insight, impact, and experience design principles
Experience Mapping & Journey Design In this role, you will define:
The end-to-end attendee journey
Desired emotional states at each moment
Core interactions
Behavior change or brand takeaways
Essentially, you will build the “attendee POV” blueprint that the rest of the team executes against.
Cross-Functional Collaboration and Facilitation
Act as the strategic link between Account Management, Creative, and Production teams, ensuring seamless integration from concept through execution.
Mentor junior team members on strategic development, research methodologies, and presentation best practices.
Lead:
Creative alignment conversations
Internal brainstorms
Client work sessions
New Business Presentation & Pitching
Must possess skill to serve effectively as the
lead presenter
for high-stakes new business pitches and client strategy reviews.
Design and deliver polished, persuasive, and visually stunning presentations that clearly communicate complex strategic and creative ideas, captivate clients, and ultimately
win new business .
Articulate the value proposition of experiential marketing, demonstrating how our ideas will drive measurable business results.
Measurement & Success Frameworks You will help define, in partnership with Accounts team:
What success looks like (beyond vanity metrics)
KPIs tied to experience goals
Feedback loops and post-event learnings
Qualifications & Experience
5+ years of progressive experience in strategic planning, creative strategy, or a similar role, ideally within an experiential marketing agency, event production firm, or a related field.
Demonstrated expertise in Human-Centered Design (HCD) or Design Thinking methodologies and their practical application in marketing and product/service development.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a portfolio of strategy decks and/or conceptual work that showcases clarity and innovative thinking.
Proven track record of winning new business through outstanding presentation skills and the ability to command a room, tell a story, and build rapport with senior client stakeholders.
High proficiency in presentation software (e.g., Google Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote) and the ability to direct design for maximum visual impact.
A strong understanding of current event production capabilities, marketing technology—including an awareness of the evolution of AI integration in our field, and emerging cultural/consumer trends.
Skills
Exceptional storytelling and deck-building skills
Ability to synthesize complex information into simple, actionable insights
Strong workshop facilitation and interviewing abilities
Comfort collaborating across creative, accounts, and production
Keen understanding of consumer behavior and experience design
Strategic rigor with a creative, intuitive mind
Confident presenter, persuasive communicator
Mindset
Insightful: Sees patterns others miss
Collaborative: Loves shaping ideas with multidisciplinary teams
Curious: Constantly pushes thinking, digs deeper, asks why
Flexible: Able to pivot between high-level strategy and hands-on deck writing
Creative: Thrives in a playful, imaginative, experiential-first environment
This is a full-time position based in our Portland Office. Competitive salary, 401(k) and employee benefits package. Manifold is a growth company with a strong commitment to teamwork and developing our employees while providing high quality client interaction.
At Manifold, we are dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where innovation thrives and every employee can excel. We proudly stand as an equal opportunity employer and welcome individuals from all backgrounds. Our commitment extends to ensuring equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status. If you require any accommodations due to a disability or special need, please indicate your requirements within your application, and our team will be in touch to assist.
Seniority level Mid-Senior level
Employment type Full-time
Job function Marketing and Sales
Advertising Services
#J-18808-Ljbffr