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Director, Strategy

Cronin, Glastonbury, Connecticut, us, 06033

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Cronin is a growing, fully integrated advertising and marketing agency based in Connecticut. We leverage the power of creativity to differentiate brands and drive sales. We’re known for combining visionary thinking with award‑winning creative execution to deliver work that drives measurable impact. We’re an independent agency with global, national, and regional clients and part of a global network of 60 independent agencies. Our team is talented, committed, ambitious, and real – we’re invested in the work and each other. A key point of difference is our leadership model – our leaders empower and enable your growth. Learn more at www.cronin‑co.com.

About You You're curious, nimble, and connected to culture, creativity, and business. You lead by example, inspire others to lean in, and thrive in less‑defined environments where you'll build both the "what are we solving?" and the "how will we solve it?" You're ready to roll up your sleeves and get great work done without excessive hierarchy or legacy processes. You communicate clearly and back your ideas with data. You're confident, passionate about what you do, and believe work should be both professionally and personally rewarding. New challenges and new business opportunities? You're all in.

Overview As a Strategy Director at Cronin, you connect the dots between research, data, trends, and business intelligence to deliver what we call "strategy inaction" – insights that spark creativity and solve real business problems. You set the standard for strategic excellence at the agency and earn deep respect from clients and creatives alike by championing bold, effective work. You manage multiple projects and clients with precision and care. Most importantly, you’re an inclusive leader and teammate with strong cultural and emotional intelligence – someone who brings out the best in people across different working styles and perspectives.

Job Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Client Immersion

Lead client discovery and immersion: Conduct stakeholder interviews and site visits to build deep, qualitative understanding of brand, culture, and business challenges

Initiate and proactively lead discovery

Bring strategy to life: Translate insights into actionable frameworks that inspire teams and drive exceptional creative work

Champion strategy in action: Embed strategic thinking throughout the creative process, not just in decks and presentations

Lead Development & Execution

Oversee and own all strategic deliverables for assigned accounts, working in close partnership with creative, account, media, production, and other disciplines

Develop comprehensive brand strategies, positioning frameworks, audience insights, and creative briefs that inspire breakthrough work

Translate business objectives into clear strategic direction that guides creative development and campaign execution

Ensure strategic consistency and brand integrity across all touchpoints and campaigns

Present and defend strategic recommendations to clients with confidence and clarity

Develop & Steward Strategic Frameworks

Create and steward strategic outputs ranging from overarching brand strategies to tactical creative execution briefs

Build and evolve strategic frameworks across multiple campaigns and activities, maintaining pace with account needs and business objectives

Clearly identify and isolate the real business problems that brand and communications can solve

Articulate the roles of brand, communications, and channels within broader business plans—thinking strategically for both today and tomorrow

Demonstrate deep understanding of client business models, competitive landscapes, and industry dynamics

Champion Creative Excellence Through Strategy

Champion the brand purpose and creative vision, ensuring it comes to life consistently across all relevant touchpoints and communications

Develop creatively inspiring briefs that give teams a clear problem to solve and the freedom to solve it brilliantly

Partner with creative teams to push work further while staying grounded in strategy

Drive Insight & Measurement

Leverage research, syndicated tools, and AI‑powered platforms to uncover insights and build a unique, original point of view

Find creatively interesting and unexpected ways of approaching problems

Establish measurable goals upfront in the strategic and creative process

Track campaign performance post‑launch and translate learnings into actionable recommendations

Connect strategic decisions to business outcomes with data and evidence

Qualifications

6+ years of brand, communications, or data strategy experience in a creative agency setting, with demonstrated experience as a strategic partner, leading pieces of business and pitches

Proven ability to translate complex business challenges into clear, actionable strategic frameworks

Strong presentation skills with the ability to confidently sell ideas to clients and internal teams

Experience working across multiple clients and industries simultaneously

Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with creative, account, media, and production teams

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrated mastery and proven track record of delivering creatively inspiring, business‑driving thinking

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or related field (or equivalent training and experience)

Deep understanding of the roles of brands, communications, and communication channels within business plans

Experience with both brand‑building and performance marketing strategies (full‑funnel thinking)

Proficiency with research tools, data analytics platforms, and AI‑powered insights tools

Track record of developing strategies that have driven measurable business results

Experience in one or more of Cronin's core verticals: Financial Services, Healthcare, Consumer, or B2B

New business experience—contributing to pitches, RFP responses, and client presentations

Strong cultural intelligence and ability to work effectively across diverse teams and perspectives

Experience leading strategic workstreams

Understanding of emerging trends in media, technology, culture, and consumer behavior

Portfolio of work demonstrating strategic thinking that led to award‑winning creative or measurable business impact

What Sets You Apart

You're as comfortable in a spreadsheet as you are in a brainstorm

You can switch between big‑picture brand thinking and tactical execution without missing a beat

You're energized by ambiguity and building solutions from scratch

You have a point of view and the confidence to defend it—yet the humility to evolve it

You're genuinely curious about people, culture, and what makes things work

Supervisory Responsibility None

Reporting Relationship This position reports to the EVP of Account, Strategy and Digital

Bring Your Whole Self We believe diversity drives innovation. Different perspectives lead to better decisions for our clients and inspire meaningful change. We’re committed to building a culture where differences aren't just accepted—they’re valued and celebrated. We work together to bring out the best in each other, because we know that's when we do our best work.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

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