Senior Strategist

ROLE: Senior Strategist
TEAM: The Kitchen North America
LOCATION: Toronto 

Company Overview

Welcome to The Kitchen by Kraft Heinz – the in-house agency taking marketing into a new era. With bases in Toronto and Chicago, we're not just a team; we're culinary pioneers blending culture, creativity, and collaboration. Join our 100+ member crew of Creatives, Strategists, Producers, Designers, and Content Creators. Together with our brand partners, we unlock creativity at the speed of culture, turning brands into icons with breakthrough social and digital ideas. Come be part of a team where passion meets innovation, crafting experiences that leave a lasting impression—one spicy idea at a time. Role Overview The Senior Strategist at The Kitchen is responsible for serving as the day-to-day strategic lead across multiple brands. We seek someone who thrives in a fast-paced, creative environment. This role demands a unique blend of cultural curiosity, a passion for social media and, above all, solid strategic thinking, Key

Responsibilities Include

· Owning end-to-end strategy and brief development for projects ranging from product campaigns, culturally resonant brand acts, paid social campaigns and organic social activations

· Leading and coaching a team of Social Media Managers, while overseeing content development for organic social media efforts, both planned and reactive

· Collaborating with a variety of cross-functional teams such as Creative, Consumer Insights, Analytics, Media, Brand Marketing, Social Insights, S&D Fulfilment Partners

The ideal candidate has strong strategy foundations, understands the full marketing funnel and ecosystem, inclusive of social media and the role this plays in unlocking insights and driving culture. Their keen eye for sharp insights and great storytelling will inspire teams to create disruptive work that not just moves at the speed of culture, but also moves people.

Core Responsibilities

· Strategic Thinking: Maintain a deep understanding of the brand, audiences, business priorities, competition, and industry trends. Develop creative briefs, comms plans, campaign rollouts, and thought leadership.

· Cultural Strategy & Creative Brief Development: Translate current events, trends, and conversations into inspiring creative opportunities and proactive briefs that enable brands to quickly and effectively participate in culture.

· Collaboration with Creative Teams: Work closely with the Creative team to brainstorm, generate thought starters, and actively hone their work.

· Understanding of Paid Media: Understand ad units, media opportunities, and post content options across various platforms. Provide strategic recommendations for creating and amplifying work with both paid and owned media.

· Social Media Strategy: Stay updated on the latest social media platforms and trends, ensuring that Creatives and Brand Partners operate effectively in a constantly changing social media landscape.

· Social Playbook Development: Oversee the development of social media playbooks, ensuring alignment with brand DNA, voice, and platform strategies.

· Social Listening: Have foundational knowledge of social listening tools & translate social listening data into strategic recommendations that inform brand activations and social content.

· Learning & Measurement: Partner with Analytics and Media teams to analyze, synthesize, and report on campaigns/activations and key learnings

· Storytelling Skills: Compose engaging and clear presentations that effectively communicate ideas and POVs that help get buy in and support from Brand Partners & other cross functional teams.

· Team Management: Lead a team consisting of Creatives, Social Copywriters, Content Creators, and directly manage two Social Media Managers. Guide your team in developing social briefs, deploying content, and managing Brand Partner relationships.

Experience & Skills

· 6+ years of experience in as a brand or digital/social strategist at a creative agency

· Proven track record of developing digital/social strategies for brands, ideally for a CPG or lifestyle brand.

· Experience working with Creative teams, providing strategic expertise, and influencing creative ideas.

· Ability to develop, analyse, and translate research and data into meaningful insights that inspire big ideas.

· Strong understanding of research tools supporting strategy development (e.g., Mintel, Survey Monkey, social listening).

· Deep passion and understanding of culture and social trends.

· Excellent presentation and communication skills in group environments.

· A university or college diploma in marketing, advertising, or a related field is preferred.

The Kitchen, Kraft Heinz, and Salt are committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting and retaining the most qualified employees regardless of race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age, or disability.