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Associate Partner, Head of Strategy

Chicago, IL

VSA’s purpose is to design for a better human experience. As a strategy and design agency, we blend consumer insights and data with human-centered design to activate meaningful, motivating and measurable experiences in an increasingly noisy world. With offices in Chicago, New York and San Francisco, VSA offers a full range of fully integrated capabilities—branding, advertising, data science and technology—all under one roof. VSA is also a proud member of Meet The People, an international family of unified and independent agencies. For more than 40 years, we have delivered solutions for business and creative leaders at some of the world’s most respected brands and forward-thinking organizations, including Google, Nike and IBM. 

About VSA Partners

VSA Partners is a leading brand and marketing agency within the Meet The People network. We help businesses create meaningful connections with their audiences through strategy, design, and technology. Our integrated approach combines creativity and media expertise, enabling clients to navigate complexity and achieve measurable impact. Collaborating with partners like True Media Services, we deliver holistic solutions that align brand, marketing, and media strategies. As an independent agency, we offer the agility, transparency, and speed today’s clients demand with the culture of collaboration and accountability our people value.

Role Overview & Context

As Associate Partner, Head of Strategy, you will lead strategic thinking across client engagements and new business opportunities while serving as a steward of VSA’s strategic voice internally, with clients, and in the market. Strategy at VSA elevates insight, simplifies complexity, and drives accountability through measurement. This role is pivotal in shaping brand direction, driving growth, and ensuring integrated solutions that connect creativity with media. You will collaborate with creative teams, media specialists, and senior leadership to deliver strategies that advance measurement and accountability, anticipate industry shifts, and champion the thoughtful use of AI.

Expanded Responsibilities

  • Drive Growth & New Business Impact: Partner closely with VSA’s Head of Growth to sharpen and express the agency’s strategic POV in pitches and shape strategic narratives through compelling storytelling.
  • Lead & Evolve the Strategy Practice: Set the vision for VSA’s strategy practice across brand, marketing, experience, and communications. Build strategic capability and evolve frameworks, tools, and ways of working.
  • Elevate Measurement, Media & Effectiveness: Establish and strengthen measurement practices tied to outcomes and impact. Champion closer alignment of media, creative, and measurement.
  • Apply AI Thoughtfully & Effectively: Champion responsible use of AI in research, insight development, ideation, and optimization. Help the team build fluency with emerging tools while maintaining strategic rigor.

Key Responsibilities

  • Define and articulate brand and marketing strategies for diverse clients.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders.
  • Lead strategic development for pitches and new business opportunities.
  • Collaborate with True Media Services to align creative and media strategies.
  • Advance measurement practices tied to outcomes and impact.
  • Champion responsible use of AI in research, insight, and optimization.
  • Mentor and inspire a team of strategists, fostering excellence.
  • Stay ahead of industry trends and bring innovative thinking to client work.
  • Shape strategic narratives expressed through compelling storytelling.
  • Ensure integration of creativity, media, and measurement for holistic solutions.

Core Skills & Experience

  • 10+ years in brand or marketing strategy leadership roles.
  • Proven track record of driving strategic initiatives for major brands.
  • Expertise in integrated marketing and media collaboration.
  • Experience establishing measurement and effectiveness frameworks.
  • Fluency in AI and emerging technologies as strategic tools.
  • Exceptional storytelling and presentation skills for C-suite audiences.
  • Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to challenge conventional thinking.
  • Strong leadership and team development capabilities.
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Qualifications

  • Deep understanding of integrated marketing, including creative and media.
  • Comfortable engaging with senior client stakeholders and C-suite executives.
  • Experience in agency settings with a focus on growth and innovation.

Why This Role, Why Now

VSA is at an inflection point, with clients navigating unprecedented change and strategy evolving due to new tools and complexity. This role offers the opportunity to shape how strategy drives growth and innovation for clients and the agency, positioning VSA as a leader in integrated brand, campaign and media solutions.

Chicago Estimated Salary Range

$200,000 - $275,000 USD

VSA Partners is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive, equitable environment for all employees. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit and business need.

California Residents - Please review our Privacy Notice here. 

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