Creative Strategist

Job description

Creative Strategist OVERVIEW As a key member of a cross-functional team, the Creative Strategist partners closely with Account Strategists, Analysts, Program Managers, and business units to develop campaign concepts, messaging frameworks, creative direction, and optimization recommendations across direct mail, digital, email, SMS, social media, video, web, CTV, podcast, and emerging channels. This role serves as the strategic bridge between audience understanding and creative execution. The Creative Strategist ensures that every campaign is rooted in insight, aligned to client objectives, and positioned to maximize engagement, response, and long-term brand health. RESPONSIBILITIES Creative Strategy & Campaign Development Lead creative strategy for an assigned portfolio of clients. Develop campaign concepts, art direction, and strategic recommendations that align with fundraising and marketing objectives. Translate client goals, audience insights, and campaign performance into actionable creative direction. Develop channel-specific creative recommendations across direct mail, email, digital, SMS, social media, web, video, podcast, CTV, and emerging channels. Identify opportunities for innovation, testing, and creative optimization. Maintain awareness of fundraising, marketing, and creative industry trends and apply relevant learnings to client work. Audience & Messaging Strategy Develop and maintain audience personas, donor profiles, and audience insights. Create and evolve messaging frameworks that support fundraising, acquisition, retention, and brand-building efforts. Ensure messaging consistency and strategic alignment across all channels and campaigns. Creative Performance & Optimization Partner with Analysts and review KPI dashboards to interpret campaign performance and uncover actionable creative insights. Analyze campaign results to identify what creative approaches are driving success and where opportunities for improvement exist. Develop testing recommendations, optimization strategies, and creative learning agendas. Creative Leadership & Quality Assurance Provide strategic creative direction to designers, copywriters, production artists, and other creative partners. Own creative quality assurance and review of all assigned creative deliverables, ensuring strategic alignment and adherence to brand standards. Lead creative reviews and provide feedback that elevates the quality, effectiveness, and consistency of creative work. Support creative workshops, brainstorming sessions, and strategic planning initiatives. Client Leadership & Collaboration Serve as the creative and brand strategy leader within assigned client pods. Participate in weekly client meetings, campaign kickoffs, strategic planning sessions, quarterly results reviews, annual planning meetings, and other key client engagements. Collaborate with Account Strategists and Analysts to identify growth opportunities, campaign improvements, and strategic initiatives that strengthen client results. Support the retention and growth of client partnerships by consistently delivering strategic value, innovative thinking, and exceptional client experiences. Knowledge, Skills & Experience: 5+ years of experience in fundraising, marketing, advertising, branding, creative strategy, growth marketing, or a related field; agency experience preferred. Experience developing integrated marketing and fundraising campaigns across multiple channels and touchpoints. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, proactively drive work forward, and exercise sound judgment in situations with limited direction or evolving requirements. Strong understanding of donor psychology, audience behavior, creative development, performance marketing, and campaign optimization. Exceptional communication, presentation, and collaboration skills with experience leading strategic conversations with clients and cross-functional teams. Ability to travel up to 30% of time, with a heavy concentration of travel annually February through June depending on client assignments.