Advertising salary guide—how strategist jobs are evolving and which roles are available

This is part of a recurring series of stories that examine the hottest ad industry jobs and what they’re paying. Ad Age searched ad agency and marketing listings in December for strategy jobs in New York across various sites including LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Indeed and others. Highlighted below are some of the more senior and interesting roles shops and brands are looking to fill in this area, along with sometimes very broad salary ranges they posted. Note that some of these listings may have been filled or adjusted since they were posted, and Ad Age has not detailed the benefits offered with each role. Tracking the latest Omnicom-IPG merger news and analysis What are strategy jobs in the ad industry? Strategists in advertising and marketing can serve multiple purposes. Traditionally, a strategist within a creative agency conducts, collects and analyzes market research to help develop campaigns. They can sit within brand marketing teams to improve campaigns. Media strategists similarly collect and analyze data to improve buying and planning strategies to help identify and target the right consumer audiences. “At the core of their work, they bridge the gap between a brand's goals and the audience’s needs,” said Owen Williams, founder and managing partner of ad recruiting firm Outside Lines. Some agencies still have siloed strategy departments, but this discipline increasingly is becoming more blended with other teams and hybrid roles that can include strategy and account or strategy and data and analytics, according to recruiters and the open jobs Ad Age observed. Ad Age’s search uncovered several roles that were part project management and part strategy, and part strategy and part data and analytics, for example. “The line is blurring between strategy roles,” said Tony Stanol, president of industry headhunting firm Global Recruiters of Sarasota. “They have shifted from neat boxes to more of a spectrum. On one end, you’ve got classic brand planners and, on the other, digital strategy pros. Hybrids are emerging—especially at senior levels.” This blending of roles can cause confusion, said. Sasha Martens, president of ad recruiting firm Sasha the Mensch. For instance, sometimes a data scientist is hired in a strategist role and that person ends up being “unable to really provide a brand platform strategy.” Williams said traditional agencies will always have “more traditional brand or comms strategists” and media strategists are still critical to media shops. “But let’s see what AI does to this side of the industry in the coming years,” he said, as one of generative AI’s main functions is to gather and deliver insights. Also read: 3 marketing strategies to keep up with AI Ad Age Salary Guide The hottest ad industry jobs and what they’re paying Read more here Why are strategy jobs in demand? Martens said agencies are currently hiring more communications strategists than brand strategists. Those strategists help craft the messaging and stories of how the company communicates and presents itself to the public. “There’s been a push away from your brand strategist, because so much is running off of the social platforms,” Martens said. “Secondly, brands are less interested in [insights] the agencies can provide because the brands sometimes assume that they have all the data and insights already.” But social media can also provide an edge for strategists. Owens said strategists who have “immersed themselves in social and how to engage with specific target markets across mediums” are in high demand. “We are seeing many more traditional agencies adding this skill set to their teams or even building out entire social and content offerings around the insights that come from a more social media-focused strategist,” he said. Across the board, Stanol said he’s seeing the job market start to heat up and “strategic roles, especially, have been hot commodities.” He said he just placed a strategy director at a Midwest independent shop. “With election-year uncertainty in the rearview mirror, budgets are starting to loosen up, and agencies are tentatively stepping back into growth mode,” Stanol said. “It’s December, and I can already feel the momentum picking up as we’re being approached for several new recruiting assignments.” Also read: Biggest brand fails of 2024 include social media missteps What skills are required for strategy roles? Williams said strategists need to be analytical, solve problems, write well, craft stories, be curious “around trends, consumer behaviors,” and have “the will to do the research.” “Today’s strategists need a Swiss Army knife of skills—quantitative research, qualitative insights, deep analytics and, now, AI activation,” Stanol said. “It’s not enough to know the tools; you need to know how to wield them creatively.” Here are a few areas agencies and brands are looking for talent to be adept in for the open strategy jobs: How much do these jobs pay? Strategy leads can earn a bigger paycheck than some of their peers in other departments, including creative, Stanol said, noting executive VP planning directors can “pull in base salaries in the low to mid $400,000s.” “But there’s a catch: corporate salary bands [set minimum and maximum salary ranges for a specific job level or category] in holding companies can be a glass ceiling,” he added. “Getting to those upper echelons—and staying there—takes a mix of luck, timing, and a willingness to evolve,” he said. Ad Age’s search didn’t uncover any salary offerings hitting $400,000 a year but there is one open role, a director of marketing measurement strategy for Peloton, offering up to $331,683 annually. Those high salaries, to be sure, are usually only seen in New York. “New York is still the salary king. When it comes to paychecks, New York reigns supreme,” Stanol said. Due to the cost of living, New York companies will always pay more than some other parts of the country, he said. From Ad Age’s search, it seems there are more job opportunities within brand marketing teams than agencies currently in New York. Tech companies and social platforms such as Apple and TikTok are hiring in strategy and offering high salaries. Apple is offering between $143,900 and $216,900 a year for a revenue strategy lead, ad platforms. TikTok has a few positions open including a senior product strategy and marketing manager, creative insights, for which it’s offering between $128,000 and $290,000 a year. Agencies’ salary offerings came in a bit lower. The salary offering for a manager, strategy and planning insights at WPP-owned GroupM’s Wavemaker is listed at between $60,000 and $140,000 a year, for example. Much depends on the specific role and the company, but below is a glimpse, thanks to a law in New York that went into effect Nov. 1, 2022 requiring companies to include good faith pay ranges for all job listings. Job title: Associate director, strategy, GroupM Salary range: $75,000 - $180,000 a year WPP’s media investment arm, GroupM, is hiring for several strategy roles including an associate director of strategy. The person will “be an integral and supporting member of media strategy, product and campaign management” as well as “fully embedded in each client team and involved from the earliest stages of the planning process through campaign execution and measurement,” according to the job post. This person should expect to present to clients and various of the agency’s teams, and will “contribute significantly to the development of communications strategies that activate consumer insights, drive innovation for clients and provide structure for brand channel presence/priorities.” Skills desired for this role include: A Bachelor’s degree in advertising, marketing, business administration, communications or related field; at least five years of overall advertising experience, and one to two years of experience in a strategic role; “strong knowledge of client’s business, competition and latest industry news and trends; [and an] understanding of the principles of media and able to think across the whole media mix, marketing and advertising, as well as an understanding of media concepts and terms, creative and budget requirements.” See the job post here. Also read: Inside GroupM’s restructuring Job title: Manager, strategy and planning insights, Wavemaker Salary range: $60,000 - $140,000 a year Wavemaker, which is part of GroupM, is looking to hire a manager of strategy and planning insights. The media agency is “seeking a curious, data-savvy storyteller to dive deep into research and uncover learnings that shape our strategies and drive client success” as well as someone who “will support strategists and planners with their analytical expertise and a passion for insights,” according to the job listing. Specifically, this person’s insights will contribute to thought leadership initiatives and new business. Skills desired for this role include: Five to seven years of experience at an agency, consultancy or other firm with client-facing duties, with a background in media, advertising or marketing; “strong critical thinking skills and a passion for uncovering insights; strong analytical skills with a solid foundation in statistics; [and the ability to] independently identify the best data sources and develop key insights by synthesizing primary, syndicated and client-owned research.” See the job post here. Job title: Director, commerce strategy, Nexus Salary range: $100,000 - $230,000 a year GroupM Nexus is looking to hire a director of commerce strategy to help unlock growth potential for multiple clients. This person “will understand the capabilities of commerce platforms including retail media networks and adtech partners and will assist in solving complex business problems,” according to the job listing. “The role will identify product, process, or solution opportunities based on client needs and unlocking new growth opportunities across channels for clients.” This director will also have a team of direct reports. Skills desired for this role include: A Bachelor’s Degree in business, analytics, marketing, communications, advertising or equivalent professional work experience; at least seven years of experience in commerce across paid media, trade strategy, retail, consulting or analytics; an “ability to execute effective media plans that achieve business objectives; [and] experience managing a team of direct reports.” See the job post here. Job title: Senior VP, integrated strategy, Dentsu Creative Salary range: $163,000 - $263,350 a year Dentsu Creative is looking to hire a senior VP of integrated strategy. This person will oversee the strategy, creativity, analytics and execution of all of the agency network’s projects. The executive will set goals, develop plans and ensure campaigns are successfully executed, according to the job post. “Additionally, you will work alongside key account stakeholders to define key performance indicators (KPIs), track analytics, report findings and make recommendations.” This person will lead a team of strategy directors and strategists. Skills desired for this role include: At least 15 years of brand and creative strategy experience; a Bachelor’s Degree in a business-related field; “a proven track record being the strategic lead on [two to three] businesses and oversees a discipline; [and] a creative thinker and compelling storyteller, endlessly curious and questioning, with a strong ability to shift perspectives and reveal valuable insights and creative opportunities through data and collaborative narratives with all levels of the agency and its partners to drive growth.” See the job post here. Job title: VP of data and audience strategy, Dentsu Salary range: $163,000 - $263,350 a year Dentsu is also looking for a VP of data and audience strategy, who will sit within the holding company’s global data and tech division. This person will work with Dentsu’s identity and data platform, Merkury, to develop and execute audience strategies for clients. “Your focus will be on data acquisition, audience insights and architecture that enhance media strategy, planning and activation,” according to the job listing. Skills desired for this role include: A Bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising, economics, computer science, information systems, business analytics, or a related field; At least 10 years of experience in audience and data strategy; experience using “identity and data platforms to drive measurable campaign success and personalized customer experience; [and a] deep understanding of digital data technologies including first-party and third-party data, data lakes, clean rooms, CDP, CRM and identity solutions.” See the job post here. Job title: Account executive, client strategy, Orion Worldwide Salary range: $62,500 - $65,000 a year Orion Worldwide, an IPG Mediabrands company, is seeking an account executive of client strategy. This role is part project management, part strategy. The account executive of client strategy will support Orion’s VP, client business partner in helping manage the agency’s accounts and achieve clients’ goals. The “candidate must be innovative, act as a team player, possess strong business acumen and the ability to manage key relationships, and be proficient in Excel and preparing PowerPoint presentations,” according to the job listing. Skills desired for this role include: At least one year of experience in media, marketing or advertising; experience working with pharmaceutical client is “a plus; excellent written and verbal skills, and superior attention to detail; [and] ability to be a team player and exhibit leadership skills.” See the job post here. Job title: Senior engagement strategist, VML Salary range: $60,000 - $140,000 a year WPP’s VML, the agency network encompassing VMLY&R and Wunderman Thompson, is looking to hire a senior engagement strategist to tackle clients’ business challenges. This person must be able to “analyze and translate data into a concise story,” according to the job post. The senior engagement strategist will develop channel-specific strategies for various media including social, CRM and websites. This person will “constantly seek to improve client work and actively asks provocative questions that can lead to new lines of thinking,” per the listing. The post indicates this person will also be working with certain health care marketing clients. Skills desired for this role include: Two to four years of experience in research and strategic planning; experience working in direct-to-consumer and health care-focused marketing; a “minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and a multidisciplinary background including developing business strategy, marketing strategy, consumer insight and/or account planning.” See the job post here. Job title: Revenue strategy lead, ad platforms, Apple Salary range: $143,900 - $216,900 a year Apple is looking to hire a revenue strategy lead in its ad platforms division. This executive will “be accountable for defining the short- and long-term revenue strategy” for the tech giant’s advertiser segment, “including defining and driving performance metrics, identifying strategic areas of focus and providing enablement resources for our partner development teams,” according to the job post. Skills desired for this role include: At least six years of experience in business strategy or a go-to-market role in digital advertising “that required defining team’s long-term vision and strategy for a client-facing organization; experience developing and implementing customer-focused revenue strategies, sales enablement resources and measurement frameworks that align with business goals and address customer needs; [and] experience delivering key results through detailed business plans and cross-functional collaboration.” See the job post here. Job title: Product strategy and operations lead, ad experiences, Roku Salary range: $108,000 - $162,000 a year Roku is searching for a product strategy and operations lead in its ad experiences division. This person must have experience in strategic planning. The executive will help launch new products and capabilities for Roku’s advertisers, and must have previous experience developing new ad products. “Your job is to ensure the successful launch and adoption of new ad formats across Roku’s user platform,” according to the job post. “You will work collaboratively and cross-functionally with teams across both consumer and advertising organizations to bring these experiences to market and evaluate new opportunities to enhance our portfolio.” Skills desired for this role include: Experience in product strategy, operations and project/program management; a “strong understanding of the product development lifecycle and go-to-market strategies; ability to define and measure success metrics, ensuring continuous improvement;” and three to five years of experience within digital media or a similar industry. See the job post here. Job title: Strategy and operations manager, creative ad products, TikTok Salary range: $103,000 - $244,000 a year Popular social platform TikTok has several open strategy roles including a strategy and operations manager of creative ad products. This person will help develop the go-to-market strategies for new creative ad products—the candidate must be able to “analyze market trends, financial data and performance metrics” in order to create these strategies, according to the job post. This manager will also “analyze the efficiency of TikTok's creative product revenue growth, subsidy utilization, and ROI, and identify measures for improvement.” Skills desired for this role include: Experience in data-driven strategy or operations roles, with “a strong analytical background; proficiency in SQL and data analysis tools, with the ability to derive insights from data and use them to inform decision-making; an understanding of how a creative ad campaign works and how success is measured;” and at least three years of experience in management consulting, investment banking or tech corporate strategy. See the job post here. Job title: Senior product strategy and marketing manager, creative insights, TikTok Salary range: $128,000 - $290,000 a year TikTok is also hiring for a senior product strategy and marketing manager, creative insights, to build products that give advertisers “actionable insights through advanced creative methodologies such as content understanding labels and influencer marketing strategies,” that also improve performance, according to the job post. “You will collaborate cross-functionally to improve ad effectiveness, enhance marketing measurement, and drive innovation in the creative and influencer marketing space.” Skills desired for this role include: Strong expertise in product operations and go-to-market strategies “is required, along with a deep understanding of media and creative strategy, data analysis and measurement; demonstrated experience in developing and implementing creative strategies and methodologies that drive innovation and performance across digital marketing and advertising campaigns;” and at least five years of experience in product marketing, product strategy or product operations, as well as three years of “direct experience with ad delivery systems, creative strategy or media platform products.” See the job post here. Job title: Director, strategic planning VP, Neon Salary range: $160,000 - $230,000 a year Neon, an IPG Health shop, is looking to hire a director of strategic planning VP; a “seasoned brand builder and client-facing planning lead with a strong track record of managing complex accounts and pitches,” per the job listing. This person will lead new business efforts including attending pitch presentations and “they excel in taking on new and possibly more challenging accounts.” This person will also supervise employee teams, with various different levels of experience. Skills desired for this role include: The candidate must have pharmaceutical advertising experience and at least eight years of experience in brand strategy or market research; can translate “market dynamics, customer insights and deep understanding of disease state” to create brand strategies accordingly; can work with research tools including Sermo and Datamonitor; and “excellent working knowledge in social media platforms.” See the job post here. Job title: Senior director, global media strategy and planning, Coach Salary range: $265,000 - $300,000 a year Fashion brand Coach, owned by Tapestry, is looking to hire a senior director of global media strategy and planning. The person will oversee and develop media planning and buying strategies that “drive brand awareness, engagement and conversion on a global scale” for the Coach brand, according to the job post. This executive will also “forecast the global media budget, ensuring it is allocated effectively across different channels and campaigns,” as well as “collaborate with cross-functional partners including marketing and finance leads, creative, analytics at Tapestry to plan cohesive and impactful campaigns.” Skills desired for this role include: At least 10 years of experience in media planning and buying “and full-funnel measurement, with significant leadership experience in a global role; advanced knowledge of both traditional and digital media channels including social media, SEO/SEM and emerging media platforms; [and] operational experience in managing media budgets and delivering (and improving) ROAS [return on advertising spend].” See the job post here. Job title: Creative strategy director, Flamingo Salary range: $158,400 - $217,800 a year Flamingo, a Harry’s razors and hair removal brand, is looking to hire a creative strategy director to help develop campaigns and marketing efforts alongside designers, art directors, copywriters and creative project managers. “As a member of the Flamingo creative, design and implementation team, you will be responsible for developing the strategic brand essence and personality as you work with your creative partners to bring this vision to life for our customers across a number of different touchpoints from our website, to email, to packaging, in-store marketing, social media advertising and beyond,” according to the job post. The job is a cross between brand strategy and creative, “so you must get energy from partnering with producers and the art director to excel and meet a high standard, driving clear design vision and prioritization, and continuing to raise the bar on our creative output and how we show up for customers.” Skills desired for this role include: “Excellent organizational and multitasking skills in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment; ability to drive multiple projects at a time, and iterate quickly; able to work in fluid environments where you need to manage changing priorities quarter to quarter, working closely with key stakeholders to clearly understand and communicate restacked priorities; [and] able to translate business/customer objectives into creative needs and to frame those needs in an inspiring way to the rest of the creative team, brand team and channel partners.” See the job post here. Job title: Digital marketing specialist, Roc Nation Salary range: $56,000 - $70,000 a year Entertainment company Roc Nation is looking to hire a digital marketing specialist and strategist to specifically focus on promoting and supporting its roster of Latin artists. “This role will drive innovative digital marketing strategies tailored to the Latin music market, while building strong relationships with artists, managers, and digital partners,” per the job post. This person will help develop and execute “digital marketing campaigns for Latin artist releases, including social media content, email marketing and playlisting strategies on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and others relevant to the Latin music market.” Skills desired for this role include: One to two years of experience “in digital marketing or social media, ideally with a focus on music or entertainment; familiarity with digital and social platforms, particularly TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X and other platforms popular in the Latin music community; [and a] strong passion for Latin music and culture.” See the job post here. Job title: Senior director, strategy and insights, SiriusXM Salary range: $139,500 - $185,000 a year Audio entertainment company SiriusXM is searching for a senior director of strategy and insights, with a focus on retention and “win-back” marketing. This person will provide “actionable insights, identify trends and implement data-driven strategies that reduce customer churn and enhance retention rates,” according to the job listing. Collaborating with different teams, this senior director will “ensure alignment and support for retention initiatives, ultimately maximizing revenue and improving overall business performance” while also continuously monitoring and analyzing “churn metrics, KPIs and leading indicators to extract actionable insights and identify trends for improvement.” Skills desired for this role include: At least 15 years of marketing experience, “preferably on a subscription service; Bachelor’s degree with focus on marketing or related field; proven track record of developing and executing successful retention marketing strategies that drive business results; [and] demonstrate excellent attention to detail, time management skills and an ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a highly fluid, fast-paced environment.” See the job post here. Job title: Latino creative strategy senior manager, Verizon Salary range: $118,000 - $219,000 Verizon is looking for a creative strategy senior manager to develop and execute the national wireless carrier’s creative campaigns for the Latino segment. The person will manage the creative process as well as some external agency partners, according to the job post. This person will also manage “the day-to-day with our external creative advertising agency and ensuring all work is delivered on time and on budget,” while “reviewing all creative assets and provide feedback and/or strategic recommendations to make the creative work harder.” Skills desired for this role include: At least six years of relevant marketing and advertising experience; bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish; experience working at an agency or client-side within a brand marketing team; “are a self-motivated, creative problem solver with attention to detail and experienced in campaign orchestration; [and] experience with the coordination and communication among cross-functional internal teams and agency partners.” See the job post here. Job title: Director, marketing measurement strategy, Peloton Salary range: $236,917 - $331,683 a year Peloton is looking to hire a marketing analytics professional to lead its marketing measurement strategy team. It will be a data-driven role; the person will create the strategy for its global marketing measurement framework and investment allocation, according to the job listing. The fitness equipment maker said in the listing that success in the role “requires expertise in analytics, incrementality testing” and marketing mix modeling, “along with strong leadership and collaboration skills to drive action across all levels of the business.” The executive will report to the senior director of global marketing analytics and oversee a team of three people. Skills desired for this role include: At least 10 years of experience in marketing analytics, data science or a related field, with a strong background in testing, measurement and marketing mix modeling; a Bachelor's degree in statistics, mathematics, computer science or a related field (a Master’s degree preferred); “advanced communication skills to present complex data insights to both technical and non-technical audiences, including executive leadership; [and] strong project management skills to ensure scalability and repeatability of testing frameworks across regions.” See the job post here.

Advertising salary guide—how strategist jobs are evolving and which roles are available

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