Associate Planning Director

Edelman is a voice synonymous with trust, reimagining a future where the currency of communication is action. Our culture thrives on three promises: boldness is possibility, empathy is progress, and curiosity is momentum.

At Edelman, we understand diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) transform our colleagues, our company, our clients, and our communities. We are in relentless pursuit of an equitable and inspiring workplace that is respectful of all, reflects and represents the world in which we live, and fosters trust, collaboration and belonging.

Edelman is the leading global strategic communications firm powered by data, innovation and creativity.

We help organizations establish trust, credibility and resonance that defines reputation and fuels growth.

The Strategic Planning Director is a senior leadership role responsible for driving measurable client impact and accelerating business growth for Edelman.

This role sits at the intersection of insight, creativity, and commercial strategy - shaping transformative communications platforms that strengthen brand equity, unlock new opportunities, and position Edelman as a trusted business partner to C-suite stakeholders.

You will lead strategic thinking across consumer and corporate portfolios, elevate the quality of our integrated work, and directly contribute to revenue growth through stronger briefs, bigger ideas, and deeper client relationships.

Responsibilities

Drive Client Impact Through Strategic Excellence

• Lead the development and elevation of client briefs, ensuring clarity of business objectives and measurable outcomes

• Translate business challenges into insight-led communications strategies that deliver reputation, brand, and commercial impact

• Define clear success parameters and KPIs aligned with client growth goals

• Provide senior-level counsel to clients, confidently navigating complex issues and high-pressure situations

• Ensure strategy drives integration across PR, digital, social, creative, influencer and paid media

Power Creative Excellence & Integrated Innovation

• Bridge audience intelligence, cultural trends, and industry dynamics to unlock breakthrough brand platforms

• Champion an earned-first strategic mindset by leveraging trust, credibility, culture and conversation as primary growth drivers, with paid and owned channels working in service of reputation and influence, not the other way around.

• Identify new intersections between culture, communities, and brands to create provocative, conversation-driving strategies

• Develop robust communications frameworks that translate big ideas into executable, multi-channel programs

Elevate Insight & Intelligence

• Champion a research-driven culture - defining the right questions before jumping to solutions

• Oversee secondary research, synthesizing data into compelling narratives and strategic direction

• Consult on primary research initiatives to ensure methodology aligns with business objectives

• Translate complex data into simple, persuasive storytelling for both internal teams and senior clients

Fuel Business Growth & Agency Value

• Contribute to new business development through strategic input in pitches and proposal design

• Identify organic growth opportunities within existing accounts

• Develop thought leadership (white papers, trend reports, strategic POVs) that strengthens Edelman’s market positioning

• Help shape integrated solutions that increase share of wallet across practices

• Demonstrate strong commercial acumen - ensuring strategic recommendations are scalable, profitable, and outcome-driven

Lead, Influence & Inspire

• Build deep partnerships across creative, digital, media and corporate teams to raise the bar on integrated delivery

• Influence senior stakeholders internally and externally with clarity and authority

• Mentor and elevate planning talent across the agency

• Act as a connector - internally and externally - to generate fresh thinking and strategic advantage

Qualification

· At least 8 years of relevant experience in Communications Marketing and/or related fields including research, advertising, management consulting, media and publishing

· A bachelor’s degree, preferably with a concentration in advertising, marketing, business administration or communications.

· Strong presentation skills, ability to articulate smart and sometimes complex solutions in a straightforward and lucid manner to a variety of internal and external audiences

· An open and progressive mindset with a strong interest in developing earned-first strategic thinking, recognizing trust, credibility and cultural relevance as primary drivers of sustainable brand growth

· Adept at developing powerful narratives to deliver insights and strategy for client buy-in

· Experience in handling complex client issues and an ability to provide senior clients with clear, confident, and well-informed strategic counsel under pressure

· Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills, with an ability to deliver a project against budget and deliver results

· A track record of handling complex stakeholders with ability to influence decisions

· Capability to think and apply solutions quickly

· Strong communications skills, verbal and written; Strong negotiation & influencing skills ; Strategic clarity combined with entrepreneurial mindset

· Experience of multi-market coordination, working within integrated teams and across practices

· Creative, ambitious, entrepreneurial with good initiative, strong organisation and attention to detail

· Passion for networking, both internally and externally, to develop contacts and generate new thinking and ways of working

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.