Strategy Director

ICF NEXT delivers impactful communication campaigns and projects for the European market and beyond.

We believe that strategic planning is the springboard for creative excellence, driving meaningful engagement with diverse audiences across all EU Member States.

Role Overview:

The Strategy Director will embed strategic thinking into every aspect of our creative work.

This role is responsible for developing and executing high-quality communication strategies, fostering innovation, and ensuring the effectiveness of all campaigns and brand initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Lead, cooperate, and inspire a team of strategic planners, ensuring high-quality communication strategies and creative output
• Oversee and conducting research: In order to identify citizen insights. This would lead to having data driven insights to support plans and provide a solid reason-to-believe.

• Creative Integration: Act as a bridge between strategy and creative teams, embedding strategic thinking into all projects and campaigns
• Drive Innovation: Work with senior colleagues in shaping new service offerings to solve client complex challenges. This can take form of proposal, proactive pitches, tender work but also continuous working on ICF Next positioning and new offerings to market.
• Campaign & Brand Development: Lead the development and execution of communication plans, ensuring alignment with client goals and institutional reputation; contribute to the development of KPIs and campaign effectiveness
• Stakeholder Engagement: Provide senior counsel to creatives and other colleagues in the agency.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive innovation, quality, and effectiveness in strategic planning; develop and refine frameworks for measuring campaign and creative effectiveness
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with internal and external teams, to ensure a cohesive strategic vision.
• Quality Assurance: Oversee and optimize all strategic proposals, ensuring outstanding quality and alignment with client objectives.

Key Skills & Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Communication Sciences, Political Science, Social Science, Psychology, or equivalent
• Minimum 12 years of experience in advertising/communication strategy, with proven team management experience
• Extensive experience across the marketing funnel (brand, campaigns, performance/conversion) and channels
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English (other EU languages a plus)
• Proven track record in developing effective strategic plans and creative effectiveness
• Strong leadership, coaching, and relationship-building skills
• Analytical, creative, and forward-thinking mindset; able to balance long-term priorities with fast-turnaround needs
• Ability to set clear objectives, KPIs, and assess risks and challenges

Right to Work, Location & Sponsorship (Belgium)

We welcome applications from candidates based in any country. This role is in Belgium, and successful candidates must:

• Have the legal right to work in Belgium, or be eligible for sponsorship on a case-by-casebasis, and

• Be physically locatedin Belgium by Day 1 of employment (or shortly before your start date).Please ensure you can meet the right-to-work and location requirements or would qualify for sponsorship where applicable.

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Bot and Third-Party Applications

Please note that this application must be submitted directly by the applicant for consideration. Failure to do so may result in the application being excluded for consideration. Applicants needing an accommodation for disability or religious purposes in connection with the application process should contact [email protected] for assistance.

Working at ICF

Candidate AI Usage Policy

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair and equitable interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process.

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodations that involve the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at [email protected]. We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.