Senior Brand Strategist

The Shipyard is a leading, independent agency that builds performance-driven brands audiences can’t help but love.

By applying modern mindsets to established models, we fuel brand and marketing decisions that are more courageous and more validated.

Our ability to align bold creativity with individual consumer motivations lets us do more than hope for brand love – we methodically engineer it throughout the consumer journey. That’s how we activate the synergistic power of brand building and performance marketing.

Engineering Brand Love through the courageous ambitions of our people and our clients.

The agency has significant momentum and we’re still growing. Come join our team!

SUMMARY

We are looking for a smart, experienced, and motivated Senior Brand Strategist to join our team. 

The Senior Brand Strategist is a client-facing position at The Shipyard, leading strategic development across an assigned client portfolio. This role approaches every part of the process—from uncovering insights to briefing teams—as a creative act, grounded in cultural fluency and strategic imagination. It requires someone who listens deeply before leading, earns trust through empathy, and shapes new ways of thinking rather than forcing ideas into predefined boxes. This role’s ultimate responsibility: creating the conditions for bold, fearless ideas to thrive. 

At The Shipyard, we know that it's your unique talents, backgrounds, and perspectives that make you who you are, just like our team, who come from various career paths and experiences. We believe we can't be truly diverse without bringing your most authentic self to the agency.

Studies show that people from marginalized communities may not always apply for positions if they don't meet every single requirement in a job posting. At The Shipyard, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the requirements. We believe that your passion for what we stand for — our values and purpose — is just as important as meeting every checkbox. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Develop comprehensive strategy presentations, POVs, and creative briefs that inspire breakthrough thinking and are built for measurable business impact 

• Act as a trusted strategic partner to clients and internal stakeholders, demonstrating deep understanding of business objectives and category dynamics 

• Conduct and synthesize primary and secondary research to uncover compelling human truths and cultural insights 

• Collaborate seamlessly across integrated teams including creative, media, digital, and account management 

• Contribute thought leadership and innovative approaches to evolve department capabilities and drive client business growth 

• Support new business development through strategic thinking and presentation development 

• Other duties as assigned 

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• 3-5 years of strategic and branding experience in an agency environment 
• Proven ability to craft compelling narratives that bring strategic thinking to life 
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in cross-functional team environments while taking initiative on independent decision-making 
• Experience leading deep, connected qualitative research that uncovers authentic human truths 
• Expertise in evaluating and synthesizing diverse data sources into actionable intelligence 
• Excellence in writing inspiring creative briefs that unlock breakthrough work 
• Strong presentation skills with ability to deliver impactful, persuasive strategic recommendations 
• Tapped into culture and how that connects to the brand and audience 
• Proven ability to build client trust while navigating complex organizational dynamics 
• Willingness to travel as business needs require  

WHAT YOU’LL GET

• The overall target range of base compensation for this role is $85,000 - $100,000. Compensation offered will be determined by additional factors such as location and experience.
• Open PTO
• Flexible work hours and remote work
• Paid holidays + holiday closure between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance and disability benefits
• 401k program with employer matching
• 6 weeks paid parental leave
• Employee bonus referrals
• Dog-friendly offices
• Company-provided snacks and beverages (yes, beer/wine included)
• … and lots more!

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for visa sponsorship.