The Digital Centre of Excellence is seeking a highly skilled communications strategist to join the Strategy team. The Strategy Planner will support the development and delivery of best-in-class communications planning for WPP Scangroup clients, working across a diverse portfolio of clients and sectors, including several of the agency’s highest-profile accounts.
The role will support clients in addressing broader, long-term questions within the marketing planning cycle by keeping them informed of the latest industry thinking, helping them better understand consumer behaviour, and inspiring them with clear, impactful strategies.
This role serves as a key strategic resource within the agency, responsible for making informed recommendations that help clients achieve their objectives. The Strategy Planner will become a trusted source of knowledge on brands, culture, and consumers, while collaborating with, guiding, and inspiring both creative teams and clients.
KEY PERFORMANCE AREASCORE STRATEGY COMPETENCIES
- Research: Conduct meaningful primary and secondary research with rigor, flexibility, and attention to detail.
- Analysis: Translate research findings into clear, practical insights and actionable recommendations.
- Strategic Thinking: Connect insights to develop simple, clear, and compelling brand strategies, including relevant digital touchpoints.
- Writing: Communicate insights, ideas, and messages through clear, compelling language and effective storytelling.
- Facilitation: Design and facilitate engaging workshops that encourage participation, gather perspectives, and build consensus.
STRATEGIC PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
- Provide end-to-end strategic ownership for assigned client portfolio projects.
- Evaluate briefs within the assigned client portfolio and proactively recommend, challenge, and contribute strategic thinking to strengthen each brief.
- Develop and present end-to-end strategic recommendations for assigned client portfolio projects.
- Act as the custodian of the strategic framework and help bring the client’s strategic vision to life.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
- Attend briefing sessions, strategy sessions, and status meetings.
- Brief and work closely with the data teams.
- Brief and work closely with the media implementation and planning teams.
STRATEGIC EXCELLENCE
- Support media implementation and planning teams to ensure media plans tie back to the approved strategy.
- Propose innovations as part of the strategy and drive localization and adaptation of innovative strategic ideas to local markets.
- Monitor innovations and category trends for owned client portfolio projects.
- Confidently present all strategic work to clients and provide strategic input beyond client briefings.
COMMUNICATION: The strength of a strategy lies in how effectively it is communicated. The ideal candidate should:
- Is an engaging presenter.
- Has excellent writing skills.
- Creates well designed, logical, and imaginative presentations.
ATTITUDE: Strategy requires continuous learning, discipline, and curiosity. The ideal candidate should be:
- Open to learning, receiving feedback, and continuously developing their skills.
- Proactive, solution-oriented, and committed to a positive, can-do approach.
- A collaborative team player who is willing to share knowledge and bring out the best in others.
- Personable and positive character who thrives on solving problems.
- Both energetic and enthusiastic while also sensitive and empathetic to the needs of colleagues and clients.
- Three to five years of experience in strategy-related agency disciplines or marketing-related roles.
- Bachelor's degree in Advertising, communications, business, economics, or a related field.
- A proven track record in developing strategic plans that benefit the client.
- Strong understanding of the media landscape and how strategic planning influences media execution.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent analysis skills and attention to detail
- Be energetic, determined and proactive
- Strong proficiency in PowerPoint and Excel.
- Can manage their own time effectively
- More analytical than creative, yet strong in both
- Effective presentation skills.
- The ability to make complex subjects understandable.
- The drive to be successful and perform well in all aspects of your strategic work.
- The flexibility to work over a number of projects and balance your workload.
COMPANY PROFILE
Established in 1982, the company operates across three key markets in East Africa, while also managing brands across Pan-Africa through affiliate partners. Scanad is the first and only award-winning African agency originating from Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past four decades, the agency has developed a strong perspective on influencing consumer behaviour across diverse industry segments.
Scanad manages strategy, creative development, design, and digital communications planning, including IPO communication planning, for some of the world’s leading global companies, including Unilever, Diageo, Shell, and KLM. The agency also partners with several leading African businesses, including Safaricom, Equity Bank, KCB, and APA.
