Director, Digital Strategy

Locations: Arlington, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Francisco, California

About Ketchum As a global communications consultancy with 100 years of experience, Ketchum is a trusted partner who is equal parts creative and analytical. Ketchum is a place where all perspectives and points of view are welcome and encouraged. We are a collection of communications specialists, content creators, creatives, researchers, data analysts, media pros, digital strategists, issues and crisis counselors, and tech nerds. We love when those worlds collide to create the best teams and solutions for our clients. We work with the world’s leading brands, emerging start-ups, and everything in between. We are proud to have created some of the most celebrated and award-winning campaigns in our industry. We’re just crazy enough to think we can impact the world – and how it responds to ideas – through communication.

We encourage our employees to be curious, brave, inspiring, and a force for good. Let’s talk. Come belong at Ketchum!

Overview

As Director, Digital + Social Strategy, you will be a senior strategic leader guiding brands in how to authentically show up and thrive in social and digital spaces. You will pair deep knowledge of consumer and cultural trends with an expert understanding of social media behavior, emerging platforms, and community-building strategies. You will lead insight-driven, social-first planning that translates data into compelling briefs, inspires creative teams, and drives measurable brand and business results.

This role is built for a strategic thinker who understands the pulse of culture and how audiences behave, connect, and create in social channels—and who can activate that knowledge to fuel impactful campaigns for consumer, lifestyle, and CPG brands.

About the Job

Strategic Leadership & Consulting

• Lead the development of integrated, social-first strategies that align with brand objectives, audience behaviors, and cultural opportunities.
• Act as a senior advisor on digital and social strategy for priority consumer, lifestyle, and CPG clients—connecting cultural intelligence with actionable marketing approaches.
• Monitor and interpret cultural trends, social media behaviors, platform updates, and community dynamics to identify opportunities for brand engagement.
• Build strategies that not only spark attention but also foster lasting brand communities across social channels.

Data, Insights & Creative Inspiration

• Leverage social listening tools, trend-tracking platforms, AI-driven insight tools, and first/third-party data to surface actionable audience and content insights.
• Translate complex data into clear narratives and strategic recommendations that inspire bold creative ideas.
• Write and present compelling content and campaign briefs that galvanize creative teams toward social-first, earned-led solutions.

Client & Business Development

• Serve as a primary strategic lead for key accounts, ensuring strategies deliver measurable engagement, community growth, and brand impact.
• Play a lead role in high-value new business efforts, developing social-first strategy narratives and participating in pitches.
• Identify and proactively recommend opportunities for brands to activate around emerging cultural and digital moments.

Thought Leadership & Innovation

• Produce thought leadership content, trend reports, and best practice guides to position Ketchum as a leader in digital and social strategy.
• Represent the agency in industry conversations—conferences, panels, media commentary—on culture, social media, and community-building trends.
• Partner with analytics, creative, and channel experts to evolve proprietary methodologies for social listening, trend activation, and community growth.
• Manage and mentor junior strategists, building their skills in cultural insight gathering, social strategy, and creative briefing.
• Champion collaboration across analytics, creative, influencer, paid media, and account teams to ensure integrated, insight-led campaign development.
• Contribute to talent planning, resourcing, and skills development for the broader Digital + Social team.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in digital and social strategy, with proven expertise in consumer, lifestyle, and CPG brand marketing.
• Deep understanding of social media platforms, content formats, algorithms, and audience behaviors, with a track record of activating and engaging communities.
• Proficiency in social listening tools (e.g., Sprinklr, Brandwatch, Talkwalker), cultural trend-tracking platforms, and AI-powered insight generation tools.
• Strong ability to synthesize cultural and behavioral data into compelling strategies and creative briefs.
• Demonstrated success in inspiring and collaborating with creative teams to deliver breakthrough social-first ideas.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence senior clients and cross-functional teams.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and managing client relationships at a senior level.

The salary range for this position is $120,000 to $140,000. This position may be bonus eligible depending on individual employee performance and Ketchum business performance. The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, education, years of experience, past training, skills and abilities of applicant, internal equity and local geographic market data. A range of medical, dental, vision, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and/or other benefits also are available. #LI-Hybrid

What We Offer

• Hybrid Workplace: Three days a week in the office
• Robust benefits program, effective within 30 days of hire
• Paid maternity/paternity leave
• Family Forming Benefits
• Employee Recognition Program
• Generous paid time off includes vacation, wellness, and extended holiday schedule
• Various development opportunities to enhance personal and professional life
• Monthly Cell Phone & Wi-Fi reimbursement

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