About the role
Being an Associate Comms Director on NBCU at Essence means you possess the advanced strategist’s bag of tricks.
You consistently uncover rich, original consumer, cultural and competitive insights and translate them into fresh, holistic communications strategies that push the envelope.
The most successful NBCU Associate Comms Directors are creative, fun and have a strong sense of pop culture, current trends and category expertise.
They are able to cross-pollinate within the organization – building upon each department’s strengths and discrete differences to add value and depth to a client’s entire communications plan.
The NBCU Associate Communications Director has the desire and ability to be a strategic leader and is a key contributor in understanding and developing innovative, creative, and effective client communications strategies and go-to-market ideas.
They write simply and persuasively and consistently sell strategies and ideas.
Their understanding of consumer behavior, trends and channels helps media planning teams focus on the right connections between client’s brands and the consumers.
Core competencies: original insight, collaboration, creativity/idea invention, ability to build logical arguments that are written simply and persuasively, ability to synthesize insights to conceive fresh strategies, presentation skills, client service skills
Some of the things we’d like you to do:
Formative & Evaluative Research and Insight for Strategy Development
Lead strategy and idea workshops to help teams (internal and external) develop innovative and value-based idea-led communications
Draft and present succinct, compelling presentations that sell strategies and ideas
– Ensure the strategy manifests in plans and plan presentations (strategy cop)
Identify and apply the most appropriate tools on client accounts
Provide thought leadership in the following areas: consumer behavior & trends, creative media engagements, emerging media, accountability, measurement
Work cohesively with clients and partner agencies alike: have a strong strategic voice, function as a leader and make all constituents feel like allies
Participate in new business development
Help Essence create unique and/or proprietary consumer research
Assist media teams in understanding and mining consumer journeys across different categories
Help develop and build the strategic competencies of the media planning groups
Understand and articulate primary and secondary research for both cultural analysis and business insight
– Ideate and author custom research (Tracking Studies, Econometrics, Surveys)
Bring a target audience to life in a human, nuanced way that builds the logical strategic argument using multiple data sources
Link findings, insights and concepts to a larger strategic idea
Conduct post-campaign analysis, gauging effectiveness of comms channels/approaches and identifying implications for future efforts
Consistently originate central comms strategies that are rooted in insights, have a connection idea at their heart and breakthrough ideas as a result
Work with the Essence network, media and partner agency teams to bring these strategies and corresponding ideas to life
A bit about yourself:
Qualified candidates may have a variety of backgrounds including Communications Planning, Strategic Planning, 360 Planning, Channel Planning, Account or Brand Planning with a media foundation.
Bachelor’s Degree preferred
6-10 years experience in an advertising or marketing role, primarily in a planning, consulting or research; creative agency experience is a plus
Proven success generating original, effective comms strategies
Proven client relationship and leadership skills
Strong business, marketing & consumer understanding; interest in what moves pop culture
Understanding of current trends and their impact on comms planning
Proven strategic innovation & creativity skills
Analytical skills – both qualitative and quantitative
Strong collaboration skills
Strong knowledge and understanding of research techniques and processes
Understanding of all media channels and disciplines and the ability to develop ideas and strategies across all channels
Strong workflow management skills including organizational, time/project management, planning and implementation, prioritization, ability to delegate when necessary
Ability to lead internal team members if/as needed
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Proven ability to work in very fast-paced, deadline-driven team environment