Senior Strategist

Design Bridge and Partners

ABOUT US At Design Bridge and Partners, part of WPP, we design brands with the power to move. Pulling people towards them with an irresistible force that compels and connects. With 900 creative minds across 17 studios worldwide, diverse in expertise, experience, backgrounds and beliefs, we are united in our ambition to achieve real impact for our clients’ brands benefiting their business, people and the planet. With expertise across brand strategy, brand design, brand engagement and brand effectiveness our clients across the world include NASA Artemis, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Mastercard, Intel, HSBC, Tencent, Twitch, Heineken, Reckitt and the BBC.   About the role We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Designer to join our Studio in Shanghai. Working alongside some of the best creatives in the industry and on amazing brands too.    About you The right person for the role is someone who is super organized and resourceful, proactive in seeking out new business opportunities, a motivating team leader, and has the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and clients. With plenty of project management and client relationship building experience in FMCG to bring to the team, you’ll also have excellent attention to detail and a genuine passion for brands, design and creativity.   WHY US? We’re passionate about our people and their careers. We’ll help you develop your skills and provide you with outstanding benefits. So you’ll have a chance to make your mark on our future, as we make a mark on yours. We’re proud to be the world’s most awarded brand design agency, with 28 Cannes Lions to our name and Creative Review Annual’s Most Creative Design Agency of the Year 2024. You’ll get to take new projects to award-winning potential, as part of a connected team of brilliant, tenacious people right by your side and across the world. Design Bridge and Partners, a WPP company, is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. Due to the volume of applications, we unfortunately can only respond to successful candidates. We will not accept unsolicited CVs or approaches via recruitment agencies.   #LI-DNI #LI-DNP  #LI-WPPBC1

Design Bridge and Partners

About Us  At Design Bridge and Partners, part of WPP, we design brands with the power to move—pulling people towards them with an irresistible force that compels and connects. With 900 creative minds across 18 studios worldwide, diverse in expertise, experience, backgrounds, and beliefs, we are united in our ambition to achieve real impact for our clients’ brands, benefiting their business, people, and the planet. Our clients include global brands across industries, such as technology, finance, consumer goods, and media.  About WPP  WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.    Key Responsibilities Strategic & Project Direction * Strategic Blueprinting (Ownership & Support): Autonomously drive the strategic phase on mid-to-large projects, and support Strategy Directors on massive global assignments—translating client business challenges into sharp, actionable brand foundations and creative briefs. * Strategy-to-Creative Synergy: Bridge the gap between logic and magic. Work closely with design teams in the studio, acting as a trusted sounding board to ensure strategic recommendations are beautifully and consistently carried through from concept to final execution. * Briefing & Inspiration: Design and deliver inspiring creative briefs that challenge conventional thinking, providing the spark that pushes design output into distinct, brave, and award-winning spaces. Resource & Delivery Management * Strategic Collaboration: Actively partner with resource managers and Strategy Directors to ensure the right strategic talent is assigned to projects, assisting in onboarding freelance strategy resources when needed. * Milestone Execution: Collaborate with Creative Directors and Client Leadership to map out project milestones, own the drafting of strategic outputs, manage timelines, and ensure agile, on-time delivery of strategic phases. Relationship Management & Growth * Client Relationship Building: Cultivate trusted, day-to-day working relationships with brand managers and senior marketing stakeholders within client organizations. * Growth Support: Support pitches and new business initiatives by preparing pitch materials, conducting competitive landscape research, and presenting strategy modules with confidence. Leadership & Collaboration * Mentorship & Psychological Safety: Act as a supportive mentor to Junior and Mid-level Strategists, fostering a motivating, and collaborative team culture. Lead by example with high standards of strategic rigor. * Studio Connection: Act as a highly collaborative link across our studio network, sharing insights, trend analyses, and strategic intelligence across teams. About You * Strategic Track Record: 5–7 years of experience in brand strategy within premium design consultancies, brand agencies, or strategic marketing roles, demonstrating a clear ability to lead projects independently. * CPG & Beyond: Strong experience working with consumer brands (CPG/FMCG), with a solid understanding of how packaging design, structural branding, and omnichannel expressions bring a brand to life. * The Modern Toolkit: Confident integrating digital ecosystems, social analytics, trend forecasting, and AI-powered tools into your creative research and strategy workflow. * Collaborative Presenter: A natural communicator with a proven ability to present complex ideas clearly, making client teams and internal stakeholders passionate advocates for our creative thinking. * Core Values: Creative Thinker, Inspirational People Person, and Entrepreneurial Spirit. Why Us? We’re passionate about our people and their careers. We’ll help you develop your skills and provide you with outstanding benefits, giving you the chance to make your mark on our future, as we make a mark on yours. We’re proud to be the world’s most awarded brand design agency, with 28 Cannes Lions to our name and Creative Review Annual’s Most Creative Design Agency of the Year 2024. You’ll get to take new projects to award-winning potential, as part of a connected team of brilliant, tenacious people right by your side and across the world.  At Design Bridge and Partners, we believe that being together in person drives stronger collaboration, sparks creativity, and builds deeper connections, all of which contribute to your professional growth and the exceptional work we deliver for our clients. We operate a hybrid model, a mix of in-office (or with clients) and WFH. Our managers will discuss specific in-office requirements based on the role.  The salary for this position at the time of this posting may range from $90,000-105,000. Individual compensation varies based on job related factors, including location, business needs, level of responsibility, experience, and qualifications. We offer a competitive benefits package, click WPP Benefits for more details.   Design Bridge and Partners, a WPP company, is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. #LI-DNI #LI-DNP

Design Bridge and Partners

ABOUT US At Design Bridge and Partners, part of WPP, we design brands with the power to move. Pulling people towards them with an irresistible force that compels and connects. With 900 creative minds across 17 studios worldwide, diverse in expertise, experience, backgrounds and beliefs, we are united in our ambition to achieve real impact for our clients’ brands benefiting their business, people and the planet. With expertise across brand strategy, brand design, brand engagement and brand effectiveness our clients across the world include NASA Artemis, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Mastercard, Intel, HSBC, Tencent, Twitch, Heineken, Reckitt and the BBC. ABOUT WPP WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unite cutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counsel in a single company – powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open, to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com. ABOUT THE ROLE * Role Overview: The Senior Strategist plays a vital role in developing and delivering brand and design strategies for CPG brands in our business. This role requires a deep understanding of the CPG category, translating brand strategies into actionable creative briefs that inspire innovative design solutions. You will be a self-sufficient and highly motivated individual, capable of managing projects from inception to completion and collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.   * Key Responsibilities:   * Help lead strategic thinking on a key Client across the homecare category, developing insightful brand strategies that span brand positioning, product architectures, and narratives. * Present strategic recommendations and creative briefs to clients * Develop compelling creative briefs that articulate the strategic direction. * Conduct thorough brand audits, market research, and competitive analyses. * Collaborate closely with the client leadership and design team throughout the project lifecycle. * Stay up-to-date with industry trends and emerging consumer behaviours within the CPG category, with a keen understanding of youth culture. * Work across other CPG accounts in the business as necessary. * Proactively identify opportunities to enhance Design Bridge and Partner's strategic offering across those accounts. * Actively contribute to a positive and collaborative team culture. * Drive innovation workshops and ideation sessions. * Develop strategic frameworks for new product development and brand extensions. Productise and make proprietary research and insight methodologies and findings outside of a specific client brief or challenge * Push creative work into distinct spaces; make other people, including clients, ambassadors for the agency’s thinking * Build and maintain strong client relationships, navigating large and complex client stakeholder groups. Collecting and catering for multiple perspectives to drive consensus   ABOUT YOU  * Demonstrable experience in a brand or design agency, with a proven track record of developing and delivering successful brand strategies. * Demonstrated experience working on brands in the CPG space. * Solid understanding and experience in packaging design, including structural and graphic design considerations. * Proficiency in brand identity design systems and their application across various touchpoints. * Strong ability to translate brand strategies into creative strategies. * Experience and interest in brand and product communications. * Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills. * Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team. * Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.   WHY US? We’re passionate about our people and their careers. We’ll help you develop your skills and provide you with outstanding benefits. So you’ll have a chance to make your mark on our future, as we make a mark on yours. We’re proud to be the world’s most awarded brand design agency, with 28 Cannes Lions to our name and Creative Review Annual’s Most Creative Design Agency of the Year 2024. You’ll get to take new projects to award-winning potential, as part of a connected team of brilliant, tenacious people right by your side and across the world.   We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process. Design Bridge and Partners, a WPP company, is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers. Due to the volume of applications, we unfortunately can only respond to successful candidates. We will not accept unsolicited CVs or approaches via recruitment agencies.   #LI-DNI #LI-DNP