Strategy Director, Communications Planning

WHO WE ARE
Sid Lee is a multidisciplinary creative collective striving to make a difference and celebrate culture with bold ideas. Its 700 professionals work as one team from offices in Montreal, Toronto, New York, Paris, London, Los Angeles and Seattle. Their mission is to create what matters through brand building, brand expression and brand experience. Its creative community also includes Yard, Digital Kitchen, BIMM and Haigo.
Alongside progressive clients, Sid Lee draws on its rich collection of disciplines, from design to data and experiential communication and technology to advertising and architecture, empowering its clients to outperform their competitors, earn the trust of their customers and increase their influence on culture.
Sid Lee is a member of kyu, a collective of top-tier global creative companies established by Hakuhodo DY Holdings. Sid Lee also imagined C2 Montréal, one of the largest creative-business conferences in the world.
ROLE
The Strategy Director, Communications Planning, is the strategic lead responsible for developing and driving innovative communications strategies across key client accounts. You will oversee the creation of frameworks that connect brands to audiences in meaningful ways, championing novel approaches to brand activation, integrated media, and experiential engagement. You work hand-in-hand with clients, creative leaders, and agency partners across disciplines to shepherd transformative thinking and ensure excellence from initial insight to campaign delivery.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Oversee and shape communications strategy deliverables, including audience journeys, campaign ecosystems, engagement frameworks, moments strategies, and tactical briefs;
- Translate business and audience insights into communications strategies that guide creative, media, PR, and CRM teams to meaningful brand activation;
- Challenge teams to think beyond traditional campaigns, inspiring smart, innovative, and actionable work that elevates brand behavior;
- Build deep partnerships with senior client stakeholders and internal leadership (Creative, Production, Account, etc.), fostering collaboration for outstanding creative output;
- Lead relationships with key day-to-day client contacts - presenting and selling through comms strategies in partnership with Account and Creative Directors;
- Drive collaboration with external IAT (Integrated Agency Team) partners, including media, PR, and CRM agencies, for unified cross-channel executions;
- Oversee the process of evolving creative ideas through media strategy, tactics, and creative thought-starters, amplifying the work across touchpoints;
- Partner with data and analytics leads to ensure robust measurement frameworks, reporting cadences, and media and campaign optimizations;
- Distill complex information and strategies into compelling narratives, bringing clarity and inspiration to both internal and client presentations - across pitches and campaigns;
- Guide and mentor junior team members and uphold excellence in comms planning and strategic thinking across all engagements;
- Proactively identify opportunities for brand growth, cultural relevance, and innovative communication within the market.
REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a related field;
- 7+ years of experience in an agency setting with a proven track record leading comms planning or strategy for major brands;
- Experience working on iconic American brands and large-scale integrated campaigns (global exposure a plus);
- Superior written and verbal storytelling skills, with the ability to simplify the complex and move teams to action;
- Mastery of emerging communications, cultural, technological, and media trends;
- Demonstrable ability to write and inspire best-in-class briefs, strategic decks, and tactical guidance;
- Known for exceptional collaboration and partnership - both internally and with clients and agency partners;
- Credible, influential leader - people look forward to working with you and trust your point of view.
The base salary range for this role is $125,000–$140,000 USD annually. Final compensation will be determined based on experience and qualifications.
Employment is at-will and may be terminated by either party at any time, with or without cause or notice, in accordance with applicable law.
Proud to be an equal opportunity employer, Sid Lee is committed to creating a diverse work environment. All qualified applicants are considered without regard to citizenship, ethnicity, race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age or veteran status.
We encourage women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible and ethnic minorities to apply for our job opportunities. Additionally, accommodation measures can be made available for persons with disabilities upon request at any stage of the pre-selection and selection process.