Director - Strategic Planning & Creativity
Burson
Salary undisclosed
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Description
Who we are:
Burson, part of WPP, is the global communications leader built to create value for clients through reputation. With highly specialized teams, industry-leading technologies and breakthrough creative, we help brands and businesses redefine reputation as a competitive advantage so they can lead today and into the future. When you work at Burson, you are part of a global community of lifelong learners who thrive at the edge of innovation.
WPP (LSE/NYSE: 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
For more information visit bursonglobal.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
More about the role:
Burson India is hiring an inspirational and experienced Strategic Planner & Creativity to join our team. This role requires the ability to do in-depth research, analyze market trends, develop compelling insights, and craft strategic frameworks that fuel creative ideation and ultimately deliver impactful results for our clients. This role also requires a deep understanding of brand reputation, target audience insights, and the ability to connect these elements to address specific business challenges.
The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in creating earned-first creative strategies for top-tier corporate and consumer brands in India. You will collaborate with Burson India’s client servicing teams & award-winning Creative Hub, contribute to high-value new business pitches, to deliver exceptional creative campaigns that drive measurable impact. You will spearhead the agency’s growth by crafting winning pitch decks, leading proposal writing, and driving creative PR and integrated communication strategies for prospective clients. You will bridge the gap between creative storytelling, strategic media planning, influencer marketing, and commercial pitch execution.
What you'll do:
Creative Strategy Development and Planning:
- Lead the development of earned-first creative strategies for key new business pitches, ensuring they are both culturally and brand-relevant
- Build approaches and plans for turning clients’ business & communications challenges into actionable insights that inspire your colleagues and clients towards original ideas
Client Partnership and Servicing Support:
- Collaborate with Burson’s PR, digital, creative, content, and analytics teams to develop, plan and deliver cohesive and compelling creative campaigns across earned, owned, shared and paid channels
- Present strategic recommendations to senior clients with confidence and clarity, demonstrating a deep understanding of their business objectives, audience insights (human truths), communications approach and measurement against objectives to show business impact
New Business Development:
- Support high-value pitch opportunities demonstrating a deep understanding of the brief, business objectives, audience insights (human truths), communications approach and measurement against objectives to show business impact
- Pitch Strategy & Development: Own the end-to-end creation of high-impact new business presentations, proposals, and pitch decks
- Creative Campaign Ideation: Develop forward-thinking PR, earned media, creator/influencer marketing, and digital visibility strategies tailored to prospective client briefs.
- Case Studies & Credentials: Curate and showcase agency case studies, historic wins, unique methodologies, and ROI metrics.
Supporting Culture, Learning & Development:
- Facilitate brainstorming sessions and workshops to foster a culture of creativity
- Create and deliver learning programs to Burson team members in strategic thinking and planning
Trend Analysis and Insights:
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- Keep up to date with developments across earned, owned, shared and paid channels in order to make the best use of them in client campaigns
- Stay abreast of cultural, social and consumer trends to inform strategic planning and decision-making.
Experience that contributes to success:
- 10 years’ experience in creative strategy development with a focus on earned-first, "PRable" ideas. Experience in a leading PR, digital, or creative agency is preferred in a similar role.
- Strong understanding of AI tools used for creative strategy planning. Strong analytical skills and proficiency in strategic planning tools and frameworks
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to our clients’ C-suite.
- Multi-sector experience/knowledge across tech, healthcare, BFSI, enterprise services, lifestyle, and entertainment
- Proven track record of award-winning campaign development in India
You belong at Burson:
Our vision is for Burson to be the leading ‘academy company’ for creative communications professionals and emerging leaders. We provide a dynamic environment where ambitious colleagues come to elevate their skills, expand their networks, and ultimately, produce the best solutions for today’s leading brands. Our commitment to your growth is reflected in our robust benefits and people programs, which include professional development opportunities, mentorship programs with industry leaders, a vibrant and inclusive company culture fostering collaboration and innovation and packages designed to reward and retain top talent. We invest in our people because we believe their success is our success.
At Burson, we’re an agency of learn-it-alls. We recognize that the things we do best, creativity and communications, require a level of nuanced understanding. That’s why it’s imperative for us to hire extraordinarily talented people of all backgrounds and identities. Without that we can’t do the essential work of inspiring bold ideas, fostering constructive dialogue, cultivating meaningful experiences, and driving innovation and creativity for our partners. Your unique point of view—your talent—is what makes you a #BursonPerson, and it’s how we deliver exceptional results for our clients, together.
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.
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Benefits
- professional development
About this role
Burson is looking for a strategic planning leader who can bridge creative storytelling with business strategy to drive new business growth and client impact. You'd own the end-to-end development of pitch decks and proposals for high-value opportunities, working closely with the agency's PR, creative, and analytics teams to craft earned-first strategies rooted in cultural insight and audience understanding. This role demands someone who can translate client business challenges into compelling, original ideas—and then present those recommendations with confidence to senior stakeholders.
The ideal candidate brings at least 10 years of creative strategy experience in a leading PR, digital, or creative agency, with a proven track record of award-winning campaigns across India's tech, healthcare, BFSI, and lifestyle sectors. You'll need strong analytical capabilities, fluency with strategic planning frameworks and AI tools, and the ability to stay current across earned, owned, shared, and paid channels. Beyond pitches, you'll facilitate internal brainstorming, mentor colleagues in strategic thinking, and help shape Burson's culture as a learning-focused organization.
This is a full-time, in-office role based in Gurugram. Burson emphasizes professional development, mentorship with industry leaders, and a collaborative environment designed to support ambitious communicators looking to advance their careers.
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Pay for this role
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