Sr. Context Planner

Who We Are

We are a well-established independent agency and thriving music business, built to help ambitious brands harness the power of culture to solve their biggest challenges. As a unique mix of experts in culture, technology, and storytelling, we are united by a passion to grow brands in ways that advertising alone can never do.

We are an entrepreneurial business – not a traditional “ad agency.” That means we value resourcefulness and tenacity just as much as we value creativity and intelligence. In 2022, Translation was awarded the number three spot in Ad Age’s Agency A-List and AdWeek’s Multicultural Agency of the Year. One year before, Translation was awarded Ad Age’s Small Agency of the Year. We’re unapologetically ambitious, but we’re also a tight-knit crew.

We are looking for a Senior Context Planner to join Translation! Please note that this role is a Hybrid role: four days in office and one day remote.

Summary

The Senior Context Planner leads integrated communications and go-to-market planning that turns brand strategy and creative ideas into audience participation. As a strategic partner to clients and colleagues across disciplines, you define where, when, with whom and why a brand should show up, giving every channel a clear role. You move quickly and independently, form and defend a clear point of view, and translate complex thinking into compelling stories, thoughtfully designed decks and actionable plans.

You pair that planning craft with cultural fluency across sports, music, entertainment and the worlds they intersect with, from creators and fandom to fashion, gaming and internet behavior. With strong social instincts and a sharp creative eye, you understand how ideas come to life in-feed, spot emerging behaviors and formats, and turn those insights into meaningful opportunities for brands.

What You'll Do

Comms Planning.

• Translate cultural insights and creative platforms into campaign architecture, defining the role of messaging, channels, moments and partners.
• Build phasing and sequencing that shows how the idea unfolds over time.
• Communicate the approach clearly and visually, making complex ecosystems simple and actionable

Cultural Insights

• Identify meaningful cultural shifts, behaviors and communities relevant to the audience and brand.
• Frame those signals into clear implications and opportunities for strategy and creative.
• Use research and cultural inputs to sharpen the comms approach, not just report what’s happening, and contribute insights to company thought leadership (e.g. newsletters, social, etc.) beyond client work.

Creative world-building

• Maintain a clear narrative throughline as the idea extends across the campaign ecosystem.
• Shape how the idea is expressed across different touchpoints while preserving what makes it distinctive.
• Identify opportunities for participation and amplification that help the idea travel further.

Campaign casting

• Synthesize best practices across the talent x brand landscape into clear POVs
• Develop talent filters and casting recommendations for creators, artists and partners who credibly bring the idea to life.

Collaboration & Communication

• Build trust through clear and persuasive presentations
• Collaborate across departments including strategy, creative, business leadership and production, including risk assessments, case studies and awards.
• Mentor associate and mid level Context Planners, delegating clearly and providing feedback that strengthens their craft.
• Actively connect with the UnitedMasters team for an understanding of upcoming milestones and priority artists for casting consideration in Translation brand campaigns.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Comfortable working quickly and independently, owning deliverables with light oversight and adapting as priorities shift.
• Able to form and defend a clear POV, using cultural insights and research to make actionable recommendations.
• Strong comms planning instincts, connecting audience behavior, brand opportunity and campaign choreography.
• Sharp information design and visual taste: build strong decks, shape a clear story and make complex ideas simple and actionable.
• Cultural fluency across sports, music, entertainment and pop culture, including their intersections with creators, fandom, fashion, gaming and internet behavior.
• A social-first thinker with a strong creative eye for how ideas work in-feed and an instinct for emerging behaviors and formats.
• Strong collaborator across disciplines, receptive to feedback and confident presenting to internal teams and clients.
• Resourceful in research, curious about new platforms and media opportunities, and committed to refining the work.

Minimum Qualifications

• Possess excellent time management, organization and prioritization skills.
• Have the proven ability to work under tight deadlines and handle pressure, while consistently paying attention to accuracy and quality of work.
• Exercise the ability to quickly and effectively adapt to changing needs and expectations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum 4-7 years experience in a strategic position in an agency or brand environment
• 4-year college degree in Marketing, Advertising or Business preferred.
• Digitally savvy; MUST be proficient in Google Suite and Keynote (Mac preferred).

About UnitedMasters Inc.

Salary Hiring Range: $93,000 - $110,000

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