Strategy Partner (CPG)

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.

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.

We’re looking for an entrepreneurial and commercially minded Strategy Partner to lead our London strategy function, with a particular focus on CPG clients, overseeing packaging and brand world briefs.

You’ll shape the strategic approach across global, regional and local brands, helping clients build distinctive, meaningful and commercially effective brand experiences. From portfolio and proposition development through to packaging design, visual identity and broader brand worlds, you’ll translate consumer, cultural and category insight into clear creative direction.

Working closely with our Creative Partners and Client Leadership leads, you’ll drive creative excellence, grow strategic client relationships and help position the agency as a trusted partner to CPG businesses navigating changing consumer needs, competitive categories and increasingly complex retail environments.

You’ll also play an active role in the Internal Management Team, leading the London strategy team and ensuring we continue to deliver progressive, data-informed and AI-enabled strategic thinking.

You will:

• Lead the strategy function for CPG clients across packaging, brand identity, brand worlds and innovation briefs.
• Translate business, consumer, cultural and category challenges into focused brand and creative strategies.
• Guide the development of packaging and brand world platforms that create distinctiveness, consistency and standout across physical and digital touchpoints.
• Lead strategy on major accounts, shaping creative briefs and partnering with design teams to ensure strategic intent is reflected in the work.
• Work closely with Client Services and Creative leads through our “Trio” approach, aligning teams around clear objectives, milestones and deliverables.
• Partner with senior client stakeholders, including marketing, brand, innovation and commercial teams, to build trusted relationships and expand the agency’s remit.
• Identify new business opportunities and develop strategic services that support growth across existing, new and multi-market CPG clients.
• Lead high-profile pitches and proposals, demonstrating how strategy can drive stronger brand performance, packaging effectiveness and creative impact.
• Oversee the casting, utilisation and development of the London strategy team, ensuring the right expertise is matched to each brief.
• Champion the use of data, consumer understanding, emerging technology and AI-led tools to strengthen strategic thinking and improve the effectiveness of packaging and brand world work.
• Represent the strategy department within the Internal Management Team and contribute to the commercial health, culture and direction of the London office.
• Build the agency’s external reputation through thought leadership, industry engagement and participation in relevant forums, including WPP groups.

Reporting to the Chief Strategy Officer – UK & Europe, you’ll combine strategic leadership, commercial growth and senior client partnership to help shape the future of our CPG offer.

You’ll be an established brand and creative strategy leader with strong experience working with CPG, FMCG or consumer brands. You’ll understand how to turn business and consumer insight into distinctive brand platforms, compelling packaging strategies and connected brand worlds.

You’ll bring:

• CPG and packaging expertise: Significant experience developing strategy for consumer brands, including packaging, pack architecture, innovation, renovation, portfolio strategy or visual identity.
• Brand world understanding: The ability to define the strategic foundations, distinctive assets, brand codes and principles that create coherent and ownable brand worlds.
• Creative strategy excellence: A talent for translating complex business, consumer and category challenges into inspiring creative briefs and clear direction for design teams.
• Commercial and entrepreneurial thinking: A proven ability to grow client relationships, identify opportunities, shape scopes and develop new strategic services.
• Senior stakeholder influence: The confidence and credibility to advise senior marketing, brand, innovation and commercial leaders, with excellent presentation and storytelling skills.
• Consumer and category curiosity: A strong understanding of consumer behaviour, retail and market dynamics, and how brands can create impact at shelf, online and across wider consumer touchpoints.
• Inspiring leadership: The vision and gravitas to lead a multidisciplinary strategy team, set high standards and create an environment where people can do their best work.
• Talent development experience: A track record of hiring, mentoring and nurturing talent, managing utilisation and creating opportunities for team members to grow.
• Collaborative leadership: A strong belief in the “Trio” principle and the ability to work seamlessly with Client Services and Creative leads.
• Data and technology awareness: A proactive approach to using data, technology and AI-led tools to make strategic and creative work more relevant, effective and competitive.
• Reputation and thought leadership: A desire to develop agency perspectives, represent the business externally and contribute to the wider CPG, branding and design industry.

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.

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