Chief Strategy Officer (9 months FTC)

ROLE PURPOSE & OVERVIEW:  

**Please note prior to application that this role is a fixed term contract maternity cover position until July 2025**

A critical leadership role across both dentsu digital and Carat in the UK – responsible for leading and executing Carat UK’s strategic digital vision and solutions as well as the strategic direction of dentsu digital more broadly across the UK.  

For dentsu digital, this individual will ensure alignment of our business objectives with market trends, client needs and support the development and enablement of our 3 go-to-market brand propositions. The individual will play a critical role in shaping the direction of dentsu digital, driving innovation, and proactively fostering growth opportunities for our clients and people.  

At Carat, the role will be responsible for setting the digital vision and enhancing overall digital output of the agency. We see this as collaborating with the wider dentsu network to bring best-in-class digital thinking, innovation, data and tool usage to our clients. Defining Carat’s digital vision and working hand in hand with senior Carat, Dentsu and client stakeholders this new role is designed to redefine and reframe the agency’s reputation in the market for digital leadership, harnessing the best dentsu and digital partner solutions to drive integrated thinking that supports client growth. 

The individual will be a member of the dentsu digital executive leadership team, and as such, play a critical part in supporting the development of a growth orientated, nurturing culture that empowers our people and fosters a sense of belonging to our business.  

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE (but not limited to): 

• LEADERSHIP: Member of both dentsu digital & Carat UK leadership teams. Responsible for leading both groups’ overall digital direction, growth and talent.  

• VALUES: Establish & personally demonstrate the behaviours and initiatives that encourage a unified culture that spans all digital capabilities/locations and is additive to our people and business. Help embed a set of behaviours which consistently drive us towards always being ‘Best in Class’ in everything we do and support the development of a more ‘digital first’ mindset across Carat.  

• THOUGHT-LEADERSHIP: Be the champion and voice of dentsu digital & Carat – both internally and externally. Develop progressive and engaging thought-leadership and challenge our teams to think better/bigger/bolder. Actively work with UK marketing team to broadcast our solutions and thinking into the market and represent in UK industry environments/speaking opportunities to build credibility and leadership in digital.  

• SOCIAL IMPACT: Help establish and champion dentsu digital/Carat as a ‘Force for Good’ via initiatives around equality, diversity, inclusion, work-life balance, mental health, and CSR 

DENTSU DIGITAL SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• MARKET ANALYSIS: Conduct market research & analysis to identify emerging media trends, competitive threats, and growth opportunities in the digital media landscape. Provide a consistent feedback loop into the dentsu digital ELT and wider media business on how we need to be evolving/adapting/changing to stay ahead.  

• GROWTH: Key senior stakeholder for digital-centric organic growth opportunities – ensuring we are capturing a disproportionate share of income from the fastest growing areas of the digital marketplace by actively crafting & presenting our digital capabilities, solutions and innovation to secure net new revenue growth.  

• PROPOSITION: Lead the development of an integrated approach to digital activation for the media practice – bringing together paid and earned experiences into one cohesive and connected proposition, underpinned by our individual specialism narratives. Identify our points of competitive difference and drive the amplification of those stories across our media practice, the wider dentsu business and the overall market.  

• COLLABORATION: Primary ELT sponsor and point of intersection/collaboration with the CSO’s of our respective go-to-market UK media brands - Carat, iProspect and dentsuX. Showcase how our dentsu digital capabilities supercharge their brand propositions, and work to embed that thinking into their teams, whilst actively facilitating collaboration between them and key dentsu digital talent to support their most strategically important client engagements.   

CARAT SPECIFIC RESPONSBILITIES:  

• DIGITAL VISION AND LEADERSHIP: set the digital vision for Carat UK. Be exec sponsor of digital leadership, for our people, and for our clients and prospects; hold the Carat Exec team accountable for strategic digital excellence and ambition; take a role in leading the agency and defining our culture. 

• PROPOSITION AND CAPABILITY: in line with new Carat global proposition, work with Carat exec to enhance Carat UK proposition with strategic digital capability and use influence to scale and deliver this through the team, embedding digital knowledge, skillsets and best-practice planning adoption into Carat UK client work and offering. Deliver a culture of bravery, experimentation, and innovation in digital bringing together the very best of Media ++ capabilities. 

• GROWTH AND COLLABORATION: identify key growth areas (digital fast currents) for Carat UK, which deliver to a broader dentsu growth agenda. Ensure Carat UK gets the very best input from one dentsu teams (dentsu digital, Tag, CX etc.)  and drive understanding and adoption of capabilities and tools which enhance Carat UK’s offering and output to clients. In close partnership with Client MDs and CSO deliver tier 1 defence and acquisitive new business pitches to deliver market-leading digital output. 

KEY KPIs: 

• Revenue Growth (Financial)  

• Improving GLINT Score (People) 

• Improving TRR Scores (Client Satisfaction, digital services specific) 

• Award Wins (Thought Leadership & Innovation) 

What we'll give to you:

This is a permanent role. The team is based in our London office but operates under flexible working arrangements. The team are in the office twice a week. Whether it's the joy of working with people at the top of their game or the Dentsu social calendar, people love working here – and we hope you will too

• Flexible hybrid working with wonderful central London office location

• Career development through Dentsu University and other tools; with access to courses, textbooks, mentorship, and external training funding

• Private Medical Insurance, Company Pension, life insurance, and other corporate benefits

• A selection of other benefits includes 3 wellness days, birthday day off and 2 volunteer days.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Dentsu does not discriminate against job applicants on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Experience stipulated in this job description serves as a guide only and all applications will be considered on their merits, irrespective of experience.

As part of our Diversity and Inclusion agenda, and as an Equal Opportunities employer, if you require reasonable adjustments during the selection process please engage directly with your Recruiter.