Strategy Director (Contract)

Chicago · The Kitchen · USD 120,000-140,000 / year · 7-10 years experience · Full-time · Hybrid · Posted Oct 8, 2026

At a glance

The Strategy Director is a senior leadership role within The Kitchen, Kraft Heinz's integrated creative function, reporting into the Group Strategy Director.
This individual will serve as the day-to-day strategic lead across assigned brands within The Kitchen, owning the full arc of brand and social strategy with increased responsibility for team management and strategic operations.

Lead brand and social strategy across multiple brands or a high-priority portfolio, ensuring work supports long-term brand positioning and business goals.
Define strategic direction with the Group Strategy Director, connecting brand ambition, cultural insight, and creative opportunities into actionable plans.
Translate audience, cultural, business, and performance insights into clear briefs, strategic narratives, and recommendations.
Maintain strategic frameworks, playbooks, and brand voice guidance that raise the quality and consistency of work across the pod.
Manage, mentor, and develop the strategy team within assigned pods, fostering a culture of strategic excellence, collaboration, and curiosity.
Provide structured feedback, coaching, and growth opportunities for junior team members, connecting their work to overarching brand strategy.
Drive accountability by setting clear goals and performance expectations for pod team members.
Contribute to onboarding new strategists, grounding them in The Kitchen's ways of working, brand fundamentals, and strategic approach.
Serve as the senior strategic partner to Creative, Brand, and Comms leaders, ensuring social strategy aligns to marketing and business priorities.
Partner with Brand, Creative, Media, and Analytics to deliver integrated thinking across channels and workstreams.

7–10 years of experience in brand strategy, creative strategy, social strategy, or integrated marketing roles, preferably within a Fortune 500 CPG company or top-tier creative/in-house agency.
Demonstrated experience leading strategy across multiple brands or a complex brand, with a track record of driving brand relevance and business impact.
Proven ability to manage and develop junior strategists and cross-functional team members.
Experience leveraging data-driven insights, cultural trends, and consumer behavior to build compelling, actionable strategies.
Comfort operating with autonomy in a fast-paced, matrixed environment, setting direction without waiting to be told.
Strong communication and influence skills, with the ability to present strategic thinking with clarity and conviction to multiple stakeholder groups.

Experience in social-led and integrated strategy across owned, earned, and paid media channels preferred.