Associate Strategy Director - Freelance

We have a Freelance opportunity to join our Strategy team at AKQA Amsterdam. Our creative problem-solvers who are the voice of customer culture and orchestrators of future-forward solutions. We are an eclectic, provocative, and innovative group, partnering with our clients to create a better future, faster, across every touchpoint.

This role shapes holistic solutions that deliver exceptional, intuitive user experience and contribute to compelling brand narratives. They translate client challenges into actionable strategies, ensuring solutions are strategically sound, creatively compelling, and demonstrably effective. The role requires strong grounding in user behaviors and intuitive interactions, complemented by an acute awareness of brand positioning and market dynamics, with a clear emphasis on the experiential. Strong experience in ecosystem or experience focused strategic work is required as well as leading an overall team through a project. 

Located on the Nieuwe Herengracht in central Amsterdam, you will also have access to our diverse network of specialists by collaborating across our European, Middle East and South African studios. You will work in an environment which fosters a meritocratic culture and encourages ownership, and you will be surrounded by some of the brightest minds in their fields.

 

TYPICAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead Project Execution: Act as the brand & experience strategic lead on projects, guiding multi-disciplinary teams from ideation to implementation and across deliverables whilst shaping the core strategic vision and details.
• Uncover Holistic Insights: Conduct comprehensive user research, competitive analysis, and market & cultural trend forecasting to identify key user needs, motivations, and brand opportunities.
• Shape Integrated Strategies: Translate complex insights into cohesive strategies, defining compelling brand positioning, messaging frameworks, and intuitive user journeys, ecosystem maps, and experience visions.
• Orchestrate Solution Development: Guide the creation of impactful solutions, ensuring seamless alignment between brand narratives, experience principles, and functional requirements across diverse digital and physical touchpoints - with clients and colleagues.
• Drive Strategic Alignment: Facilitate workshops and present persuasive strategic recommendations to clients and internal stakeholders, securing buy-in for integrated brand and experience directions.
• Guide and oversee more junior strategists on project-specific tasks as well as other junior or peer disciplines across a project - guiding, overseeing and collaborating.
•  

QUALITIES & CHARACTERISTICS

• Exceptional Communicator: Articulates complex ideas with clarity and impact across all mediums.
• Curious & Insightful: Uncovers patterns and actionable insights from cultural, market, and user data.
• Natural Problem Solver: Translates ambiguity into clear, directional strategy with a strong point of view.
• Strategic & Creative: Bridges strategic thinking and rigour with creative ideation.
• Driven by Learning: Continuously explores new methodologies and advancements.
• Collaborative Team Player: Thrives in multi-disciplinary teams, fostering shared understanding.
• Ambitious & Excellent: Driven to deliver world-class work and make a significant impact.
• Embraces Challenge: Welcomes complex problems, pushing creative and strategic boundaries.
• Sharp Eye for Detail: Masters intricacies, simplifying complexity into actionable strategies.
• Engaging & Persuasive: Confidently articulates strategic rationale to users, clients, and stakeholders.
• Proactive & Guiding: Takes initiative, guides teams, and makes informed decisions on project workstreams.
• Solution-Focused: Enthusiastically seeks innovative and effective solutions