Associate Strategy Director

FWD People is a full-service strategic marketing agency delivering meaningful and measurable results in the health and non-profit sectors. We take pride in being our clients’ trusted strategic partner—staying ahead of the curve, and leveraging our expertise and foresight to help them navigate change and seize opportunities. We approach every challenge with a commitment to innovation, excellence, and empathy, and we seek the same qualities in our leaders. As a fast-growing, senior team, we’re excited to welcome more forward-thinking individuals who will help us drive growth, foster positive change within our clients’ industries, and have fun along the way.

As an Associate Strategy Director, you’ll support the development of strategic plans, business insights, product launch thinking, and brand foundations across a range of client engagements. You’ll collaborate closely with senior strategists and cross-functional teams to translate client goals into clear, compelling strategic recommendations. You're someone with strong analytical and communication skills who is excited to deepen their strategy craft, learn new industries, and contribute to high-impact work in a scaling environment.

At FWD, we care deeply about our work and the people we work with — we take our no-jerk policy seriously. You’ll thrive here if you bring ownership without ego, a sense of humor, and a love of building teams and brands that matter.

• Support strategic growth initiatives. Conducting research, synthesizing insights, and contributing to the development of strategic recommendations.

• Assist in designing and preparing workshops, product, portfolio, or go-to-market planning, with increasing facilitation responsibility over time.

• Develop clear, compelling presentations that communicate insights, opportunities, and strategic directions.

• Stay current on industry trends, competitor activity, and emerging technologies (including AI) to help inform client strategies.

• Build a deep understanding of client businesses, audiences, challenges, and competitive landscapes across a wide range of health and B2B categories.

• Apply systems thinking to help map brand architecture, customer journeys, and product ecosystems with guidance from senior team members.

• Support client conversations by preparing materials, structuring thinking, and helping senior strategists guide clients through strategic processes.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with accounts, creative, and digital to ensure connected, insight-driven work.

• Contribute to new business efforts through research, slides, and early strategic framing.

• Help shape internal processes and bring new thinking into how we approach strategy and work across the agency.

• 7+ years of experience in strategy, consulting, account planning, or a related discipline within agencies or consulting firms.

• Strong analytical thinking and the ability to synthesize information into clear insights and recommendations.

• Clear and concise communication skills, both written and verbal, with growing confidence in narrative building.

• Experience creating client-ready presentations and communicating ideas visually.

• Curiosity, openness, and a desire to stretch into new industries and strategic frameworks.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, collaborative environment; comfortable rolling up your sleeves and adapting quickly.

• A positive, team-oriented approach and a desire to help build something (and have fun doing it).

• Collaborative, curious, and pragmatic with a balance of big-picture vision and hands-on execution.

• Ownership without ego. You’re energized by bringing clarity to complex challenges and inspiring others to do their best work.

• Experience in Healthcare, BioTech, Diagnostics, or B2B is a plus. Animal Health experience is a bonus, not a requirement.

We believe in transparency and respect for your time. Our hiring process is designed to be open, fair, and as straightforward as possible, giving you a clear picture of what to expect while also giving us a chance to get to know you. Here’s how it works:

Initial Conversation: A friendly chat to learn about your background, goals, and what excites you about this opportunity (and in general).
In-Depth Interview: A deeper discussion about your skills, experiences, and how you envision contributing to our team.
Scenario Conversation: A collaborative discussion where we’ll walk through a few real-world scenarios together. This is an opportunity to show us how you think through challenges, make decisions, and approach problem-solving.
Final Interview: An onsite conversation with some additional folks on our team and leadership to explore how your unique talents align with our mission and values.

We know that interviewing can sometimes feel overwhelming, which is why we’re committed to keeping the process clear and communicative every step of the way. We’re excited to learn more about you and appreciate you taking the time to get to know us!

We are a senior team that champions integrity, adaptability, excellence, and growth. Here, you’ll collaborate with solution-focused colleagues to advance both our clients and our teams. Our office is located in Brooklyn Heights, and we offer a flexible hybrid work schedule.

We value in-person collaboration and connection but also understand the importance of offering the flexibility to work from home.

We are dedicated to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. As an equal-opportunity employer, we welcome differences in race, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, and more. We believe that diversity drives innovation and success, and we are committed to ensuring equal opportunities and fostering a culture of respect and collaboration.

At FWD, we believe in supporting our team both personally and professionally. We offer excellent benefits, including 25 days off per year + 16 paid holidays, matching 401(k), medical, dental & vision, paid maternity & paternity leave, home office setup, yearly team retreats, and a comprehensive professional development program including executive coaching and a yearly professional development stipend. As we continue to grow, we enhance our benefits package to meet the needs of our team.

The salary range for this role is $120,000-$140,000. This role is ideally based in NYC (Brooklyn) with a flexible hybrid work schedule, but we are open to remote folks.