Freelance Senior Creative Strategist (Performance & Planning)

WHY DEPT®?

We are a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, we create what is next by pioneering ideas, acting fast, and moving further because standing still just is not in our DNA.

We are drawn to people who stay curious, move with intent, and never stop inventing. Our culture runs on three values: better together, relentlessly curious, and get sh*t done. It is how we work, how we grow, and how we make things that matter.

At DEPT®, you will find the freedom to explore, the space to collaborate, and the trust to make a real impact for our clients, for each other, and for the world we are helping to build.

THE ROLE:

We’re looking for a freelance Senior Creative Strategist with a performance-first mindset. You understand how creative drives growth and you know how to build structured roadmaps that connect business goals, media investment, and creative testing into one clear plan.

You are fluent in the media landscape across platforms and know how creative actually behaves in paid environments. You’ve partnered closely with media teams, understand buying strategies and targeting nuances, and can translate performance data into actionable creative direction.

You are confident leading client conversations around creative performance, testing plans, and learning agendas. You do not wait for direction. You proactively identify gaps, propose solutions, and guide stakeholders toward clear next steps. You are highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing multiple workstreams. You understand how to build systems that keep testing structured, learning cumulative, and teams aligned.

This role sits at the intersection of creative, media, analytics, and client leadership. You will partner closely with cross-functional teams to ensure creative is not just inspiring, but measurable, scalable, and built to perform.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Creative Performance & Testing Leadership

• Build and lead creative testing roadmaps aligned to business objectives and media plans

• Develop and execute structured learning agendas across platforms and funnel stages

• Translate performance data into clear creative implications and next-step actions

• Identify performance gaps and proactively recommend new testing angles

• Ensure creative strategy ladders into measurable KPIs

Planning & Cross-Functional Integration

• Partner closely with Media and Analytics teams to align on creative testing strategy and various paid media channel needs

• Ensure creative plans reflect platform nuances across Meta, TikTok, Google, Snap, YouTube, and programmatic

• Collaborate with project management to scope work, define timelines, and maintain momentum

• Maintain strong documentation and organization across briefs, trackers, and performance recaps

Client Leadership & Communication

• Confidently lead client discussions on creative performance and testing strategy

• Present performance insights with clarity and authority

• Guide clients toward informed decisions grounded in data and platform knowledge

• Educate stakeholders on how creative and media work together to drive results

• Own and lead conversations, not just contribute to them

Execution & Optimization

• Write launch briefs and post mortem analysis and present both internally and externally

• Partner with Creative teams to ensure outputs align to hypotheses and learning goals

• Apply ongoing performance learnings to continuously refine strategy

• Maintain rigor in measurement, naming conventions, and test design

WHAT YOU BRING:

• 3+ years of agency experience in creative strategy, performance marketing, or growth strategy

• Deep understanding of paid media ecosystems including Meta, TikTok, Google, Snap, YouTube, and programmatic

• Proven experience building and managing creative testing frameworks

• Strong fluency in performance metrics and how they translate into creative decisions

• Confidence leading client conversations independently

• Experience working cross-functionally with Media, Analytics, Creative, and Project Management teams

• Exceptional organization and attention to detail

• Proactive mindset with the ability to lead without heavy oversight

WHAT YOU BRING:

• A strong point of view on what drives creative performance

• Clear examples of structured testing that led to measurable growth

• Ability to balance big-picture strategy with operational rigor

• Calm, confident client presence

• A systems-oriented thinker who builds processes that scale

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

Rate is dependent on experience. We can consider candidates up to $105 hourly. This is for 4-5 months.

We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our benefits package:

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage

• 401k plan, plus matching

• PTO

• Paid Company Holidays

• Parental Leave

WE SUPPORT YOU BEING YOU:

DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s identity, background, beliefs, lifestyle or disabilities. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported at every step.

DEPT® participates in E-Verify, meaning your Form I-9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.

We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work. Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place.

DEPT® is a Growth Invention company built to help the world’s most ambitious brands grow faster. Operating at the intersection of technology and marketing, our 4,000+ specialists deliver growth invention across Brand & Media, Experience, Commerce, CRM, and Technology & Data. We’re 50|50 tech and marketing, partner-led, and first to move. Clients include Google, Lufthansa, Coach, eBay, and OpenAI.

Learn more about DEPT®

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION

At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives.

Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine.

We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us.

Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here.

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