--- title: 'Senior Strategist / Strategy Lead (contract) at Instrument' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-strategist-strategy-lead-contract-instrument-united-states-we2cejb1sz46' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-09' --- # Senior Strategist / Strategy Lead (contract) at Instrument - **Company:** Instrument - **Location:** United States - **Employment:** temporary - **Work type:** remote - **Posted:** 2024-01-10 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/instrument/5e629956-99aa-471a-998a-0348371cc21c ## Job description ## The Role We’re hiring several freelance strategists—one Senior Strategist and two Strategy Leads—to support B2B marketing work for a fast-moving technology client across multiple lines of business and campaign workstreams. The work spans brand-level anthems, podcasts, integrated campaigns, and mid- and lower-funnel social content. You’ll work closely with strategy, design, motion, and other creative partners to turn complex inputs into compelling narratives, focused creative briefs, and channel-specific direction. We’re looking for creative strategists who can move fluidly between big-picture brand storytelling and the practical requirements of individual channels, audiences, and business objectives. You should understand how a central campaign idea translates across formats—from defining the overarching narrative to shaping social content designed to drive a specific action. The Strategy Leads will take greater ownership of strategic direction, senior client partnership, and alignment across interconnected workstreams. The Senior Strategist will lead defined workstreams and translate broader strategy into actionable creative direction with a high degree of autonomy. These engagements are expected to begin as soon as possible and continue through January 29, 2027 at 40 hours per week. ## What You'll Do - Develop clear strategic narratives for integrated marketing campaigns and social content. - Translate business objectives, audience insights, and campaign strategy into actionable direction for creative teams. - Partner closely with strategy, design, motion, and production throughout concept development and execution. - Help connect individual social executions to a cohesive campaign idea and broader marketing goals. - Synthesize complex information into focused briefs, frameworks, presentations, and creative guidance. - Present strategic thinking clearly and respond thoughtfully to feedback from clients and internal partners. - Navigate multiple lines of business, evolving priorities, and fast-moving work without losing strategic clarity. - Ensure alignment between the audience insight, campaign narrative, creative idea, and final execution. - Shape brand-level narratives and translate them into clear campaign platforms, creative briefs, and channel-specific strategies. - Develop strategic direction across formats including brand anthems, podcasts, social campaigns, and performance-oriented content. - Connect broad brand storytelling to specific audience journeys, channel behaviors, and marketing objectives. - Partner closely with creative teams to ensure the strategy remains clear and cohesive from initial concept through execution. ## What You'll Bring - Significant strategy experience within an agency, brand, or similarly fast-paced creative environment. - A strong background in marketing and campaign strategy, particularly across social and digital channels. - Experience developing mid- and lower-funnel content that connects creative storytelling to specific audience actions or business goals. - Excellent synthesis and storytelling skills, with the ability to turn complex inputs into clear, persuasive narratives. - Strong creative instincts and experience partnering directly with design, motion, and other creative disciplines. - Confidence managing multiple workstreams and collaborating with a range of internal and client stakeholders. - Strong presentation, communication, and facilitation skills. - The judgment to work independently, identify what matters most, and keep teams moving through ambiguity. - Curiosity about emerging technology and AI, along with thoughtful judgment about how they can inform strategy and creative work. For the Strategy Lead level, we’re also looking for demonstrated experience owning strategy across complex engagements, building trust with senior client stakeholders, guiding multidisciplinary teams, and maintaining a cohesive strategic direction across interconnected workstreams. ## What We Offer The expected contract pay range: $61-$102 per hour. Contract compensation is determined by location, experience, and skillset.  We have three regional pay ranges that are adjusted for cost of living (US1 +15%, US2 +7.5%, US3 Base), [*learn more about our pay philosophy](https://www.instrument.com/compensation-philosophy) and cost of living adjustments. Benefits may be available in accordance with applicable law and company policy, including eligibility based on hours worked and duration of assignment. ## About Instrument ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Instrument is a digital-first design and technology agency that builds brands, products, websites, and campaigns for ambitious companies. - **Entity Type**: Private (subsidiary of Stagwell Inc.) - **Headquarters**: Portland, Oregon, United States (with an office in New York) - **Founded**: 2005 - **Founders**: Not publicly available ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Marketing Services / Digital Design & Technology Agency - **Target customers**: B2B enterprise clients (e.g., Google, Spotify, Electronic Arts, ServiceNow, Uber, ŌURA) - **Mission / purpose**: “Bring taste and technology together to build brands, products, and experiences that last.” ## Products & Services - **Brand Identity & Strategy**: End-to-end brand systems, naming, visual identity, and positioning. - **Product Design**: UX/UI design, prototyping, and product strategy for digital products. - **Website Development**: Design and development of high‑performance websites and digital experiences. - **Marketing Campaigns**: Integrated creative campaigns across channels. - **Technology & Engineering**: Custom software development, API integrations, and technical architecture. ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company) - **Key Metric**: Annual revenue estimated at **$49M** (source: LinkedIn); total funding not applicable (subsidiary of Stagwell) - **Notable Investors / Partners**: Parent company **Stagwell, Inc.**; clients include Google, Spotify, Electronic Arts, ServiceNow, Uber, ŌURA. - **Growth Signals**: - 350+ employees (instrument.com) vs. 285 reported on LinkedIn (-9% YoY); conflicting data likely reflects recent adjustments. - Remote‑first culture with studios in Portland and New York. - All‑women C‑suite (CEO Laurel Burton, plus other leaders). - Partnered with Vanport Studio to support underrepresented founders. ## Competitive Advantages - **Integrated, multidisciplinary teams**: Designers who code, developers who design – strategy, creative, and technology work together to eliminate handoffs. - **Transparent compensation**: Publicly posted salary bands with regional adjustments, regular equity reviews. - **20+ year track record** with top‑tier clients, demonstrating durability and quality. - **Culture of taste and craft**: Emphasis on “nerds with taste” – a blend of deep thinking and fast making. ## Strategic Focus - Continue scaling remote‑first operations while maintaining studio hubs. - Deepen partnerships with enterprise clients in tech, gaming, and health. - Expand impact through community initiatives like Vanport Studio for underrepresented founders. - Invest in employee growth and transparent, equitable practices. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Employee‑led affinity groups, all‑women C‑suite, structured hiring and pay equity. - **Work policy**: Remote‑first (US‑based); offices in Portland and New York; hybrid options available. - **Benefits**: - Unlimited PTO (including learning and volunteering days). - 16 weeks paid primary caregiver leave + 8 weeks protected; 16 weeks paid secondary caregiver leave. - 100% 401K match up to 4%, professional development stipend, monthly WFH & wellbeing stipend. - Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, mental health, fertility, and transgender coverage. - **Engineering culture**: “Designers who code. Developers who design.” – strong cross‑disciplinary collaboration. - **Transparency**: Public salary bands, EEOC‑aligned hiring, trained interview panels. ## Sources 1. [instrument.com/about](https://www.instrument.com/about/) 2. [instrument.com/careers](https://www.instrument.com/careers/) 3. [instrument.com/compensation-philosophy](https://www.instrument.com/compensation-philosophy) 4. [LinkedIn Company Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/instrument) 5. 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