Brand Strategist: Definition, Salary, Duties, & More (2024)

Being a brand strategist is more than knowing about the product or service that your company provides.

It is about connecting that corporate product or service with the community at large.

You will need to guide a multidiscipline team of creatives in developing a brand identity and then communicating that identity to the world.

This is more than a product.

You will be communicating the ethos of your company.

It could mean the difference between a trusted brand and a forgotten one.

Brand Strategist Information

Official Job Title	Brand Strategist
Average Salary	$65,303
Stress Level	Average
Work / Life	Average
Job Satisfaction	High
Career Advancement	High

Job Description

Brand Strategist Career

What Is A Brand Strategist

A brand strategist must effectively community the core brand ideals to a target audience.

This may seem simple, but once a corporation starts to grow, the image starts to take on a life of its own.

You will need to wrangle, develop, and direct what the image is.

You will have to research market trends, product development, technology development, and any other market niche related to your company.

What Does A Brand Strategist Do On A Daily Basis?

Day to day, as a brand strategist, you will be interacting with a breath of different people that come from different skill sets.

They may not be working under you, but you may be leading and managing a team of different people.

Because brand strategy is all about the long goal, each day will be different.

Each day will be a different part of your brand strategy campaign.

One day could be finding out what social media platforms are trending.

One day could be spitballing new ideas for communicating an ethos.

It all depends on the stage of the campaign and what the client needs.

Responsibilities, Duties & Roles Of A Brand Strategist

Being a brand strategist is much like being a project manager.

This means you may not be doing the actual work but overseeing larger projects.

You will be responsible for the ultimate product that the consumer sees.

You will be responsible for the ultimate opinion of the consumer towards the corporate image.

This may mean creating ideas, developing messaging, approving copy, providing edits, proposing campaigns, researching trends, and anything else that your specific company needs to develop a strong corporate image.

Salary

Average Salary

The average salary for a brand strategist is $65,303.

It is highly dependent on the size of the company and the location of the job.

The highest-paying cities are San Francisco, New York, Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Orlando.

Starting Salary

If you are starting as a brand strategist, you may not want to expect the median salary.

Instead, you may get offers that are between $45,000 and $60,000.

The more experience you have and relevant education, the better position you will be in to negotiate higher.

Senior Salary

Senior salaries for brand strategists vary heavily depending on the position level and which company is hiring.

International companies and firms will be paying much more than local mom-and-pop outfits.

Senior brand strategists with significant experience should expect offers well north of $100,000, with top tech companies like Facebook looking for candidates in the $175,000 to $200,000+ range.

How To Become A Brand Strategist

The Entry Level: Certification, Training & Degree

If you can choose a training certificate or degree while in school, make sure that the degree is in social science.

Social sciences are the basis for brand strategist jobs as they are all about effective, efficient, and provocative communication.

Social sciences like communication, sociology, psychology, marketing, or even business will offer you a leg-up when applying to open positions.

Other Skill Sets, Requirements & Qualifications

The vital skill you will need is communication.

Without a doubt, communication is the most important skill of any brand strategist.

If you can get your team to cooperate and build on a single idea, you will be successful.

Lead a team with communication.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Brand Strategist

A brand strategist is a profession.

This means you can become a brand strategist on the first day of a job, but you won’t be respected as a brand strategist until you’ve weathered the test of time.

After a decade of hard work and evolving industry trends, you will have seen enough to be well-respected in the field.

Is It Hard To Become A Brand Strategist

It isn’t hard to become a brand strategist, but it is hard to become a good brand strategist.

If you want to climb the corporate ladder as a brand strategist, you will need more than just an education.

You will need a strong ability to learn and grow on the job.

The hardest part is staying humble yet decisive while keeping your team focused and flexible.

Brand Strategist Career Paths

The Brand Strategist Roadmap

Each company will have a different name for the brand strategist, so look at the description of the job.

If it involves developing and communicating a corporate image, it is a brand strategist.

You may start in a specialized creative role, such as a copy editor or social media marketing specialist.

You may start as a project manager.

Regardless, all brand strategists must start from the bottom.

Projections For Growth In Brand Strategist Jobs

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Brand Specialists are forecasted to grow at a higher-than-average rate of 10% until 2031.

The projected numeric change in employment through 2031 is 33,700 more jobs.

In Summary: Is Brand Strategist A Good Career?

Being a brand strategist isn’t just a good-paying job, it’s a highly satisfying career.

As a brand strategist, you will be developing campaigns from scratch.

You will be working with different creatives in all types of fields.

As you move to larger companies and firms, you may get the chance to work in international marketing and learn about the different cultures of the world.

If you are looking for a career to continually challenge you in positive ways, then a brand strategist is a right choice for you.

Working Conditions

Brand Strategist Working Conditions

Can A Brand Strategist Work Remotely From Home?

It is possible for a brand strategist to work remotely.

However, it will depend on the nature of the specific job and the corporate policies of the company.

You will need to be a part of many meetings and group development processes.

This may mean that in-person group discussions are necessary for the creative process.

You should look at the specific corporate policies of the companies to which you are looking to apply.

How Many Hours Does A Brand Strategist Work?

The number of hours brand strategists work per week is dependent on their seniority and the type of job.

If you are working for a company as an in-house strategist, you may only need to work a regular 40-hour week.

This would change when there are specific campaign needs.

Alternatively, if you are working for an outside consulting firm, you should expect to put in more than 40 hours per week for your clients.

If you are new to the job, you may spend long overtime hours to make sure that the messaging is exactly what the client wants and delivered on time.

Can A Brand Strategist Work Part-Time

It can be part-time if you are working for a small company.

Some small companies don’t need a full-time strategist but need help on a part-time basis.

Alternatively, you could work as a contract brand strategist instead of an employee.

This would allow you to be flexible and only work on specific projects.

What Are The Average Vacation Days Of A Brand Strategist?

Vacation days for a brand strategist are highly dependent on the corporate policy of the company.

However, you should not expect less time off than anyone else or any other type of position.

Alternative Careers & Similar Jobs to a Brand Strategist

9 Brand Strategist Resume Tips

Always highlight creative experience.
Always highlight leadership experience.
Always highlight your communication skills on a multidiscipline team.
Keep your resume tight, clean, free of errors, and modern in style.
Do not clutter your resume with everything; only put in the important achievements.
List your education degrees or certificates, even if you don’t believe they’re related.
Start with a 100-word personal statement of why you should be hired.
List jobs, internships, or relevant experience first and then school degrees.
Avoid listing your high school graduation unless it is your highest degree.

Brand Strategist Interview Questions

Question 1: What do you think is the key to group communication?

Why This Works: You need to determine if this person can lead an effective team.

Question 2: Who is your ultimate client as a brand strategist?

Why This Works: You need to know that the candidate believes the company is the client and not the target audience.

Question 3: Are you interested in learning new skills?

Why This Works: You need to know that they will grow with technology or if they will let the world pass them by. You need to hire someone who will take advantage of new technologies.

Question 4: What happens when a group can’t decide?

Why This Works: You need to know that they can make executive decisions on essential matters.

Jobs Related To A Brand Strategist

Marketing Specialist
Social Media Marketing Expert
Project Manager
Corporate Image Strategist
Communications Specialist / Manager
Campaign Specialist / Manager

For HR Manager: Tips For Hiring A Brand Strategist

Key Characteristics To Look For In A Brand Strategist

When looking for a brand strategist you need someone bright, energetic, and willing to take on large projects.

They don’t have to be experts in any one field.

Rather, general knowledge of many fields will be more critical.

This is because they will need to pull information from experts in all fields and distill it into an argument for management.

Look for people that are decisive, driven, goal-oriented, kind, open, considerate, and willing to listen to a group.

Minimum Level Of Education & Experience

Look for people with at least some post-high school education.

The main skill picked up after high school is how to properly communicate ideas up the corporate ladder.

Having a degree in anything that requires summarizing and distilling important information should be considered.

Sources

https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Brand_Strategist/Salary
https://www.salary.com/research/salary/posting/brand-strategist-salary
https://www.indeed.com/career/brand-strategist/salaries
https://www.jobhero.com/job-description/examples/marketing/brand-strategist
http://marketingmag.ca/jobzone-news/career-boosters-what-is-a-brand-strategist-165830/
https://resources.workable.com/brand-strategist-job-description
https://www.celarity.com/job-description/brand-strategist/