Sr. Category Strategy Manager

Software Resources has an immediate job opportunity for a Sr. Category Strategy Manager with a major corporation in New York City.

6+ month contract
Pay Rate: $80- $83/hr DOE

Overview:
As a strategic entity in the Advertising organization, the Category Strategy team works to ensure Advertising positioned to address our Clients'''''''' business needs while meeting the Company''''''''s long-term goals. The Category Strategy Sr. Manager, Consumer Packaged Goods (Client) and Retail supports the Category Strategy Director by contributing to winning Client strategies in these advertising verticals.

Responsibilities:
The Category Strategy Sr. Manager supports the Category Strategy Director and Vice- President in developing category and client strategic narratives, GTM, and insights that drive ad sales revenue while addressing specific advertiser needs. The Category Strategy Sr. Manager will work closely with cross-functional teams including research, client/marketing solutions, data enablement, sales and sales communications to contribute to RFP responses, custom analyses, and go to market presentations.
This also includes setting up measurement studies, both in collaboration with the appropriate Research teams and by him/herself via syndicated sources.
He/She/They will work with the Category Strategy Director to develop evidence-based narratives that establish and broaden the value proposition of Advertising Sales in the marketplace, with a focus on the key pillars of the Company''''''''s value proposition.
The Sr. Manager will use a variety of syndicated sources to identify within the broad media portfolio the right opportunities for the right audiences to address Clients'''''''' goals.
The Sr. Manager will also be responsible for understanding consumer media trends, industry measurement solutions and competitive landscape to understand the environment in which both Advertising and its clients operate. Finally, He/She/They will present their findings and narratives both internally and externally.


Additionally, the Sr. Manager will:
• Mine syndicated data sources (e.g., MRI, Nielsen NPower, YouGov, AdIntel, SMI, EDO, Pathmatics, MarketCast) for insights as part of cohesive analyses and presentations
• Act as a liaison between Category Strategy, Research, and Sales to create measurement plans against Client KPIs
• Actively contribute to creating an inclusive environment

Qualifications:
• 7+ years of experience in advertising, media and/or marketing. Experience in the Client and/or Retail categories preferred.
• Media experience at an agency or client-side or experience with a sales development/strategy role at a media company
• Multi-platform media measurement with a strong background in addressable and data driven solutions
• Comfort working in media tools such as Nielsen NPower, Comscore, and social listening among others and consolidating findings in a simple summary
• Working knowledge of cross platform attribution vendors to measure brand lift and sales lift
• A business-forward approach is strongly preferred
• Out of the box thinker who enjoys brainstorming and finding new ways to do things
• Critical thinking to identify gaps and opportunities to improve the teams'''''''' output
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong presentation skills, capable of presenting to internal or external partners
• Passion for The Walt Disney Company, its content, and the advertising landscape

Position Overview
The Senior Manager role is an addition to existing team resources and is intended to provide more senior-level support than a recently hired Associate Manager.

The role requires a foundation in:
• Media expertise
• Media research expertise
• Audience research
• Measurement and attribution research (e.g., brand lift, sales lift)
• Business acumen
• Strategic thinking
• Project management
• Cross-functional stakeholder management
This role needs someone who can go beyond simply supplying data and instead help interpret results, build narratives, and influence business decisions.

Key Skills and Characteristics:
1. Strategic Business Perspective
One of the primary distinctions from the Associate Manager position is the expectation that this person will:
• Bring a strategic point of view
• Translate research data into business recommendations
• Help sales teams use insights effectively
• Identify opportunities that stakeholders may not initially recognize
The individual should proactively contribute ideas rather than only responding to requests.

2. Research and Measurement Experience
The ideal candidate should possess experience with:
• Audience research
• Media measurement
• Attribution methodologies
• Brand lift studies
• Sales lift studies
• Data interpretation
Importance of someone who can quickly operate existing research tools and processes without extensive onboarding.

3. Narrative Building and Storytelling
Turning data into compelling business stories.
The candidate should be able to:
• Build reactive narratives based on business questions
• Develop proactive sales materials
• Create opportunity frameworks
• Produce research-driven recommendations
• Help position data in ways that support advertising and sales efforts
Helping sales teams identify audience opportunities and creating strategic playbooks around seasonal business opportunities.

4. Relationship Building and Corporate Navigation
Importance of soft skills and organizational influence.
The candidate should:
• Build relationships across multiple teams
• Navigate a matrixed corporate environment
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders
• Act as a consultant rather than simply a data provider
• Understand stakeholder needs before delivering recommendations
This was identified as an area where some technically strong researchers often struggle.

5. Project Management Responsibilities
The role includes substantial coordination work.
Responsibilities include:
• Managing multiple simultaneous initiatives
• Ensuring teams have required data and resources
• Connecting stakeholders
• Keeping projects moving forward
• Maintaining visibility across research activities

The job description included approximately seven years of experience in:
• Advertising
• Media
• Marketing
• Client and Retail experience should remain preferred, not required.
• Media and research expertise should remain the primary requirement.
• Excessive restrictions could unnecessarily reduce the available candidate pool.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities:
Research Support
• Pulling and analyzing data
• Converting findings into insights

Strategic Consulting
• Advising sales teams
• Recommending research approaches
• Helping explain findings

Narrative Development
• Creating proactive sales stories
• Identifying new business opportunities
• Developing market-facing research narratives

Cross-Functional Coordination
• Partnering with multiple research groups
• Serving as a liaison between research and sales organizations



About Software Resources
Software Resources, founded more than 3 decades ago, is a trusted staffing partner specializing in Technology (IT, Creative, & Marketing), Finance, & Accounting placements. We work with companies nationwide that need skilled professionals and connect them with candidates like you looking for the right opportunity.

We are always looking for professionals at all experience levels and in various specialties to meet our clients'''''''' hiring needs. As a member of our team, you will have access to benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) with company match, short-term disability, life insurance with AD&D.

If this position fits interests you, we encourage you to apply.