If the intentional approach resonates with you like it does with us, this could be the start of something incredible.
Our Values
Every move we make is grounded by four fundamental tenants.
Uncompromising Intentionality
We sweat the small stuff. From font choices to immersive research and everything in between, details matter.
Dedication to Craft
Each of us are students of our craft, staying passionate about the process and dedicated to the work.
Relentless Curiosity
For us, curiosity is a way of being. Because the more we know, the more there is to learn.
Thoughtful Collaboration
We believe the best ideas don’t come from one place, they’re products of discourse and diverse perspectives.
Our Culture
We treat our clients like partners and our people like family.
Annual Retreats
Every year, we bring our team together to connect in person, recharge, and rally around our shared vision for the year to come.
Artist in Residence
We spotlight San Diego-based community artists, championing their work and providing a space to express and create.
Based in San Diego, Working Worldwide.
Local Roots, Global Reach
With a global network of partners and collaborators, we’re constantly learning from fresh perspectives around the world.
Always Putting Our People First
We offer personalized growth initiatives for each of our employees to help them nurture the ideas and practices that light them up.
Plus all the essential benefits, with an openness to support what you need, however you need it.
Benefits
Premium Healthcare Coverage
Unlimited PTO
Annual Bonus & Company Retreat
Performance-Based Incentives
San Diego-Based HQ
Work From Anywhere
Passion Project Incubator
Training & Continued Education
Leadership & Growth Opportunities
Dynamic Boutique Environment
Our global network of collaborators is always growing, and we’d love for you to be a part of it.
00:00PM
-
Los Angeles
00:00PM
-
New York
00:00PM
-
London
00:00PM
-
Geneva
00:00PM
-
Japan
00:00PM
-
Auckland
Open Roles
Across disciplines, industries and continents — we can’t wait to see where the work takes us, together.
Strategy Lead
Full Time
The best things start with a simple conversation.
Strategy Lead
Full Time
|
Remote (US Based only)
The Strategy Lead at Original Form is the day-to-day engine of the strategy department. They are the person clients and creative teams turn to when they need sharp thinking translated into work that works. This role leads strategy execution across most of the agency's active client roster: picking up briefs, running with existing frameworks, and building new ones from scratch when there isn't a playbook yet. Strategy only works if it lands, so this person needs to sell an idea in a (Zoom) room as convincingly as they can articulate it on the page.
The Strategy Lead is embedded in the work and trusted to make sound calls independently, articulate reasoning clearly, and adjust fast when new information changes the picture. This is a senior individual contributor role with oversight, guidance, and thought partnership from leadership, as well as a growth path as the department scales. This role reports directly to the Director of Strategy & Growth.
What You’ll Do
- Lead strategy on a portfolio of active clients, executing within an established vision or taking briefs from zero to a defensible point of view.
- Deconstruct ambiguous problems into workable structure, take a reasoned first stab at a solution, and refine it as new information comes in rather than waiting for perfect clarity.
- Conduct research and translate it into insight — cultural, competitive, consumer — using what's available, whether that's synthesizing research you've already gathered or digging in from scratch when there's nothing to start from.
- Build audience and persona work that's specific enough to build toward, not generic demographic sketches.
- Map consumer/customer journeys where the work calls for it, identifying where a brand actually has leverage to show up and how it can do so most effectively.
- Develop campaign concepts, positioning, and creative briefs that give creative teams something real to build on.
- Own strategic deliverables end-to-end: research synthesis, insight development, frameworks, briefs, decks.
- Write with clarity across every format, such as decks, briefs, internal docs, and client-facing copy. The thinking should always be clear, smart, and easy to comprehend.
- Write copy that helps express creative campaign thinking and ideas, such as campaign lines, captions, concept language, tonal pillars.
- Use AI tools where useful, but bring the judgment to know what's actually good, what needs a rewrite, and what to throw out entirely.
- Present ideas with confidence in the room to clients, creative teams, and leadership. This person should not just build the deck, but help everyone else believe and buy into it.
- Structure information so it's easy to follow live, not just readable after the fact.
- Hold your ground on a strategic point of view under pushback, while staying open to real counterarguments.
- Act as a strategic point of contact for assigned clients, building trust independent of the Director's involvement.
- Partner directly with creative, production, and account teams to keep strategy embedded in the work, not just handed off.
- Occasionally support pitches and new business efforts alongside the new business teams.
Who You Are
- You make deliberate choices about what matters, always connecting what you do to why.
- You'd rather take an imperfect first swing at a problem you’re not quite sure how to solve, and you know how to justify your reasoning when you do.
- You're a self-starter who doesn't need heavy oversight to move work forward.
- You think in structure, but you write in plain language… meaning minimal jargon for the sake of sounding strategic.
- You hold a high bar for storytelling, presentation, and deliverables, ensuring that strategy is communicated as beautifully and precisely as design.
- You can write real copy, not just strategy-speak. You understand tone, rhythm, and what makes language actually land.
- You are genuinely curious about and constantly exploring culture, markets, and human behavior to uncover insights that fuel new ideas and innovative solutions.
- You're comfortable being wrong in public, adjusting quickly, and not precious about early drafts.
- You want ownership now and are motivated by a real growth path.
What You'll Need
- 5–8+ years of experience in brand, creative, digital or design strategy, ideally agency-side (in-house or consultancy backgrounds considered).
- A portfolio or work samples that show clear thinking on the page through briefs, decks, or frameworks you've written and stood behind.
- Strong copywriting ability and comfort drafting creative copy, not just strategic narrative.
- Expertise in translating research and insights into brand platforms, customer journeys, creative briefs, and concept narratives.
- Exceptional communication skills: able to simplify complexity and present with authority to executive stakeholders.
- Deep familiarity with the design process, UX, brand identity, and product/service design.
- Experience presenting strategy directly to clients or leadership.
- Strong research instincts working from existing research when it's provided, and resourceful enough to find and synthesize it independently when it's not.
- Strong business acumen such as understanding industries, business models, and growth levers relative to brand / marketing’s role in the bigger picture.
- Experience owning client relationships and leading work with minimal supervision.
- Comfort operating without a fully built playbook… this is a growing department, and some of what you'll do doesn't have a template yet.
- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s (MBA, MFA, or similar) a plus but not required.
What We Offer
- Competitive benefits and plans (medical, dental, vision, 401k)
- Unlimited PTO
- Annual bonus and additional performance-based incentives
- Annual company retreat
- Monthly Stipend
- Work locally from our San Diego office or remotely from anywhere in the US
- Ability to contribute to passion projects that align with company values
- Continued education and training to expand knowledge in your role
- Opportunities for leadership development and growth
- A boutique agency dynamic with a diverse range of cultures and perspectives