STRAT7 Crowd DNA
Cultural Strategist
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ABOUT COMPANY
Formed in 2008, operating across 70+ markets, CROWD.DNA brings together trends specialists, researchers, strategists, data analysts, designers, writers and film-makers for the world’s most exciting brands.
Our values are tangible and connect with every member of the Crowd DNA team, regardless of their role or how long they’ve been with us. We believe they reflect how we wish to work with each other and with our clients and contributors.
- Simple Is Always Best: that’s it, avoid the temptation to overcomplicate.
- Better Blended: we’re not lone wolves, we work fluidly between ideas, specialisms, methods – and agencies.
- Make It Count: we show up for our work, for our clients, and, most importantly, for each other.
- We believe fully in the power of our work to fuel our clients with the evidence, inspiration and recommendation they need to grow and prosper.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The key focus of a Cultural Strategist is to support the wider team by managing smaller projects or fieldwork elements for multiple projects with minimal support, working towards increasing autonomy and owning all stages of the research process. With a special focus in semiotics, this individual will decode the cultural meanings and symbolic systems that shape how people think and behave. This individual will ensure best-in-class delivery — taking responsibility for distinct project components while building confidence in semiotic analysis, synthesis and storytelling craft. As the Cultural Strategist builds genuine relationships with clients and deepens category expertise, they will become increasingly trusted to shape project direction and contribute strategic thinking that makes our work better. The position makes a real difference to the business by ensuring every project lands with impact, consistency and excellence.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Knowledge & Craft
- Apply cultural, category and audience knowledge confidently in analysis and storytelling, tailoring research methods to different client needs
- Draw on semiotic expertise to decode cultural meanings and symbolic systems that shape consumer behaviour and cultural trends, breaking down visual, linguistic and multisensory cues and code
- Use Crowd frameworks appropriately and with growing independence across projects, integrating semiotics analysis where relevant
- Produce clear, insightful analysis for debriefs and develop initial strategic recommendations that link insights to broader implications
- Support analysis conversations with ideas for project narratives and Miro board structures
- Proactively share relevant cultural knowledge and best-practice cases to inspire discussions on early proposal stages
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Delivery
- Build capability to manage project elements with growing autonomy, working towards owning small/lower-value projects in partnership with a single Senior Lead
- Ensure realistic timelines and task flows; understand how long core research, semiotic analysis and tasks take
- Take clear ownership of specific project components including cultural landscaping, building semiotic codes, fieldwork set-up, and managing in-market partners and freelancers
- Balance multiple workstreams adapting priorities as situations change and communicating resource needs clearly
- Flag scope creep early and support commercial health by monitoring scope, time and documentation throughout project lifecycles
- Communicate professionally with suppliers and external partners, resolving simple issues independently
- Contribute to proposals by writing sections, suggesting methods informed by semiotic approaches
Influence & Growth
- Start building trusted relationships with clients by communicating clearly and play an active role in client meetings
- Contribute to client and Crowd DNA conversations and brainstorms by offering up observations and signals from wider culture
- Collaborate confidently with peers and seniors
- Strengthen team culture through open collaboration, constructive feedback and supportive behaviour, identifying small opportunities for the team and supporting pitches and proposals as needed
SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES
Essential
- Curious about culture, people and brands; genuine enthusiasm for understanding behaviour and trends and the symbolic systems that shape them
- Experience with some cultural research methodologies (e.g semiotics, cultural landscaping, trends, signal gathering) with demonstrated capability in writing up semiotic codes
- Excellent attention to detail across, writing and visuals; able to spot meaningful patterns and symbolic connections
- Organised and able to juggle multiple projects, meet deadlines and work under pressure
- Strong analytical skills; distils complex visual and linguistic data into clear insights linked to business impact
- Commercial mindset; understanding of clients needs and how research drives business value
- Problem-solver; identifies issues and offers solutions proactively
- Clear communicator; able to present findings confidently to teams and clients
- Collaborative team player; confident working with peers, seniors and external partners
- Reliable and professional; consistent delivery and support to the wider team
- Self-managed; takes ownership of workload and raises resource issues transparently
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Desirable
- Exposure to with market research, marketing, advertising or a related sector
- Familiarity with or interest in semiotic methodology and cultural analysis
- Confidence to suggest new approaches and introduce creativity, particularly in interpreting cultural codes and meanings
- Desire to learn new methodologies, including advanced semiotic techniques as well as cultural intelligence (social listening), qualitative research and AI research capabilities
- Experience coordinating fieldwork, managing suppliers or handling project logistics
BENEFITS
The role comes with a competitive salary of up to £40,000 with training, growth opportunities and clear paths to promotion. Benefits include:
- 25 days holiday plus UK bank holidays (our office also shuts between Christmas and New Year)
- 2 volunteering paid days per year (under a formal program for a registered charity)
- Flexible, hybrid working options – we expect you to be at the office 3 days a week
- Paid sabbatical after four years
- A contributory group personal pension scheme, to which we contribute 4% of Qualified Banded earnings to each team member’s gross salary
- Salary sacrifice and season ticket loans
- A Westfield Health cash plan
- Life assurance scheme at 4 x salary
- Generous staff ents programme
- Cycle to work scheme
RECRUITMENT
The cycle involves two interviews and one task. Starting date - when possible
DISCLOSURE
STRAT7 is an Equal Opportunity Employer and our employees are people with different strengths, experiences and backgrounds, who share a passion for research. Our commitment to inclusivity is not just about race and gender identity, but also age, disability status, sexual orientation, religion and many other parts of one's identity. All of our employee's points of view are key to our success, and inclusion is everyone's responsibility.
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