Senior Strategic Planner

ICF Next E&A creates meaningful, high‑impact communication campaigns for European and international audiences. Strategy sits at the heart of everything we do: our Strategic Planners work hand‑in‑hand with Creative, Content and Outreach teams to spark ideas, shape narratives and turn insights into powerful campaigns.

We see strategists as idea catalysts — the ones who turn complex realities into clear direction, inspire creativity, and ensure that every campaign is grounded in genuine citizen insight.

We are looking for an experienced Senior Strategic Planner to work on ambitious communication campaigns covering a wide range of EU policies and programmes, engaging diverse audiences across all EU Member States and beyond.

As a Senior Strategic Planner, you will play a key role in shaping the strategic backbone of our campaigns, from insight to impact.

Research & Insight

• Lead qualitative and quantitative research to uncover meaningful citizen and stakeholder insights

• Translate data into clear, actionable, evidence‑based insights that provide a strong \"reason to believe\"

• Act as the voice of the citizen / end user throughout the agency

Strategy Development

• Develop communication and advertising strategies aligned with client objectives, brand positioning and EU policy contexts

• Turn insights into clear strategic narratives and creative briefs that inspire breakthrough ideas

• Ensure strategic coherence across channels, audiences and markets

Collaboration & Creative Partnership

• Work closely with Creative, Content and Outreach teams to guide concept development and messaging

• Challenge, inspire and align teams to keep ideas focused, relevant and impactful

• Act as a strategic sparring partner throughout the creative process

Measurement & Optimisation

• Define success metrics and evaluate campaign effectiveness

• Analyse results to identify learnings and opportunities for optimisation

• Contribute to continuous improvement across future campaigns

Risk & Mitigation

• Identify potential risks in communication strategies

• Propose mitigation measures to ensure clarity, credibility and reputational safety

What You Bring

Education & Experience

• Master's degree in Communication Sciences, Political Science, Social Sciences, Psychology, or equivalent

• Minimum 8 years of experience in strategic planning, communication or advertising

• Proven track record of developing effective, insight‑driven strategies

Skills & Mindset

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (other EU languages are a strong asset)

• Strong understanding of media ecosystems and how strategy shapes channel choice and messaging

• Passion for EU affairs, policies and public communication

• Sharp, curious and analytical mind, with a willingness to challenge assumptions (including your own)

• Ability to make complex subjects accessible and engaging for diverse audiences

• Highly organised and flexible, able to manage multiple projects simultaneously

• A balance of creative and strategic thinking, combining logical, systemic, deductive and inductive reasoning

• A strong drive for quality, impact and continuous improvement

• Work on high‑visibility EU and international campaigns with real societal impact

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams in a creative, intellectually stimulating environment

• Shape narratives that matter — and help millions of people better understand Europe

#indeed

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Working at ICF

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair and equitable interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate or assist with responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is not permitted. This policy is in place to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the interview process. 

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodations that involve the use of AI. If such an accommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance at  We are dedicated to providing the necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.