Senior Planner / Strategist

Established in 2004, OLIVER is the world’s first and only specialist in designing, building, and running bespoke in-house agencies and marketing ecosystems for brands. We partner with over 300 clients in 40+ countries and counting. Our unique model drives creativity and efficiency, allowing us to deliver tailored solutions that resonate deeply with audiences. As a part of The Brandtech Group , we're at the forefront of leveraging cutting-edge AI technology to revolutionise how we create and deliver work. Our AI solutions enhance efficiency, spark creativity, and drive insightful decision-making, empowering our teams to produce innovative and impactful results. SENIOR PLANNER / STRATEGIST LOCATION: Barcelona, Spain REPORTING TO: Strategy Director A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ROLE AND TEAM Working in direct partnership with a leading European pet care client (part of a major international food group), the Senior Planner / Strategist will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction for four leading pet care brands. Embedded within our dedicated on-site agency hub in Barcelona, you will collaborate closely with the client's Global Brand Teams on high-impact global briefs. Your focus will be upstream and conceptual: uncovering transformative consumer and cultural insights, authoring inspirational creative briefs, defining brand and communication strategies, and building comprehensive global master toolkits. This is an exceptional opportunity for an ambitious, culturally attuned, and insight-driven strategist to establish foundational strategic frameworks, elevate creative ambition, and influence the global trajectory of major pet care brands. WHAT IS REQUIRED Global Brand & Communication Strategy • Partner directly with the client's Global Marketing Leads and Brand Managers to define overarching brand, communication, and campaign strategies across cat and dog portfolios. • Architect robust Global Master Toolkits, guidelines, and campaign architectures designed for global consistency and seamless future adaptation across regional markets. • Interrogate client challenges to uncover the real commercial and cultural problems strategy needs to solve, converting complex business goals into clear, actionable creative propositions. Audience Insight & Cultural Intelligence • Dig deep into pet owner (pet parent) behaviours, motivations, and cultural trends using qualitative discovery, social listening tools, and audience data platforms (e.g., GWI, category research). • Translate data and category trends into rich, inspiring human insights that ignite breakthrough creative ideas. • Help clients stay at the forefront of modern marketing, championing audience-first and culturally resonant thinking across all touchpoints. Creative Partnership & Briefing • Work as a trusted partner to the Creative Director, Art Directors, and Copywriters, guiding conceptual thinking from discovery through to final presentation. • Craft sharp, inspirational creative briefs and lead energising briefing sessions that give creatives a clear springboard for conceptual work. • Provide constructive strategic feedback during the creative review process, ensuring ideas are both strategically sound and creatively daring. Client Partnership & Ways of Working • Establish strong, consultative relationships with client brand teams, becoming a trusted advisor on brand positioning, consumer journeys, and creative effectiveness. • Collaborate with the Strategy Director and cross-functional leads to establish best-practice strategic frameworks, briefing templates, and workshop methodologies for the account. WHAT GOOD LOOKS LIKE • Experience: 6-10+ years of brand and communications planning experience within top-tier creative agencies, brand consultancies