Applied Strategist (Level I)

Job Description

Applied Strategist (Level I) | Citizen Relations

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Citizen Relations, open to candidates in New York or Cincinnati. Citizen Relations is transforming the landscape of PR and earned media, moving into the impactful territory of Reputation, largely driven by AI transformation. To lead this evolution, the Applied Strategy & Intelligence group has adopted a high-functioning Pod Model, focusing on a flat, skills-first structure where intelligence, technology, and strategy converge to deliver advanced solutions. This entry-level Applied Strategist role is crucial for helping clients bridge the gap between their high-level business ambitions and the practical brand, channel, and measurement strategies needed to achieve real-world impact. It is ideal for individuals eager to learn, think critically, and understand the full lifecycle of modern MarComm efforts.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, New York or Cincinnati
• Pay: $50000–$57000 yearly
• Team: Sits within the Applied Strategy & Intelligence (Ap-SI) team, supporting a strategic lead.
• Mission: Help clients bridge the gap between high-level business ambitions, and brand, channel and measurement strategy.
• Tech Stack: Google AI (Gemini, AI Studio), proprietary AI agents, SEMRush, Talkwalker, Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Social Analytics, CRM platforms

What You’ll Actually Do
• Strategic Guidance: Support Senior Applied Strategists by developing an understanding of various strategic approaches and how they create impact for client brands.
• Market Research: Utilize the robust tech stack and available online resources to identify and determine significant opportunities for brand MarComms across categories, competitors, and audience segments.
• Applied Execution: Translate insights into action by helping to deploy or orchestrate key tasks during the go-to-market phase of projects.
• Performance Analysis: Determine campaign results and identify critical optimizations for continued engagement, or define the overall impact of strategic programs.
• Industry Adaptation: Embrace continuous learning, evolve, and adapt to the dynamic market and constant changes shaping the communications industry.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Communications, or a closely related field.
• Experience: 0-2+ years of experience in agency strategy, management consulting, or digital transformation roles; demonstrated working experience within the AI landscape and a willingness to proactively adopt new tools; experience collaborating within flat or matrixed organizations where team formation prioritizes skills over traditional roles.
• Skills:
• Data Fluency: The ability to read, make informed decisions, and consistently optimize strategies based on performance signals.
• Strategic Agility: Proficiency in connecting the dots across the entire marketing motion, from commercial goals to channel execution.
• Tool Adaptability: Demonstrated ability to onboard and quickly learn both legacy platforms and emerging tech-agnostic tools.
• Consultative Communication: High-level ability to clearly articulate the “Why” and the “How” of strategies to internal leaders and external clients.
• Bonus: Proactive Bias for Action: A thoughtful willingness to bring new ideas forward and execute them efficiently without friction.