The Organisation

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We are partnering with a fast-growing global agency, headquartered in London, recognised for delivering highly impactful work for some of the world’s best-known brands. Following continued growth and a strong run of new business wins, the agency is expanding its senior social leadership capability.

The agency is known for its collaborative culture, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and investment in senior talent. With a reputation for high-quality strategic work, this is an environment where experienced leaders are trusted, visible, and empowered to shape the offer.

The Opportunity

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This is a senior leadership role for an established social specialist to take ownership of social strategy across a portfolio of high-profile, household-name clients. As Senior Director (Social), you will lead complex, always-on and campaign-led social programmes, ensuring social is fully integrated within broader corporate, brand, and communications strategies rather than operating in isolation.

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Working closely with senior clients and multidisciplinary internal teams, you will help shape joined-up programmes across earned, owned, paid, and shared channels, embedding social thinking at every stage of planning and delivery. You will also play a key role in evolving the agency’s integrated social offer and strengthening collaboration across practices.

Main Responsibilities

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• Lead social strategy for major, high-profile clients, ensuring work is insight-led, creative, and commercially effective.
• Act as a senior client counsellor, building trusted relationships with C-suite and senior marketing and communications stakeholders.
• Oversee the development and delivery of integrated campaigns, aligning social with PR, corporate affairs, brand, and paid activity.
• Work in close partnership with creative, strategy, media, and data teams to deliver cohesive, channel-agnostic programmes.
• Translate audience insight, platform knowledge, and cultural trends into integrated strategic recommendations.
• Manage and mentor senior social team members, supporting progression, capability-building, and high performance.
• Contribute to new business pitches, helping to shape integrated, social-led opportunities.
• Play an active role in evolving the agency’s social proposition and integrated thought leadership.

Skills & Experience

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• Significant senior-level experience in social media within a leading agency environment.
• Proven track record of delivering integrated social programmes as part of broader communications or marketing strategies.
• Experience leading work for large, complex, and high-profile or household-name clients.
• Strong client leadership skills, with confidence advising senior stakeholders on the role of social  within integrated programmes.
• Experience managing and developing senior teams within a fast-paced agency setting.
• Commercially minded, with experience supporting integrated new business and organic account growth.
• Excellent strategic, written, and verbal communication skills.

For more details on the client mix and wider package, please apply via the link for a confidential conversation.

For more information on communications and public affairs roles with leading agencies, contact Tasmin Khin at Tasmin@ellwoodatfield.com.

Ellwood Atfield is the leading headhunter for corporate affairs, communications, policy, and advocacy. An employee-owned boutique search firm, we help you hire the most senior leaders and everyone who reports to them. We promise to connect talented people, smoothly and efficiently.

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Our purpose is to create important and enduring relationships. We are an equal opportunities employer and promote diversity across our profession to ensure every individual has the opportunity to perform at their best. If you have not done so already, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required.

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