Strategy Lead, India

Strategy Lead, India

Summary

Marketing Communications (Marcom) is the creatively led global team that oversees Apple’s consumer-facing marketing. We ensure the flawless development and execution of world-class communications across all media and platforms. Every day, hundreds of millions of Apple customers around the world interact with our products. We drive the strategy and creative work that deliver simple, engaging and inspiring marketing experiences to new and existing customers.

The work of Marcom India includes Localization, Advertising, Partner Retail Experience and Communications, Interactive/Digital, Video & Motion Graphics, and Direct. It is the organization that plans, localizes, conceptualizes and implements Apple’s product and services communications in the market.

Description

As Strategy Lead for India, you are the strategic engine for the market. The role will shape how Apple tells its brand and product stories in India and drive initiatives across the whole customer journey, through Apple-owned and partner touch-points, to grow Apple’s business and deepen its connection with local audiences.

The role works closely with the India Marcom Lead and peers in Marcom, Product Marketing, PR, Retail, Sales and Channel, and will keep a detailed understanding of business priorities, channel dynamics, partnerships and cultural context. The role will partner with the Worldwide Strategy team in Cupertino to bring market insight and inspiration to some of the best creative talent in the world, and will turn that insight into clear, actionable briefs for agency partners and internal creative teams. This role needs a self-motivated, flexible leader with very strong analytical, strategic and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Strong analytical skills, with the ability to combine sales, business, behavioral and media data and spot patterns.
Deep knowledge of India’s digital, social and commerce ecosystem, including social-first and content-driven initiatives.
Strong knowledge of the device sales channel in India (especially smartphones), including carriers, e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms, large-format and multi-brand retailers, and third-party stores.
Experience leading full-funnel go-to-market strategy for brand, marketing and customer experience campaigns across digital, e-commerce and physical retail.
A proven record of writing clear, inspiring creative briefs on your own that turn complex business objectives into world-class creative work.
A record of leading strategic conversations with creatives, agency partners and internal teams from many disciplines.
Experience turning complex information into simple, compelling narratives for many kinds of stakeholders.
A proven ability to build relationships, consensus and influence with senior cross-functional teams and external partners.
Expertise in consumer electronics and technology.
Proven leadership in advocating for a strategy and carrying it through a large cross-functional organization.
Strong commercial instincts, with experience identifying and solving business problems through research.
Strong cultural antennae, with real curiosity about pop culture, design and innovation.
A highly collaborative, entrepreneurial approach: willing to challenge conventions, build on different viewpoints and consider many perspectives.
Exceptional writing, visual storytelling and Keynote presentation skills, with active fluency in AI productivity tools and workflows.
Several years of living and working in India. Proficiency in Hindi or other Indian languages is a plus.

Minimum Qualifications

15+ years of strategic planning or strategic delivery in marketing, at leading creative, social or integrated agencies, brand consultancies, business consulting, or client-side brand teams.
Experience across the full strategic range: business and brand strategy, consumer research, insight synthesis and integrated communications planning.
Good working knowledge of retail environments, e-commerce and social platforms.
Business-level fluency in written and spoken English.

Experience Level

Senior Level