Senior Real-Time Culture & Insights Strategist Freelance

The role

The Senior Real-Time Culture & Insights Strategist will execute and optimize the detection and activation of cultural trends. This person will work with the Director to integrate insights into creative and media processes.

What you will do

• Monitor platforms and media to identify emerging trends, subcultures, and real-time conversation opportunities.
• Develop social strategies and brand-building frameworks.
• Lead strategic planning processes and create actionable playbooks and guidelines.
• Plan and facilitate collaborative workshops with internal teams and clients.
• Bridge data, insights, and storytelling into visual and narrative concepts.
• Collaborate on paid media strategy and recommend real-time optimizations.
• Partner with creative, data, media, and account teams.

Required qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in trend analysis, research, social strategy, or brand strategy within agency, media, or tech environments.
• Strong knowledge of cultural monitoring methodologies, brand building principles, and trend forecasting frameworks.
• Demonstrated expertise in strategic planning, playbook creation, and social strategy.
• Ability to merge qualitative and quantitative data from multiple sources into clear, compelling strategic narratives.
• Intermediate to advanced English proficiency (written and spoken).
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and storytelling skills.

Nice to have

• Workshop Facilitation & Training: Proven experience in designing and leading strategic co-creation workshops and client sessions.
• Advanced Playbook Architecture: Track record of building structured brand playbooks, social toolkits, and go-to-market strategies.
• Paid & Organic Media Integration: Deep understanding of how organic social tactics integrate with performance and paid media amplification.

About the company

Monks is the global, digital-first, data-driven, unitary operating brand of S4Capital plc. The culture centers on striving for mastery and driving momentum through bold action.