Strategy Manager in Toronto

The Strategy Manager is the senior operational layer of Foundation's strategy practice. This role exists to own client relationships at the oversight level, develop the strategists beneath them, and free VP-level leadership to operate on business growth, team architecture, and company direction. The Strategy Manager is accountable for strategic quality across a $2M+ book of business, acts as the primary escalation point for their assigned accounts, and takes full ownership of the people leadership gap that currently sits between individual strategists and VP-level oversight. They are expected to hold positions, defend recommendations under pressure, and grow the capabilities of their team without waiting to be asked.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the Client Oversight Relationship
  • Serve as the senior point of contact for each account in your book, building and maintaining relationships with budget decision-makers and senior client stakeholders.
  • Act as the primary escalation owner when strategic direction is challenged, client expectations are at risk, or a situation requires a more senior voice.
  • Host strategy presentations, sell the direction, and hold your ground under pushback. Clients should feel they have a senior strategic partner, not just access to a team.
  • Maintain a clear, current view of account health across your entire book, surfacing risks to the VP of Strategy before they become problems.
• Drive Strategic Quality Across Your Book
  • Oversee GEO and content strategy execution across every account you own, ensuring work is aligned with the defined strategic direction and meeting client-specific KPIs.
  • Provide meaningful oversight review on strategic deliverables including content plans, QBRs, and monthly reporting, identifying drift, outdated assumptions, or missed opportunities.
  • Bring a GEO-first lens to every account. You should be fluent in generative and answer engine optimization, and it should show in how you review and elevate the work.
  • Partner with Account Management on each shared client to ensure contracts, upselling, and cross-team coordination are handled cleanly and strategically.
• Lead and Develop the Team
  • Manage 3-5 strategists with real accountability for their development, not just their output. Build meaningful PDPs, run structured 1:1s, and move people along the specialist-to-strategist path.
  • Coach strategists on call confidence, client communication, and the ability to own and defend strategic positions.
  • Score and review strategist client calls using the Foundation performance rubric, delivering specific, actionable feedback that names patterns and sets expectations.
  • Develop team GEO capability. Ensure the strategists you lead can articulate and execute generative engine optimization with confidence.
  • Flag performance concerns to the VP of Strategy early, with supporting evidence, rather than waiting for a formal review cycle.
• Support Revenue Growth and Account Expansion
  • Identify upsell and expansion opportunities within your book and route them to Account Management with a clear strategic rationale.
  • Participate in strategic sales conversations for new accounts where your subject matter expertise adds credibility and conversion value.
  • Contribute to Foundation's GEO positioning by staying current on platform shifts, citation behavior, and AI-search trends.

You Might Be a Fit If You...

• Have moved past legacy SEO and actively build content and GEO strategies for generative and answer engine visibility.
• Are fluent in B2B and SaaS/tech client relationships.
• Can hold a position under pressure and present, defend, and close on strategy recommendations.
• Want to build people, not just manage them.
• Are ready to lead a team before you feel completely ready.

Required Experience

• 5+ years in digital strategy, content strategy, or multi-channel marketing strategy, with at least 2 years in a senior or oversight capacity.
• Demonstrated experience managing or meaningfully developing at least one direct report.
• Proven GEO fluency.
• Strong B2B or SaaS/tech client portfolio.
• Strong analytical capabilities across digital platforms.
• Exceptional ability to communicate complex strategic direction with precision and confidence.

Metrics / KPIs

• Account Health and Retention: Zero unmanaged escalations. Post-Strategy NPS of 8 or above. Retention rate remains positive.
• Strategic Quality: Strategic deliverables are delivered on time, clearly structured, and to spec.
• Team Performance Development: Each direct report has an active PDP reviewed monthly.
• GEO Execution Quality: GEO strategies recommended reflect current platform behavior and best practice.
• Revenue Contribution: Commission tied directly to expansion within your oversight book.

Compensation

• Base Pay Range: $80,000 - $110,000 CAD / year
• Expected Total Comp (OTE): $105,000 - $145,000 CAD+ / year