Role Overview

The Digital Strategist works closely with Backtalk Detroit's Lead Digital Strategist to develop and execute smart, intentional digital marketing strategies across our client accounts.

This is a hands-on, client-facing role that brings together strategy, creativity, and execution. You'll help connect what our clients want to accomplish with how they show up online, developing and managing marketing initiatives across social media, email, digital advertising, and other relevant channels.

Working alongside our Lead Digital Strategist, you'll contribute to the development of Digital Marketing + Advertising Strategies, lead content strategy and planning for assigned clients, collaborate with our creative team, evaluate performance, and bring fresh ideas and recommendations to the table as client needs evolve.

Social media is a big part of this role, so we're looking for someone who knows their way around a content strategy, can confidently manage accounts, and has the creative instincts to make content people actually want to engage with. We're also looking for someone who sees the bigger picture and understands how social connects to everything else we're doing in digital marketing strategy.

This role is for you if you're strategically minded, chronically online, culturally aware, organized, and comfortable working with clients and creative collaborators. Most importantly, you can connect what a brand wants to accomplish with what it should actually say, make, publish, measure, and improve.

Position Details

• Position Type: Part-time

• Schedule: 20 hours/week with the potential to grow alongside our client roster

• Work Arrangement: Hybrid — Detroit, MI
  Note: The Backtalk Detroit team works in-office Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

• Office: Backtalk Detroit, 1533 Cadillac Blvd., Suite 202, Detroit, MI 48214

• Compensation: $30/hour

• Reports To: Lead Digital Strategist

• Start Date: ASAP

This is a hybrid role combining remote work with in-person collaboration at Backtalk's Detroit office, client locations, content shoots, and events. Candidates should be based in Detroit or the surrounding area and have reliable transportation for local work.

Hours will vary based on client needs and active scopes. Most work takes place during Backtalk's standard office hours, Monday–Friday, 9:30 AM–5:30 PM ET.

Some client engagements also include structured evening and weekend coverage. When assigned, extended coverage takes place within defined windows and is agreed upon in advance: Monday–Friday, 5:30–9 PM ET and Saturday–Sunday, 10 AM–3 PM ET.

Occasional out-of-state travel and overnight stays may be required for client meetings, content production, events, and other project needs. Travel will be planned and communicated in advance.

Responsibilities

The Digital Strategist is expected to contribute across the full scope of Backtalk's Digital Marketing + Advertising services, working within their expertise and collaborating with the appropriate specialists and team leads.

The role owns assigned strategy, planning, execution, client communication, and ongoing optimization responsibilities, while the Lead Digital Strategist owns overarching strategic direction, department standards, and final authority on major strategic decisions.

Digital Marketing + Advertising Strategy

• Support the Lead Digital Strategist in developing Digital Marketing + Advertising Strategies, contributing to discovery, audience research, competitive analysis, and channel recommendations.

• Translate client business objectives into actionable marketing priorities, content initiatives, and measurable goals.

• Develop and refine channel-specific strategies across organic social media, email, website content, search, and other relevant digital touchpoints.

• Contribute to strategic roadmaps and implementation plans, considering client resources, budgets, timelines, and capabilities.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen how digital channels work together to support awareness, engagement, conversion, and retention.

• Present strategic recommendations with clear reasoning, collaborating with the Lead Digital Strategist on significant decisions and changes in direction.

Content Strategy + Execution

• Develop original, culturally relevant content ideas informed by emerging trends, online conversations, audience interests, and a strong understanding of what's happening across digital culture.

• Lead ongoing content planning across social media, email, blogs, and other digital channels, maintaining organized calendars that align priorities, messaging, and timing.

• Develop original content concepts informed by audience insights, brand positioning, cultural conversations, and emerging trends.

• Write, edit, and review content across digital channels, including social captions, email campaigns, and supporting marketing copy.

• Manage content scheduling, publishing, approvals, and quality control as required by assigned client scopes.

• Identify opportunities to repurpose and connect content across channels, refining recommendations based on performance and evolving client priorities.

Social Media + Community Management

• Manage social media strategies for assigned client accounts, recommending platform priorities, content formats, engagement approaches, and ongoing optimizations.

• Maintain assigned social accounts, including scheduling, publishing, platform checks, and community management as required by scope.

• Monitor audience conversations, engagement, sentiment, and platform trends to identify content opportunities and inform strategy.

• Develop community engagement recommendations that strengthen audience relationships and encourage meaningful participation.

• Guide community management approaches, including brand voice, response priorities, and escalation needs.

• Ensure social content and community engagement remain aligned with each client's brand, marketing objectives, and broader digital strategy.

Content Creation + Creative Collaboration

• Independently plan, capture, and edit straightforward social-first photo and video content using an iPhone or camera.

• Attend select client events, activations, launches, and content shoots to capture timely, authentic content.

• Create lightweight, platform-native content, including Reels, TikToks, Stories, and event recaps, using original footage or existing assets.

• Provide clear direction for copy, design, photography, video, and other marketing deliverables.

• Collaborate with Backtalk's designers, copywriters, photographers, videographers, SEO specialists, and other creative partners to bring concepts to life.

• Review creative deliverables and provide actionable feedback, recognizing when additional production expertise or resources are needed.

Client Strategy + Performance

• Serve as a primary day-to-day digital marketing contact for assigned clients, working in coordination with the Lead Digital Strategist.

• Lead content-planning meetings, strategy check-ins, and relevant portions of broader marketing conversations.

• Present content plans, campaign concepts, performance insights, and recommendations, helping clients understand the reasoning behind strategic decisions.

• Navigate client feedback, competing priorities, and unexpected requests with sound judgment, escalating concerns or decisions when appropriate.

• Monitor performance across assigned digital channels, evaluating meaningful KPIs, audience behavior, content effectiveness, and opportunities for improvement.

• Contribute to client reporting and strategic reviews, translating performance insights into actionable recommendations and next steps.

Internal Collaboration

• Independently lead assigned digital marketing workstreams, maintaining accountability for strategy, execution, quality, and ongoing recommendations.

• Work closely with the Lead Digital Strategist to ensure assigned work aligns with broader marketing strategies and departmental priorities.

• Collaborate across brand, design, web, paid media, and content production to support cohesive client marketing initiatives.

• Support paid media initiatives through audience insights, messaging recommendations, creative briefs, asset preparation, and campaign coordination as assigned.

• Maintain accurate project documentation, assignments, deadlines, and client information in Notion and other Backtalk systems.

• Proactively communicate potential challenges involving scope, hours, timelines, approvals, or dependencies, and contribute recommendations for improving department processes and client work.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of professional experience in digital marketing, content strategy, or a related field, preferably within an agency or multi-client environment.

• Experience developing and executing digital marketing and content strategies across social media, email, website content, and other relevant channels.

• Strong expertise in organic social media strategy, content planning, platform management, and community engagement across Meta Business Suite, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and other relevant platforms.

• Hands-on experience with email marketing, blog content planning, foundational SEO principles, and a working understanding of paid digital advertising.

• Strong creative and editorial judgment, including copywriting, content ideation, campaign development, and the ability to adapt messaging across brands, audiences, and platforms.

• Ability to independently capture and edit engaging social-first photo and video content using an iPhone and tools such as CapCut, Edits, or Canva.

• Experience analyzing digital marketing performance, identifying opportunities, and translating insights into actionable recommendations.

• Confident client communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain strategic recommendations, navigate feedback, and collaborate with creative teams.

• Strong organization, attention to detail, and accountability, with the ability to independently manage multiple accounts, priorities, and deadlines.

• Based in Metro Detroit with reliable transportation and availability for in-person collaboration, occasional out-of-state travel, and pre-scheduled evening or weekend client coverage.

Success Looks Like

• The Lead Digital Strategist has a trusted strategic partner who independently owns assigned workstreams and moves client work forward.

• Digital marketing initiatives are thoughtful, cohesive, and connected to each client's broader business goals.

• Content strategies are original, culturally relevant, and continuously refined based on performance, audience behavior, emerging trends, and cultural conversations.

• Content ideas are strong, creative briefs provide clear direction, and published work is intentional, engaging, and aligned with each client's brand.

• Content calendars, approvals, and deliverables remain organized, accurate, and on track, with straightforward social-first content executed independently when appropriate.

• Clients experience a proactive strategic collaborator who communicates clearly, brings informed recommendations, and helps them understand what's working and what comes next.

• Collaborators receive clear direction, and potential challenges, opportunities, or resource needs are identified and communicated early.

What This Role Does Not Own

To maintain clear responsibilities, this role does not independently own:

• Final approval of overarching Digital Marketing + Advertising Strategies, channel budgets, or client KPIs

• Independent ownership of paid media strategy, media buying, or advanced campaign optimization

• Foundational Brand Strategy or brand positioning and messaging

• Agency-wide creative direction

• Technical SEO strategy, audits, or implementation

• Website design, development, or technical maintenance

• Advanced email automation architecture or technical integrations

• Larger-scale production management, shoot logistics, or coordination of production vendors

• Advanced video editing, motion graphics, or graphic design

• Overall client project management, contracting, pricing, or scope changes

About Backtalk Detroit

Backtalk Detroit is a strategy-led creative studio built around story, culture, and connection. Our team works across brand development, design, web, digital marketing, advertising, and content to help organizations communicate clearly and connect meaningfully with the people they serve.

We believe the strongest work is done collaboratively. Our team works alongside clients and a broader network of creative collaborators, bringing the right expertise into the room at the right time.