Vp, Business Development Leader

As our VP, Business Development Leader you will...

Lead Consumer new business efforts in partnership with Senior Account leaders, serve as a marketing conduit to own and tell Merge Consumer story, and manage New Business operations within the Consumer team.

Play a pivotal role in driving the agency's growth for Consumer brands by crafting compelling proposals, managing projects with efficiency, and nurturing client relationships. With a deep understanding of the agency industry, client needs, and internal processes, the VP qualifies and documents new business opportunities, ensuring their financial viability. Collaborating seamlessly with cross-functional teams, leading strategic initiatives, guiding junior staff, and presenting results to senior management and clients. 

The VP sets the tone for the team, bringing energy and creating a results-driven, motivating, and collaborative approach. This role combines strategic thinking, effective decision-making, and strong leadership to translate growth strategies into actionable plans, fostering continuous improvement and success in the competitive business landscape.

Be Accountable and Responsible for

• Collaborate with the Business Development team leader and agency subject matter experts to create persuasive proposals, pitches, and presentations driving business growth in the Consumer space.
• Lead RFP responses, coordinating contributions from agency partners and ensuring all responses align with agency goals
• Lead agency prospecting within the Consumer team, including establishing relationships with search consultants, leveraging personal networks, developing key prospect lists, and managing inbound and outbound marketing campaigns
• Generate a healthy pipeline of leads, setting the tone for the team to ensure effective workload division and tracking information
• Demonstrate a profound understanding of the agency industry, client business needs, and internal processes, serving as a key intelligence source for supporting agency growth
• Partner with the team to manage marketing operations in the West region, including reporting on new business revenue forecast/pipeline, SFDC, sales/marketing materials and sponsorships
• Manage projects in strict accordance with agency procedures for efficiency and effectiveness
• Collaborate seamlessly with members of the Growth team and other departments on key initiatives such as RFPs, meetings, and presentations
• Effectively present results to senior management, clients, and other agency employees
• Provide tactical leadership within pitches, organizing meetings, timelines, and presentation materials for the overall pitch team
• Translate the agency's growth strategy into annual sales and marketing plans
• Nurture the career development of staff by mentoring and providing ongoing informal and formal performance feedback, educating, developing, leading, and managing direct reports to oversee their products effectively

These are the qualifications we're looking for 

• 10 to 14 years of experience in business, with 5+ years concentrated in Advertising agency growth roles specifically in Restaurant, QSR, CDR category
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or Communications; or equivalent work experience, MBA preferred
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the advertising industry as it relates to the key verticals within MERGE's Consumer practice
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, a growth and motivation mindset, and a positive attitude/energy
• Demonstrated effectiveness in the ability to ensure quality client service
• Possess credibility in the presence of the client
• Strong presentation skills with an engaging and trusted presence
• Ability to:
  • Develop valued relationships with senior-level client management, based upon broad knowledge of marketing and promotional principles and insights
  • Anticipate and lead client perceptions of the creative product and develop any necessary action steps required to ensure comfort levels
  • Manage challenging situations and recommend effective solutions
  • Think in terms of business management including demonstrating cost-effective ways to increase productivity, manage expenses, etc
  • Effectively delegate and manage multiple tasks
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of assigned product(s), and ability to provide clear direction to new business teams as well as broader teams overall related to the marketing of the MERGE brand and our client's brands alike

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