Director, Business Development

Job Description

Take ownership of and improve a strong, existing portfolio of business, which includes former clients, ongoing discussions, referrals, and incoming opportunities. Spearhead high-level discussions on RFPs, scoping, pricing, and margins, both internally and with clients. Formulate opportunity strategies from the initial interaction to closure, ensuring pursuits are well-qualified, strategically positioned, and commercially viable. Comprehend and strategize around experiential purchasing cycles, extended lead times, and significant seasonal and tentpole events. Act as the primary manager of RFP responses and intricate deal pursuits, working in collaboration with Strategy, Creative, Production, and Account leaders. Direct pricing and scope decisions to strike a balance between competitiveness and profitability. Clearly communicate value, trade-offs, and investment levels to clients. Document insights from successes and failures to continually refine approaches. Establish and uphold a framework for new business, including playbooks, follow-up protocols, task assignments, and forecasting. Oversee pipeline reporting to provide leadership with clear insights into opportunities and risks. Enhance consistency and rigor in how opportunities are tracked, prioritized, and advanced. Actively re-engage past clients and inactive relationships through thoughtful, timely outreach. Identify and act on triggers for reactivation (leadership changes, launches, agency reviews, tentpole events). Cultivate enduring relationships founded on trust, credibility, and a profound understanding of client needs. Collaborate with leadership to structure the broader new business team, including the deployment of hunters, associates, PMs, or SDR-style support. Collaborate with freelance or junior support staff to handle appointment setting, follow-up, CRM maintenance, and basic deal support.

Qualifications

1. 8–10+ years of experience in business development or growth leadership within experiential, creative, or integrated agencies. 2. Deep knowledge of experiential purchasing cycles, extended lead times, and seasonal/tentpole planning. 3. Proven success in leading complex RFPs, scoping, pricing, and margin discussions. 4. Strong commercial acumen with comfort in navigating nuanced, high-value deals. 5. Experience in owning and expanding a warm book of business—not starting from scratch. 6. Ability to think strategically about pipeline design, forecasting, and systems. 7. Collaborative, reliable partner to Creative, Production, Account, and Leadership teams. 8. Composed, confident communicator capable of leading senior client conversations. 9. Flourishes in entrepreneurial settings where structure is being created, not inherited.

Benefits

- Fully remote work environment, with a co-working stipend provided - Wellness stipend to support physical and mental well-being - High-growth opportunity with meaningful ownership and impact - Comprehensive insurance and benefits, plus 401(k) with company match after one year of employment