As our VP, Business Development Leader you will…

Craft strategies and tactics to deliver on net new business efforts for the Consumer practice area. You will partner with Marketing, Client Services, and the Service Offering Leaders to tell the Merge Consumer story and manage the pipeline from discovery to close. 

Play a pivotal role in driving the agency's growth for Consumer brands by focusing all of your efforts on building a robust sales pipeline of new prospective clients, crafting compelling proposals, leading pitch efforts,  and nurturing prospective 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, and presenting results to senior management and prospective clients as needed. 

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

Be Accountable and Responsible for

• Lead agency prospecting within the Consumer team, including establishing relationships with search consultants, leveraging personal networks, developing key target account lists, and coordinating inbound and outbound marketing campaigns that result in a healthy amount of leads
• Generate at least $2M of net new revenue annually
• Manage the overall business development activities including the company’s RFP and Pitch process and ABM/CRM best practices, which includes daily/weekly updating of Salesforce.com
• Participate in weekly and monthly pipeline reviews
• Generate leads and partner with the Lead Generation team to qualify top-of-funnel leads, convert prospects into qualified opportunities, and close deals
• Lead pitches, create persuasive proposals and RFP responses, coordinate contributions from agency partners, and ensure all responses align with agency goals and prospective client needs Organize meetings, timelines, and presentation materials for the overall pitch team
• Demonstrate a profound understanding of the agency industry, client business needs, and internal processes, serving as a key intelligence source for supporting agency growth
• Elevate MERGE’s presence at industry events, trade shows, and online events to be seen as a premier modern marketing agency
• Effectively present results to senior management, clients, and other agency employees
• Partner with the larger team to provide input into sales and marketing materials, events, and sponsorships. Attend conferences and represent MERGE’s Consumer vertical as an SME
• Work with the internal Program Management team, Client Services, and Vertical leads to present pricing options that align with MERGE margins and guidelines
• Oversee the organization and maintenance of the central repository of all new business material (and general materials).  Collaborate with MERGE Marketing Team and Service Offering Leaders to maintain and update
• GTM capabilities and case studies to ensure they are fresh and relevant

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 within Restaurant/Food/QSR/CDR Industry
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or Communications; or equivalent work experience, MBA preferred
• Demonstrated drive to collaborate with multiple stakeholders and drive daily activities to meet new business targets
• Leads by example and has an innate desire to ‘get it done’ and win
• Experience prospecting into mid-enterprise sized accounts, a ”hunting” mentality
• 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 ability to build strong relationships with prospective clients, pitch consultants, and industry partners
• Possess credibility in the presence of executive leadership and prospective clients
• Strong presentation and storytelling 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 MERGE deliverables, consulting services, and creative products and develop any necessary action steps required to ensure comfort levels
  • Manage challenging situations and recommend effective solutions
  • Effectively delegate and manage multiple tasks
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of MERGE service offerings and ability to provide clear direction to new business pitch teams

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