VP, Business Development Leader-Performance Marketing

As our VP, Business Development, you will…

Be Accountable and Responsible for

• With other members of the Growth leadership team, develop new business strategies for the agency. 
• Provides tactical leadership within pitches, corralling the overall pitch team, organizing meetings and timelines, as well as taking the lead with the presentation materials.
• Leading agency prospecting, including: leveraging personal network for opportunities, work with MERGE Demand Generation team to develop key prospect list and outbound marketing campaigns, and responding to inbound marketing leads.
• Translate the agency’s growth strategy into sales and marketing plans as needed.
• Generate a healthy pipeline of leads, and nurture them into qualified opportunities.
• Keeping agency capabilities and case studies fresh and relevant.
• Coordinating with new business leads from other offices, including weekly status call.
• The VP sets the tone for the team to ensure that all below them are dividing and accomplishing workload, tracking information as well as digging deep into practice areas so that no stone goes unturned and everyone on the team contributes. 
• The VP's agenda is built with the SVP and EVP, and executed in a calculated and expeditious manner. This role doesn't only drive the team, it also contributes to the efforts to help make everyone smarter.
• Nurture the career development of staff by mentoring and providing ongoing informal and formal performance feedback. Effectively educate, develop, lead and manage direct reports.
• Partner with the EVP of Growth to drive the overall growth strategy for our Performance Marketing business unit including identifying the ideal customer profile, target market, crafting and delivering an effective story/value proposition to prospective customers.
• Work with the MERGE Demand Generation team to cultivate a healthy pipeline of leads for the Performance Marketing business unit, and nurture them into qualified opportunities.
• Lead and/or support new business proposals for Performance Marketing services  (e.g. RFP’s, Pre-Sales Analysis, capability presentations, pricing submissions) and solutions (e.g. pitches and presentations).
• Lead and/or support major client contract negotiations that include Performance Marketing services as needed..
• Partner with the EVP of Growth to manage sales operations including reporting on new business opportunities, managing pipeline velocity, providing revenue forecasts based on pipeline stages, maintaining accurate records within Salesforce Sales Cloud, maintaining and continuously improving sales materials and budgets related to sales activities, events, etc. .

These are the qualifications we’re looking for

• Minimum of a Bachelor degree, MBA or equivalent business experience preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in business, with 5+ years concentrated in agency growth roles specific to Performance Marketing Services.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in the ability to ensure quality client service.
• Routinely demonstrate a thorough understanding of the advertising industry as it relates to the key verticals within MERGE: Consumer Products, Retails & Commerce, Health Plans, Health Providers, Specialty Healthcare and Financial Services.
• 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 performance marketing, advertising  and promotional principles and insights.
• Anticipate and lead client perceptions of the performance marketing service(s) 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 to meet internal and external deadlines. 
• Be a masterful storyteller. Rather than bragging about our company and features, we want you to engage prospective clients with stories of how we have helped companies establish a solid foundation to grow exponentially. 
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of Performance Marketing channels and services.  
• Lead and provide clear direction to new business teams, SME’s as well as broader pitch teams related to the marketing of the MERGE brand and our clients’ brands alike.
• Collaborate well with other agency departments, executive management, practice area leads and client service(s) teams..
• Effectively educate, develop, lead and manage direct reports to enable them to effectively contribute to a successful engagement with prospective clients.

#LI-JK1

#LI-REMOTE