Director, Sales & Growth

Director, Sales & Business Development

The Brand Leader, an award-winning agency and a 2023 Ad Age Best Places to Work winner, is seeking a seasoned Director, Sales & Business Development to join our team. This role is pivotal in overseeing the agency's day-to-day sales efforts.

We are particularly interested in candidates with 6 years of agency-side experience selling agency projects and AOR retainer contracts, with a history of new business cultivation (and existing relevant relationships) in at least one of the following five verticals: med-tech/healthcare, financial/fintech, active lifestyle, travel/tourism, and wine/spirits brands. This role requires the ability to build strong relationships, think strategically, and drive measurable client success.

As Director of Client Growth, you'll lead the sales process, cultivate new opportunities via outbound prospecting, and work alongside agency leadership once prospects are in the pipeline—driving the prospect-to-client closing process and successfully transitioning the client to TBL’s Account Services leadership team. You’ll also develop and execute sales strategies, drive new revenue growth, and cultivate strong new prospect relationships and brand partnership opportunities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Sales Strategy and Planning:

• Develop and implement comprehensive sales strategies and plans to achieve revenue targets and goals.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities, including prospecting, networking, and lead generation.
• Analyze market trends, competitor activities, and prospective client needs to identify opportunities and refine sales strategies.
• Focus on our key verticals of travel & tourism, wine & spirits, outdoor and active lifestyle, medical, and finance/fintech.

Sales Management:

• Collaborate with an internal team to achieve performance goals and foster a high-performing, collaborative environment.
• Work with TBL Partners to set individual sales targets, track performance, and provide regular updates.

Client Relationship Management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, acting as a primary point of contact during sell-in and ensuring client satisfaction as they transition to the Client Services team.
• Understand client needs and objectives, translating them into effective solutions.
• Manage client expectations, negotiate contracts, and write Scopes of Work.
• Spearhead identified and agreed-upon RFPs, leading the writing and finalization in collaboration with TBL leadership.

Business Development:

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities, including developing new client relationships and expanding existing ones (the latter in partnership with the account manager assigned to that client).
• Develop and implement strategies to increase the agency's market share and brand recognition.
• Stay up to date on industry trends and best practices in sales and marketing.

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience: Proven track record of success in agency sales (preferably in a creative, brand, or advertising agency), with an emphasis on selling rebranding, digital, and AOR contracts.
• Leadership: Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire a team.
• Communication: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport with clients and colleagues.
• Sales Skills: Proven ability to identify, qualify, and close sales opportunities.
• Creative Understanding: A strong understanding of the creative process and the role of creative and digital agencies in the marketing landscape.
• Business Acumen: A strong understanding of business principles, including financial planning, budgeting, and contract negotiation.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related field preferred.

Compensation: Base  strong commission performance/success bonus structure, first year comp range can be expected between $175,000 – $300,000.

About The Brand Leader

For 26 years, The Brand Leader has been shaping and leading national brands of all sizes, crafting powerful marketing campaigns, collateral, and digital experiences. Recognized as an Ad Age “Best Place to Work” (2023) and a “Best Place to Work” in South Carolina (2021, 2022, 2023), we foster a work-hard, play-hard culture that values creativity, collaboration, and excellence. Our agency has also been honored by Outside as one of the “Best Places to Work” from 2021-2024 (yes, all four years!).

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Brand Leader is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. We provide accommodations during the recruitment process upon request. While we appreciate all applications, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Please, no phone calls.

Salary : $175,000 - $300,000