VP, Business Development Leader

Merge Storytelling and Technology

We MERGE storytelling with technology by offering marketing and technology clients full-service capabilities including strategy, creative, experience engineering, performance marketing, media, and marketing operations platforms. MERGE has enduring client partnerships with American Express, T-Mobile, LG, Kate Spade NY, Coach, The Northface, Meta, Subway, BlueCross BlueShield, Abbott, Supernus, Seqirus, GE Healthcare, CVS/Aetna, Brigham Health, Indiana University Health, and Eaton Vance to name a few. With 750+ employees across offices in Chicago, Boston, NYC, Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Costa Mesa, and Montreal, MERGE uses a talent-to-task process that enables clients to think higher and feel deeper about their customers.

Promote Health, Wealth & Happiness

We are committed to promoting health, wealth, and happiness in the world by partnering with purpose-driven clients in purpose-driven industries such as healthcare, financial services, and consumer products. Our deep vertical expertise and category insights stem from decade-long partnerships with our top clients.

Emerge to the Top of Your Career

At MERGE, we strive to create a superior work experience where talented and ambitious people grow. An experience that encourages people to think higher and feel deeper. An experience where people engage minds and hearts to do the best work of their careers.

As our VP, Business Development Leader - Consumer, 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, with an emphasis on Restaurant Brands.

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, with an emphasis on Restaurant Brands
• 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 Com