Business Development Director

The Role

We are seeking an Business Development Director to join our Growth team in London. This is a unique and pivotal leadership role for a commercially astute and creatively‑minded individual. Unlike a traditional Account Director focused on managing existing clients, this position is dedicated to driving agency growth by winning new ones. You will be at the forefront of our transformation into an AI‑native ideas agency, responsible for leading the strategic and client‑facing aspects of new business pitches.

This is a role for a natural leader and storyteller who can operate at the intersection of technology, creativity, and commerce, translating complex client challenges into winning strategic and creative solutions.

• Lead the strategic and creative narrative for new business pitches, including RFIs and RFPs. You will be responsible for building and refining our story, moving beyond coordination to actively shaping the strategic response.
• Author inspiring creative briefs for pitches, collaborating with strategy and creative leads to translate client needs into compelling starting points for the creative team.
• Act as the strategic client partner during the pitch process, building rapport, understanding their business challenges, and positioning our agency as the ideal integrated partner.

• Identify and qualify strategic new business opportunities that align with our integrated, creative‑led positioning.
• Collaborate with agency leaders and POD Leads to develop proactive growth strategies and thought leadership that actively generate new business opportunities, rather than just showcasing our work.
• Build and nurture strong relationships across our global network and with external partners to uncover and drive collaborative growth opportunities.

• Leverage your strong commercial acumen to develop compelling proposals, contribute to pricing strategy, and ensure the commercial viability of new engagements.
• Build and nurture strong relationships with senior prospective clients, acting as a trusted advisor from the first interaction.

• Champion the innovative use of AI in the new business process to create efficiencies and deliver more insightful, powerful responses.
• Work with teams to turn our best campaigns into powerful case studies that demonstrate strategic and creative effectiveness, not just report on results.
• Manage the end‑to‑end awards submission process with a focus on crafting entries that strategically position the agency and have a high chance of winning.

• Proven experience in a strategic, client‑facing role within a creative agency environment, such as an Account Director, Senior Account Manager, or a growth role with a strong strategic focus.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and writing skills, with the ability to turn complex business challenges into clear, compelling, and inspiring creative strategies.
• A strong "creative eye" and a deep appreciation for creative craft, with experience selling and defending creative ideas to senior clients.
• Confidence and gravitas to lead pitch teams and engage with C‑level executives and senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen with an understanding of agency financials, business development, and marketing communications.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to lead, not just manage, multiple deliverables and timelines.
• A collaborative nature combined with the conviction and autonomy to lead and make decisive contributions to the growth of the agency.
• Familiarity with AI tools and a genuine interest in leveraging technology to innovate the growth process.