VP, Business Development Executive

Merge Storytelling and Technology

MERGE promotes health, wealth and happiness in the world by merging storytelling with technology and offers marketing and technology clients full-service capabilities including strategy, creative communications, experience engineering, performance marketing, media and digital platform development.

MERGE has enduring client partnerships with American Express, T-Mobile, LG, Subway, Kate Spade NY, Coach, The North Face, Meta, Adobe, BlueCross BlueShield, Abbott, Astellas, Supernus, CSL, GE Healthcare, Broward Health, Indiana University Health, Nationwide and Morgan Stanley.

With 800 employees across offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, Montreal, New York City and Los Angeles, MERGE uses a talent-to-task process that enables clients to think higher and feel deeper about their customers.

For more information, visit mergeworld.com.

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 you will

Craft strategies and tactics to deliver on net new business efforts for the Retail vertical. 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 Retail 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 in the Retail vertical
• 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 Retail 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
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of MERGE service offerings and ability to provide clear direction to new business pitch teams

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At MERGE, we’re committed to fostering an environment where our team members can thrive in both their careers and personal lives, ensuring they feel supported and empowered to succeed.

MERGE believes in transparency and equity. In accordance with state regulations, we’re proud to include salary ranges in our job postings to ensure fair compensation practices.

The salary range for this role is $155,000 - $175,000 + sales incentive plan based on the individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, location, and other relevant factors.

The salary pay range is subject to change and may be modified at any time.

MERGE is proud to invest in benefits that include meaningful Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 410K, Lifestyle Spending Account, Employer Paid Life & Disability Insurance, Flexible Time off & Holidays plus many other benefits and rewards.

Applicants for employment in the US must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States.

And here’s how we live our values at MERGE

• Ability. Mastering our craft
• Agility. Delivering with a growth mindset
• Humility. Collaborating for shared success

MERGE is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer

MERGE welcomes and celebrates diversity regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status or people with abilities.

We believe that the more diverse we are, the more creative our work will be!