Director, Business Development

Role Overview

As the Director, Business Development, you will own end-to-end deal strategy for assigned new business opportunities, from discovery and qualification through proposal, negotiation, and close. You will lead both competitive RFP processes and more informal pursuits. You will lead our most complex, highest-stakes pursuits, including opportunities spanning multiple services and senior decision makers.

What You Will Do

You will learn what the prospect needs, define why Ovative is the right partner, and work with leaders across the business to shape the recommendation, scope, and commercial approach. You will own the narrative and lead the team that brings it to life, partnering directly with senior leaders across media, measurement, commerce, creative, technology, and Client Services.

Why It Might Be a Fit

You will convert assigned opportunities into signed business, with opportunity sourcing led by other members of the team. Success is measured by the annual fee value of signed business and qualified pursuit win rate.

Requirements

• 10+ years of relevant professional experience, including direct business development experience in marketing services or advertising technology (adtech).
• Business development experience in one of these industries is required.
• A demonstrated track record of leading competitive pursuits and closing new business, with clear examples of your ownership, strategic decisions, and results.
• Experience independently leading complex, high-stakes sales or pitch processes spanning multiple services and senior decision makers, from discovery through negotiation and close.
• Strong commercial understanding of marketing services or adtech, with the ability to connect capabilities to client business outcomes and discuss scope, pricing, and value credibly.
• Excellent writing, storytelling, and presentation skills.
• You can turn complex inputs into a clear recommendation and engage senior buyers with confidence.
• Proven ability to lead through influence, align executive stakeholders around difficult decisions, and coach other deal leads to strengthen their work.
• Ability to manage simultaneous pursuits at a fast pace, make sound decisions with incomplete information, and deliver high-quality work against tight deadlines.

Benefits

• Access to all office spaces in MSP, NYC, and CHI
• Frequent, paid travel to our Minneapolis headquarters for company events, team events, and in-person collaboration with teams
• Generous paid vacation policy
• 401k match program
• Top-notch health insurance options, inclusive of same sex partners
• Family formation benefits including reimbursement options for fertility, pregnancy, and parenting needs
• Monthly stipend for your mobile phone and data plan
• Sabbatical program
• Charitable giving via our time and a financial match program
• Shenanigan’s Day