Business Director at Publicis Groupe

• The Business Director will play an integral role in the leadership team
• Accountable for one or more clients and adept in building strong relationships with strategic customers.
• The Business Director must be able to identify Client needs and requirements to promote our company’s solutions, while sustaining and growing our business to achieve long-term success.
• Although it is predominately commercially modelled, a key component of the role would be to oversee the relationships of the company with its most important clients, as well as having a thorough understanding of the Clients business drivers and requirements.
• Ensure the overall business insights which overlay strategy & creative, as well as systems and data for the successful delivery of client & product solutions.
• Core to this position is to liaise with internal stakeholders to ensure campaigns are delivered on time and within budget, as well as overseeing the team delivery & performance of the assigned vertical. This includes the deployment of end-to-end channel solutions.

The main purpose and role of this position/individual is to:

• Manage high level client relationships and ensure client retention
• Full accountability and management for the accounts and financials
• Achieve sales and profitability targets/commitments set out for the company
• Day to day management of reporting staff
• Ensuring all execution is approved by the Groupe H and S policy

MAIN JOB FUNCTIONS

• Business Retention and Development
• Project and Operational Management
• Client and Relationship Management
• Financial Management
• Staff Management
• Policies and Procedures Management
• Internal Business Process Management
• Drive and meet sales objectives by continuously proposing solutions that add value, increase sales and delight consumers
• Acquire a thorough understanding of key customer needs and requirements
• Develop and expand trusted relationships with customers by continuously proposing solutions that meet their objectives
• Play an integral role in new business pitches and holds responsibility for the effective on-boarding of new clients.
• Ensure products and services are delivered to customers in a timely manner and within budget.
• Act as the key interface between the customer and all relevant internal stakeholders.
• Quickly act to resolve any issues and problems faced by customers and deal with complaints to maintain trust
• Prepare regular reports of progress and forecasts to internal and external stakeholders using key account metrics
• Develop and manage Account plans for all current clients with input from all key internal stakeholders.

ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

• Plan and implement annual strategy for your section.
• Plan and manage client sales & growth retention
• Manage and control event expenditure within agreed budgets
• Manage customer service activities and staff competence, so as to optimise and sustain performance, profitability and customer satisfaction.
• Liaise with and utilise support from shared services, suppliers and other partners as required.
• Seek and continuously develop knowledge and information about competitor activity, pricing and tactics, and communicate this to relevant departments in the Company.
• Recruit, train, manage, motivate & develop staff according to company policies and employment laws, and ensure relevant

HR procedures are followed (appraisals, discipline, grievance, etc.).

• Create a talent pool for all positions within your section to minimise disruption to business in the event of resignations.
• Develop personal skills and capability through on-going training, as provided by the company or elsewhere subject to
• Company approval.
• Ensuring the highest level of administrative management to the business unit and division;
• Effectively implementing and managing event management procedures relative to this portfolio of the highest quality.
• Providing the highest level of administrative service and professionalism to our clients and to our business;
• Ensuring execution of the highest standards
• Ensuring all projects are closed with the IRL financial departments with 7days of end date
• Formal monthly reporting and status meeting to the MD
• Identifies trendsetter ideas by researching industry and related events, publications, and announcements; tracking individual contributors and their accomplishments.
• Locates or proposes potential business deals by contacting potential partners; discovering and exploring opportunities.
• Screens potential business deals by analyzing market strategies, deal requirements, potential, and financials; evaluating options; resolving internal priorities; recommending equity investments.
• Develops negotiating strategies and positions by studying integration of new venture with company strategies and operations; examining risks and potentials; estimating partners' needs and goals.
• Closes new business deals by coordinating requirements; developing and negotiating contracts; integrating contract requirements with business operations.
• Protects organization's value by keeping information confidential.
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations.
• Enhances organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
• Support knowledge transfer, knowledge sharing and up skilling through relevant & appropriate learning/teaching channels.
• Strive to learn and grow, pro-actively seeking opportunities to become involved in projects outside of allocated tasks.

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT OF POSITION:

Reporting into the MD, IRL

KEY PERFORMACE AREAS:

STRATEGY ALIGNMENT

• Support the MD by developing and evaluating short and long term strategic, commercial & business objectives
• Drive and champion the group strategic goals, living shared values and core behaviors
• Inculcate core values and behaviors in the culture, beliefs and behaviors of the Leadership Teams
• Contribute consistently with in the Leadership capability set as well as enabling agile teams
• Inculcate core values and behaviors in the culture, beliefs and behaviors of the Account Management teams

GROWTH & PROFITABILITY

• Increase revenue by upselling or introducing new products to client
• Manage costs of self and direct team (if applicable) with strict adherence to company policies.

TALENT

• Undertake ongoing monitoring & guidance of best-practice in the vertical
• Attract, retain and grow the best talent in the category
• Support knowledge transfer, knowledge sharing and up skilling through relevant & appropriate learning/teaching channels

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

• Keep abreast of international innovations: technical and operational
• Work with and liaise with ops and creative to ensure that work is produced on time, on brief and on budget
• Entrench and manage delegation of authority
• Work with Ops to optimise internal and external resource allocation and utilisation.
• Always look to create value for the customer.

SALES & NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Nurture existing relationships
• Development and manage strategic relationships throughout the client organisation
• Understand the customer
• Achievement of revenue and margin targets
• Pipeline development and revenue forecasting
• Sales reporting
• Actively seek new business opportunities

Qualifications

THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE

• Degree or higher/Relevant industry qualification

PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE

• At least +8 years of relevant experience in the eventing/sponsorship industry.
• 3-5 year of staff management

BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES

• Problem solving & decision making skills
• Strong analytical & reasoning skills
• Client relationship building