Business Director

Job Description

ABOUT US

tms unites technology, marketing, and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world’s leading brands. With 1,200+ employees across 26 countries, we offer an impressive range of solutions – from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery.

Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy, a sourcing business, and a technology provider, we engage with over 110 million customers every single day for our clients, including McDonald’s, T-Mobile, O2, Starbucks, and adidas.

Most importantly, we're a place where you can achieve great things, and be recognized as the best.

WHAT MATTERS THE MOST

Breakthrough, business-driving ideas come from extraordinary people with the freedom to be their most authentic selves at work. Authenticity and diversity are critical elements of our business. They can only be realized when we create access and equity for all. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and aspire to be ever-evolving.

tms is a place where brilliant people are better together. If you want your ideas to be heard and to contribute to a culture of inclusion and authenticity, bring us your voice! Visit us at tmsw.com.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

We know that in order for us to be successful in enriching our client roster and broadening our team’s opportunity, our goal is to have a strong Portfolio of clients that not only create diversity from our largest two, but that are uniquely placed to bring different benefits to the business through their agility, creativeness and leaning into different capabilities that we offer

To do this, we seek a determined and focussed Business Director who can provide inspiring leadership and vision to our client leadership and new business efforts – while supporting and empowering the team to do their best work, and develop as individuals.

Proactive in your approach you will take responsibility for leading our current roster of Portfolio clients (VMO2 Priority (UK), Samsung Wallet (UK & EU), Hilton Honors (UK, Germany, ME) in the partnership space, and adidas and Vue Cinema (in the retail space)), and drive business success for them, and help tms acquire new clients to add to team’s experience.

In addition to our marketing roster, we have a packaging sourcing business unit working for Wild Bean Café (EU), Itsu (UK) and Kelly Deli (UK). This team will benefit from working with someone with a growth mindset that can identify where the tms marketing capabilities can help build their business and demand at retail.

This role will report directly into the Managing Director, International Portfolio, and will have the client account teams reporting into them. Over time, the Partnership Team and the Portfolio Packaging Team will also report into this Business Director – the immediacy or length timeline of this shift will be dependent on the candidate selected.

The ideal candidate will have a keen eye on how collaboration across geographic and P&L borders will accelerate the journey.

WHY WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS ROLE

As our new portfolio Business Director, you will have the opportunity to leverage our 40+ year’s expertise servicing our biggest clients while simultaneously forging new partnerships that expand tms’ offering. We want our portfolio to feed, inform, learn from and lean into our current services – and vice versa.

Our Business Directors offer inspiring client leadership and innovative new business efforts. Working across VMO2 Priority, Samsung Wallet, adidas, to name a few – you will be a driving force in the success of our new and future retail and partnerships accounts. Alongside this, and in tandem with our packaging business, you will work to expand our services for Wild Bean Café, Itsu and Starbucks. You will continually search for cross-pollination between accounts, ensuring our clients experience the full force our technology, data, marketing, and sourcing capabilities.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE ORGANIZATION

An established client services business leader, you will lead our portfolio client accounts and new business efforts. Pivoting quickly from pitching to on-boarding new client wins, you will build relationships quickly and with intent – setting success up for your teams and clients alike.

A Growth mindset inspiring the team to look for new opportunities to showcase tms’s broad range of capabilities, and expand our business ensuring an exceptional client/agency experience.

Inquisitive about all things digital and CRM and how we and our clients can explore these avenues, you bring with you an expertise that inspires your teams and others around you. An innovative thinker, never satisfied with the status quo and passionate about developing new ways of working that push both us and our clients forward.

You will be someone who believes success is a team sport, and will enjoy coaching, mentoring and fostering a sense of belonging. People-focussed at your core, you’ll understand what makes a great place to work where everyone can belong and thrive, and play an active role in making this happen.

You will be a big picture thinker, able to see how we can elevate the work we do with our clients and equally inspire them to think bigger. You will have your finger on the pulse of industry issues and be driven to find solutions. You will already take an active part in attending relevant events, with your mind always on and open to seeking inspiration and ideas from all avenues.

Digging deeper on the details

Creating strong bonds

• Work with the agency’s business leaders to support and drive our new business strategy in line with our vision.
• On-board new clients into the agency ensuring everyone is set up for success from day one.
• Be a strategic partner to clients offering innovative ideas and creativity rooted in great insight.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of our clients’ business challenges and convert into pathways for growth for both tms’ and our clients.

Making business better

• Ambitious and motivated to foster agility in the team dynamic and exceed expectations.
• Develop a deep knowledge of our integrated offering and showcase at every opportunity.
• Instil a growth mindset in your team, where everyone is attuned to identifying organic growth opportunities.
• Lead on pitches, taking charge of the process to help win the trust of new clients.
• Develop the team’s business development capabilities.

The all-important numbers bit

• Meet and exceed profitability and targets.
• Establish appropriate team numbers, levels and skill sets.
• Accurate forecasting against resource and profit.
• Deliver an effective pricing strategy with an eye for overall client profit targets.
• Effectively collaborate with the Finance Team and demonstrate in-depth understanding of commercial issues.
• Successfully negotiate with client procurement team.
• Ensure all work is properly estimated and charged as per the contract / rate card.

Inspiring others

• Champion all areas of your team’s development – including hiring, motivating, training and mentoring.
• Develop tailored progression plans for each direct report, to help them each reach their potential
• Set the benchmark for presentations, aiming to engage and excite.
• Best in class communication (verbal, email, presentations etc.)
• Successfully manage the needs of multiple stakeholders (clients, partners, suppliers).
• Effectively engage, influence and motivate others across the agency.
• Play a leading role in wider agency projects and long-term initiatives that help guide the future growth of tms.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE

• Wide-ranging account management background at a leading integrated agency or similar business.
• Be tenaciously motivated to build business
• Plenty of digital experience under your belt.
• Knowledge of loyalty / partnerships and retail experience.
• Familiar with working in blue chip organisations.
• Great history of building strong client relationships.
• Demonstrable nous and commercial acumen.
• Energetic, resourceful and questioning.
• Previous experience leading and managing a large client services team. #LI-ED1