Business Development Director, Advisory

Cohen & Co•Chicago, IL

About The Position

This role focuses on business development and opportunity origination within the Advisory practice. The Director will develop and execute growth plans, identify and pursue target accounts and relationships, and generate qualified meetings and opportunities. Key responsibilities include building relationships with executives and influencers, identifying emerging client needs, leading discovery conversations, qualifying opportunities, and aligning them with the firm's capabilities. The role also involves leading or supporting pursuit strategies, proposal development, negotiations, and closing deals. Pipeline and performance management, including maintaining an accurate pipeline, utilizing Salesforce, and achieving revenue objectives, are crucial. Collaboration with the growth team for market intelligence is also expected.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
10+ years of successful business development or sales experience within advisory, consulting, professional services, public accounting, or a related environment.
Proven track record of generating new business, building pipeline, and achieving revenue goals.
Experience selling complex advisory, consulting, or professional services through consultative sales processes.
Strong executive presence and ability to build relationships with senior decision-makers.
Demonstrated success prospecting, developing new relationships, and creating opportunities from scratch.
Experience working in a team-selling environment alongside partners and subject matter experts.
Entrepreneurial, self-motivated, persistent, and results oriented.

Nice To Haves

Experience serving middle-market organizations; private equity and portfolio company experience strongly preferred.
Ability to travel up to 30%.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute growth plans aligned with Advisory practice priorities, target markets, and industry strategies.
Identify, prioritize, and pursue target accounts, executives, referral sources, and strategic relationships.
Generate qualified meetings and opportunities through prospecting, executive outreach, networking, referrals, events, industry involvement, and collaboration with partners and relationship owners.
Develop and maintain relationships with executives, referral sources, private equity professionals, and other market influencers.
Identify emerging client needs, market trends, and business issues that create opportunities for Advisory services.
Lead discovery conversations to understand client objectives, priorities, and business challenges.
Qualify opportunities and align client needs with the firm's Advisory capabilities.
Engage and coordinate the appropriate partners and subject matter experts throughout the sales process.
Lead or support pursuit strategy, stakeholder mapping, solution positioning, proposal development, negotiations, and close.
Participate in meetings with senior executives, business owners, and other key decision-makers.
Help develop compelling presentations, proposals, and value propositions that differentiate the firm's services.
Maintain an accurate pipeline of qualified opportunities and revenue forecasts.
Utilize Salesforce consistently to manage opportunities, client interactions, and next steps.
Drive disciplined follow-up and opportunity management throughout the sales cycle.
Achieve annual revenue, pipeline, and business development objectives.
Collaborate with the growth team (marketing, client relationships, B/D) to enhance market intelligence and insights.