VP, Business Development at ZONED
About The Position
GameSquare is a gaming-native media, technology, and services company. ZONED is the in-house creative agency inside of GameSquare, described as a culture-first creative and activation agency built to operate at the speed of the internet. ZONED works with brands, creators, publishers, and platforms to help them authentically engage modern audiences through gaming, digital media, live experiences, and emerging ecosystems. The ZONED team has a mixed background in marketing, gaming, music, and sports, aiming to create unique cultural crossover opportunities. They operate by six core principles: Recognize and respect target niches; Leverage insights over inferences; Feel current and push trends forward; Build positive community; Deliver world-class experiences across IRL & Digital environments; Value diversity and inclusivity. The VP of Business Development will lead the strategy and execution of all new business initiatives, with a primary focus on expanding the client base across all Agency streams. This role requires a visionary leader who understands marketing for marketing agencies and can build meaningful client relationships. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving revenue growth, identifying new business opportunities, and collaborating with the Agency Leadership Team on business development. The role involves partnering with key stakeholders to drive successful new business outcomes, requiring strong project management, operational excellence, and collaboration. Success is measured by proven experience in driving initiatives that directly impact marketing growth, managing multiple priorities, and supporting seamless pitch execution and strategic storytelling in a fast-paced, agile environment.
Requirements
- 10+ years of business development/sales experience in media, creative, experiential, integrated marketing agencies or related experience.
- Deep understanding and immersion in internet culture, including gaming, Roblox, Kick, YouTube, TikTok, and Discord, sufficient to converse with a CMO without a strategist.
- A real network of brand marketing decision-makers and holding company or media agency relationships that can be engaged within the first 90 days.
- Proven experience leading cross-functional pitch teams (Strategy, Creative, Media, Influencer Marketing, Production) through RFPs and winning.
- Proven experience driving agency growth through relevant new business opportunities.
- An extensive network of C-level & procurement marketing relationships (direct to brand).
- Self-starter who is curious, entrepreneurial and proactively thinks around corners.
- A relentless competitive nature and passion for winning.
- Equally comfortable operating at the strategic level and driving executional details.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment while managing multiple high-priority opportunities simultaneously.
Nice To Haves
- Ideally based in NY or Los Angeles.
Responsibilities
- Lead the strategy and execution of all new business initiatives, with a primary focus on expanding the client base across all Agency streams.
- Drive revenue growth and identify new business opportunities.
- Build and maintain relationships with key decision-makers at brands & agencies across a wide range of industries and sectors.
- Build and run the new business pipeline: targets, outreach, qualification, forecast.
- Engage in industry events, conferences, platform and publisher moments, and cultural events to connect with future clients.
- Understand the agency's work well enough to sell it independently.
- Engage in conversations that open pathways to new clients & programs for the agency.
- Ensure that new opportunities maintain agency margin goals and are profitable.
- Build strong relationships with agency & company leads including Strategy, Creative, Talent, Data/Insights, Content, Experiential, Consumer Products, Media, Social & Client Services.
- Fully integrate into agency culture by attending all agency-wide team meetings, as well as key division weekly meetings.
- Gain a strong understanding of what makes the agency best-in-class and identify ways of highlighting this to new partners.
- Lead pursuits end to end alongside the RFP lead, from first call through pitch and scope.
- Engage Strategy, Creative, Talent, Media, Production and Data when they make the difference.
- Shape proposals with Strategy so the story told is unique to the agency.
- Protect margin on all deals.
Benefits
- Salary dependent on location.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
