Director of New Business Development

As the director of new business development at Woodruff, you will be responsible for driving new business growth and expanding our client portfolio. We’re looking for a hunter — someone with a proactive, ambitious and goal-oriented approach to finding and securing profitable new business. Your priority will be to spot new opportunities, build strong connections with potential clients and develop strategic initiatives to enhance Woodruff’s presence in key markets. 

You’ll collaborate closely with internal team members to execute our strategic roadmap, nurture relationships, develop outreach, generate qualified leads, respond to prospects and create lasting partnerships that drive profitable revenue and elevate our brand value and recognition. 

This person could be located in the Kansas City, MO, office; Columbia, MO, office; or potentially remote. 
 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• New Business Development Strategy:
  Woodruff has developed a clear, focused position and strategic new business roadmap so you will be able to hit the ground running. You will be empowered to make recommendations on refinements based upon insights, learnings and performance as the plan is implemented. You will be responsible for establishing goals, identifying and engaging high-potential contacts in targeted sectors, providing progress updates and ensuring smooth implementation of the roadmap.
• Lead Generation and Client Acquisition Model Oversight:
  Identify and pursue new business opportunities; lead the end-to-end client acquisition process from prospecting and lead generation to closing business.
• New Business Relationship Management:
  Cultivate and maintain relationships with decision-makers in target industries, understanding their marketing needs and positioning Woodruff to meet those needs.
• Presentation and Proposal Management:
  Actively lead the development of presentations and proposals collaborating closely with creative, strategy and subject matter teams. Facilitate open communication and ensure alignment with client objectives. Drive business outcomes by facilitating strategy sessions, writing proposals and connecting meaningfully to achieve shared goals.
• Market Insight Development:
  Work closely with our strategy team to identify research providers and agile ways to deliver credible intelligence and insights to engagement prospects and differentiate Woodruff from our competitors.
• Collaboration and Leadership:
  Collaborate with senior leadership, creative and strategy teams to drive innovative approaches to outreach, proposals and campaign development; mentor team members on new business best practices and learnings.
• Performance Metrics and Reporting:
  Develop goals, define KPIs and maintain transparent reporting on engagement, close rates, revenue and acquisition targets; regularly update the executive team on progress.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Proactiveness: Actively seeks out new business opportunities, initiates contact and drives the sales process forward rather than waiting for leads to come in
• Resilience: Maintains a persistent and positive outlook, and constantly refines their approach for improved performance 
• Self-motivated: Proactive, ambitious and goal-oriented approach to finding and securing new business
• Client-focused: Deeply committed to understanding and anticipating the needs of prospects, building relationships based on trust and aligning offerings to client needs
• Strategic Vision: Ability to think long-term and develop innovative approaches to secure profitable and sustainable growth
• Collaborative Leadership: Strong interpersonal skills with the capacity to work cross-functionally and inspire teams
• Analytical Insight: Ability to interpret market data and use insights to inform decisions and pitch strategies
• Results-Driven: Driven by results with a passion for closing deals. Focused on achieving revenue targets and client acquisition goals. Able to make swift, confident decisions, recognizing when to pursue a lead further and when to cut losses and move on to the next.

Leader Behaviors: 

How leaders act on a daily basis as they seek to implement the company’s vision and strategic priorities, strive to fulfill the brand promise and live up to the values. Everyone can be a leader. 

• Open-minded and active listener
• Continually grows people and business
• Truthful and transparent
• Decisive and accountable
• Forward-thinking
• Proactive and communicates in a positive manner.

Education/Experience/Certification(s):

• 5+ years of experience in new business development or sales, ideally within the advertising, marketing, communications or digital media industries
• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, advertising or a related field is preferred
• Proven track record of securing high-value clients and meeting revenue goals
• Strong understanding of Woodruff’s services, including digital marketing, branding, creative and content
• Exceptional writing, communication, presentation and negotiation skills
• Strategic thinker with the ability to analyze data and trends and apply insights to the sales process
• Proficiency in CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, Netsuite).