CannonDesign has an exciting opportunity for a Sr. Business Development Leader for our Education and Sports markets.   This position may be filled remotely with preference given to candidates that can work in one of our established locations.  Take a look at the description below. If you think your skills and experience make you a good match for this position, we’d love to hear from you. We’re looking for creative, curious, empathetic people to join our Living-Centered Design movement.

 

ABOUT OUR FIRM

CannonDesign is an integrated design solutions firm focused on helping people continuously flourish. Whether designing for innovations in health, new scientific discoveries, equity in education or the next big idea in business, we use our Living-Centered Design approach to help organizations realize widespread change. Our ability to design transformational places, plans and strategies is why Fast Company named us a World Changing Company and one of the most innovative design firms in the world.

 

ABOUT THE ROLE

Your role is focused on providing strategic and tactical business development leadership firm-wide in the Core Markets/Practices of CannonDesign. You will partner with Firm Leaders to lead, collaborate with and support Market and Client Leaders in positioning the firm for new business opportunities. You will also develop client and partner relationships that identify and secure new opportunities in target markets to grow the top line. Importantly, you will be an ambassador of our brand, responsible for demonstrating how our Living-Centered Design approach can help clients and partners achieve enduring success.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

 

You will partner with Firmwide leaders to lead, collaborate with and support Market and Client Leaders in positioning the firm for significant opportunities in our Core Markets. You will develop client and partner relationships that identify and secure new opportunities in multiple markets / market across geographies to grow top line. Your time will be focused on business development activities including supporting the pursuit of clients and project opportunities identified by other leaders in the firm, as well as personally identifying new clients and project opportunities, and personally securing new NSF opportunities. In addition, you will be required to participate in external brand activities.

Expectations of success include:

• Top Line Growth: Provide leadership, guidance and support to Market and Client Leaders in the development of new business development opportunities with client partners to achieve top line targets, which will support a minimum 10% growth year over year, specifically in education and sports markets. You will support opportunities identified by other leaders as well as identify your own qualified opportunities. Furthermore, you will be responsible to personally secure new net signed fee opportunities as well.
• Pre-positioning and Intelligence Gathering: Demonstrate effective pre-positioning and intelligence gathering activity that identifies key issues and potential differentiators in our client pursuits. Oversee a pipeline of qualified Class 6A and 6B opportunities that consistently equals or exceeds three times the annual net signed fee of the region / market, and positively impacts a “Lost Not Shortlisted” percentage at or below 20%.
• Collaboration: Partner with the Regional Director and / or Firmwide Market Leader, the Director of BMBD, Market and Service Line Leaders, and other Business Development Leaders in the progression of networking, intelligence gathering and pursuit strategies to advance the growth of our markets, practices and service lines within your office and the firm.
• Best Practices: Work with Market Leaders, Client Leaders and the BMBD Team in the development and implementation of best practices for client pursuit and retention strategies within your office and firm wide. Champion initiatives including the Strategic Pursuit Process, Omnichannel market approach, and the Industry Partner and Inclusive Partner Programs.

Areas of Focus

• Business Development / Top Line Capture: Together with the Regional Director / Firmwide Market Leader you will collaborate with Office Practice Leaders, Market Leaders, Client Leaders and the Director of BMBD and be responsible for leading and supporting business development activities and identifying new potential client leads/opportunities in your markets and firm wide. You will work with other leadership to identify new target clients based upon value propositions and strategic initiatives. You will assist with research and intelligence gathering and use findings to inform the development and implementation of strategic pursuit plans to position CannonDesign with these target clients.
• Top Line Development: In addition to supporting business development opportunities of others, you will be personally responsible to identify qualified opportunities totaling $10.0M in net signed fees per year as well as personally securing $2.0M in your first 12 months and $4.0M per year thereafter in net signed fees. 
• Client Leadership: Leading, engaging and partnering with our premier clients on billable project-specific work, fostering strong long term client relationships, driving successful project outcomes and financial success, while creating opportunities for future engagements. You will be accountable for the success of the client relationship.
• Networking: You are responsible for developing and advancing internal and external networks within our core markets, practices, and service lines. Internal networking activities include partnering and collaborating with other Business Development Leaders and others in the firm to strengthen and build upon existing client relationships. External networking activities include developing local/regional client and AEC industry relationships, as well as developing/maintaining a diverse regional partner network.You will regularly attend networking opportunities and events and represent the firm at designated professional conferences. It is also expected that you will join and participate in appropriate professional organizations, as well as recommending organizations to Client Leaders for participation, to advance our presence and position in areas of focus and with target clients.
• Pipeline Management: You will maintain an active watch on pipeline and have a deep understanding of the office’s opportunity pipeline; you will be a Salesforce user and evangelist. You will drive Salesforce use by others in client-facing roles to keep information accurate, assess performance and develop actionable insights to stay on plan.
• Pursuit, Proposal and Interview Activities: In collaboration with Client Leaders, the BMBD Team and others, you will provide strategic input in all phases of our client engagement process and activities for our premier client and project pursuits. This includes developing effective capture plans, ensuring pre-positioning activities are completed prior to receipt of RFQs/RFPs, and assisting in the development of the pursuit approach and implementation of client intelligence in proposals and interviews.
• Brand: You will strengthen CannonDesign’s brand in the marketplace and become a champion of Living-Centered Design. You will bring our firm’s purpose—to help people continuously flourish—to life in every touchpoint you have with clients and partners, including in the pursuit and pre-positioning materials we create.

ABOUT YOUR QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of 20 years of related work experience in marketing / business development roles required. Preferably in the a/e/c/ industry.
• Proven experience in the development and implementation of marketing business plans.
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing or related field required.
• Additional education and/or certifications / training a plus.
• Proven track record of the ability to develop significant relationships with premier clients and on large project pursuits that will increase our top-line capture.
• Business acumen and ability to develop, influence and execute strategy.
• Communicates authentically and respectfully.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PPT).
• Experience with CRM Platforms, such as Salesforce, a plus.
• Exceptional client and people leadership skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Exceptional writing, presentation/speaking and team-building skills.
• Exercise good independent judgement and maintain confidentiality.

The salary range for this position is $161,400 to $201,750 annually. This salary range is the range we believe is the anticipated range of possible base compensation at the timing of the posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the anticipated salary range for the position. Employees may be eligible for discretionary bonuses. We offer a full benefit package including medical, dental and vision coverage and flexible spending account options and voluntary insurances. We have paid time off, flex-time summer hours, remote work options and a 401k plan and employee perk programs. For a general overview of our benefits, please visit our careers page at www.cannondesign.com/careers/benefits.  Actual compensation may vary from posting based on geographic location, work experience, education and/or skill level.

 

 

ABOUT WORKING HERE

• We are relentless in our pursuit of client adoration (not simply satisfaction). Consistent delivery of the best service is what we are about.
• We are committed to ensuring our practice is equitable for all employees, representative of the communities around us – and focused on the future of design. We advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts through the leadership of our DEI Council, Employee Resource Groups and other community advocacy initiatives.
• We’re about communication and transparency here. If you want to talk to someone about an idea you have, or a challenge that needs addressing, we’re ready for you.

 

As a condition of employment, all employees are expected to complete mandatory training, including compliance training, within required timeframes and adhere to our internal policies and our Code of Conduct.

 

CannonDesign recognizes the value of diversity in our workforce. We are committed to equal opportunity. We consider all qualified employment applicants without regard to race, religion, color, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, partnership status, protected veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. Individuals who hold legal work authorization applicable to employment at CannonDesign in the United States will be considered without regard to citizenship/alienage.