Also known as...
Head of Growth, Global Growth Director
The role in brief...
The Growth Director is most the senior lead for growing new business for the agency in both the local market and across the network. They are the ambassador of the agency and its work, products and services. They are also the strategic adviser to the most senior clients, both prospective and current
Working with...
- Internal: at the Creative agency: Across the agency; Agency senior leadership/management team; Agency account team, including planners/strategists; Creative teams and directors; Creative services and production staff; New business team; Human Resources/Talent Team; Finance Team; Marketing and Communications team; Global marketing/new business team as required; connecting with the agency network as required.
- Internal: at the Media agency: Across the agency; Agency senior leadership/management team; Media account teams, including planners/strategists/digital strategists; New business team; Human Resources/Talent Team; Finance Team; Marketing and Communications team; Global marketing/new business team as required; connecting with the agency network as required.
- External: Prospective Clients at CEO, Founder and senior leadership level, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Digital Office; Procurement. Third party intermediaries such as Oyster Catchers etc. PR Agency, Event Companies, the marketing press.
- The Growth Director may report to the most senior management team of the agency, the Managing Director, the Global CMO, the Global Chief Growth Officer.
- They will manage and motivate staff within their team, being accountable for their performance and providing them with professional development opportunities.
- They may have line management responsibility for New Business Director; Client Services Director, being accountable for their performance and providing them with professional development opportunities. They may have a matrix structure as they collaborate with new business and growth teams around the different offices.
Responsible for...
- Creating the strategy for new business which may come from net new business in new sectors, organic growth, business or talent acquisition.
- Identifying new opportunities for potential growth in new categories, from current clients (including cross-selling), and via innovation (product, services, offering) for example at a media agency selling a new data mining method.
- Providing thought leadership on client, business and sector challenges and opportunities.
- Increasing external awareness of the agency brand internally and externally through partners, press, media, client community, intermediaries.
- Providing strategic counsel for the pitch process and setting the agency standards and consistency for global pitches.
- Establishing the fee for a global pitch with the finance team, (at a creative agency possibly in partnership with the commercial production team) and the senior leadership team.
- Identifying event opportunities to target prospective clients, possibly in conjunction with the agency marketing team.
- Ensuring there is no conflict of interest in working with a potential client.
Those who succeed are...
- Proficient at cultivating strong client relationships.
- Regarded as a thought leader and a trusted advisor to senior clients.
- Successful at pitching and converting leads into new clients.
- Positive with a global growth mindset with a focus on driving net new global business and organic growth.
- Commercially astute and able to quickly identify, understand and articulate a range of strategic business challenges to identify and leverage opportunities.
- Strong collaborators with multiple partners with proven influencing skills.
- Champion the skills of the agency client teams and support them with strategy, presentation, influencing and building relationship skills.
Where they come from, and where they go…
They have experience of working in a global business and understand the dynamics of global agency networks. They have a strong track record in developing business and gained this in a sales, consulting or Client Services/Business Director/Account Management roles. They are strong in strategy and understanding business. They may hold a business or marketing degree and possibly an MBA to give them a 360 degree view of business.
They may progress to other very senior roles in their network or holding company, for example ultimately Global CEO.