VP, Business Development

This senior commercial leadership role drives Excel Brand Marketing's growth agenda by defining and pursuing new business opportunities, leading RFP responses and pitches, and shaping go-to-market strategy. It positions Excel Brand Marketing as an indispensable partner for brands seeking culturally resonant, integrated sports marketing programmes. The role operates at the intersection of relationship development, opportunity identification and strategic counsel, advising senior brand stakeholders and building a robust pipeline.

• Serve as the senior business development lead for Excel Brand Marketing, owning pipeline growth from prospecting through close.
• Build and execute a targeted outreach strategy, leveraging an established network to generate brand conversations, meetings, pitches and RFPs.
• Drive the RFP response process, integrating key support functions across strategy, creative, production, measurement, hospitality and account management.
• Lead the team responsible for the full business development cycle, including prospect targeting, outreach, materials preparation, scopes of work and onboarding with finance and legal.
• Partner with Excel's broader sales organisation to identify relationships that accelerate introductions and close new business, and maintain and evolve the new business pipeline in Salesforce for real-time visibility and disciplined tracking.
• Own revenue targets and conversion metrics across new business efforts and develop long-term commercial frameworks for durable, scalable client partnerships.
• Play a leading role in high-priority pitches and RFP responses, ensuring Excel's integrated offering is compellingly positioned.
• Demonstrate command of all Excel Brand Marketing service areas and connect those capabilities to client business needs, understanding how services can bring solutions to prospect challenges, briefs and opportunities.
• Bring deep knowledge of sports, culture and the brand marketing landscape to identify emerging opportunities and craft differentiated partnership narratives.
• Support execution of select short-term, project-based engagements and ramp up new projects alongside account management, ensuring a smooth handover for execution.
• Manage and mentor teammates up, down and across the group, fostering a culture of accountability, curiosity and exceptional client service.
• Contribute to agency-wide strategy and the ongoing evolution of the business development function, and develop strong relationships with colleagues in other divisions including Properties, Talent and Search.
• Maintain and grow an active executive network across brands, properties, agencies and the broader sports and marketing industry, and represent Excel Brand Marketing externally in client-facing and industry settings.

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 10+ years of direct experience in sponsorship marketing, brand marketing strategy, or agency business development.
• Proven track record of securing new revenue and identifying organic growth within existing client portfolios.
• Demonstrated success developing and implementing sponsorship marketing strategy and activation on behalf of a client or company.
• Experience managing day-to-day relationships with clients, properties and agency partners.
• Deep understanding of the business development process within a creative or sports marketing agency environment.
• Exceptional commercial instincts and a proven ability to identify, pursue and close new revenue opportunities.
• Executive presence with the ability to build trust and influence senior and C-suite brand stakeholders.
• An established network of brand relationships and a genuine desire to grow and activate that network over time.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft and deliver compelling brand narratives.
• Strategic thinking that balances long-term partnership vision with near-term commercial realities.
• Proficiency in PowerPoint, Excel and Word, with the ability to build and lead the development of high-impact presentations.
• Proactive, action-oriented and self-directed, equally effective working independently and as part of a dynamic team.
• High emotional intelligence, with the ability to read a room, adapt communication style and connect authentically across audiences.
• Uncompromised ethics and integrity, always focused on doing what is right for clients and the agency.

• MBA preferred.
• Prior experience in sports marketing or agency business development strongly preferred.

• Eligible for benefits.
• Eligible for discretionary bonus.

Excel Sports Management is an industry-leading sports agency representing top-tier talent, blue-chip brands and marquee properties.