Amsterdam, Netherlands
Business development director
Downstream is on the hunt for a business development director to join its team in Amsterdam.
Do you have an entrepreneurial mind-set? Are you inspired by working with creative people? Come join us at Downstream. We are looking for a talented business director in Amsterdam for our leading design business across EMEA, to inspire our clients towards strategic and award winning projects with high calibre and innovative clients.
If you are a positive, high energy compassionate individual, we would love to hear from you to discuss your alignment with the Downstream culture.
The Downstream business director requires a high level of EQ, supreme confidence in working alongside C-Suite clients in a consultative and strategic manner as well as a love and authentic understanding of technology and design.
Initially you will be tasked with identifying relevant client categories and helping develop a strategic sales plan to support our Amsterdam studio. The ideal team member will be an experienced corporate business director that has a true understanding of technology & design and ideally, how software is designed and interior architecture is built. You will be able to listen and understand client requirements and strategy, work alongside them to build a consultative business case and support them in their quest for engaging design solutions.
Reporting directly to the ECD, you’ll be working alongside a group of design problem solvers who work in a collaborative way across all Downstream projects. The Downstream team is organised into high performing project streams who ask our clients and partners how we can help redesign the brands future.
Key deliverables and responsibilities
- develop strategic senior level client relationships that result in new and repeat business opportunities
- deliver revenue more than €3M a year
- manage long sales-cycle commercial negotiations and craft the proposal and RFP response towards the point of handover to delivery team
- provide comprehensive opportunity debriefs to project team, in addition to working closely with development and design teams to ensure accurate and optimal effort/scope/cost estimates
- on-going budget forecast and invoice management in coordination with finance team
- excellent and authentic written and presentation skills
Experience
- five+ years of experience in a client engagement, sales development with design or agencies background
- extensive knowledge and relationship within key target sectors (Exhibits, Museums & Gallerys, Workspace, Sports & Entertainment, Architectural, IT)
- proven track record in new business wins by selling, driving and delivering experiential projects
- demonstrate a clear understanding of entire sales/project lifecycle and how to create a sales strategy and roadmap to achieve targets, including the SOW and proposal development
Have the following personal attributes: integrity, personal credibility; clear communicator with an easy comfortable manner; a good listener, comfort amongst higher management levels; well organised with clear attention to detail
Cover letter details
Please include a cover letter that helps us get to know you better. We would like to know what accounts you have secured and their value, as well as any career goals you have achieved. In addition, please include answers to the following questions:
- detail your understanding of Downstream’s business purpose
- detail why you feel your skills would be a valuable addition to the team
- share your top three industry relationships towards a Downstream commercial relationship
- explain the ideal working environment and project opportunities to showcase your talent