Business Development Director, EMEA
Description
Job Title: Business Development Director, EMEA
Group/Team: Go to Market / Business Development
Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt, Salary
Location: London or Amsterdam, with a preference for London, plus travel across EMEA
Reports to: EVP, Strategy and Solutions
Travel Requirements: Up to 40 percent, with increased travel during peak industry and event seasons
Business Development at Opus Agency
Opus Agency is a future-forward, full-service global event agency that helps the world's leading brands design and deliver experiences that move people and markets. Our teams plan, create, and produce programs that bring strategy to life, build communities, and generate lasting impact.
Business development sits at the center of this ambition. It connects our vision, our capabilities, and our culture to the clients we serve next. As we expand our footprint across the Americas, EMEA, APAC, and new regions, we are investing in a modern, insight-driven, AI-infused business development model built on relationships, creativity, and measurable results.
The Business Development Director for EMEA will be a key driver of that model.
Job Overview
The Business Development Director for EMEA is a senior individual contributor who will drive new client growth for Opus Agency across the EMEA region. Your core responsibility is to open doors, build relationships, and convert the right prospects into long-term clients in EMEA, while helping shape the regional approach and practices as the business development function grows in the region.
You will bring our vision for a modern, AI-infused, relationship-first go-to-market approach to life in EMEA, translating it into focused targeting, thoughtful outreach, and compelling pursuits that move opportunities forward. You will work closely with EMEA regional leadership and teams in London and Amsterdam, as well as with business development peers in North America and the APAC region, to shape how we identify opportunities, engage decision-makers, and win work with new brands across the region.
This role is primarily hands-on. Most of your focus will be on directly driving new client growth in EMEA, with the remainder centered on partnering across our go-to-market functions, contributing to the development of the business development discipline in the region, and instilling discipline in how we measure and improve.
You will be a visible member of the Opus Agency EMEA team, partnering closely with Growth Enablement, Marketing, Strategy, Creative, and regional account and delivery leaders, and spending the majority of your time focused externally as you guide the prospect experience across EMEA.
If you are energized by building relationships, opening new doors, and leading complex pursuits in an AI-infused, relationship-first world, and you bring a strong existing network, you are ready to activate in EMEA, then this role is for you.
What You Will Do (Responsibilities)
In this role, you will:
Drive new client growth in EMEA (about 70 percent)
- Own and manage a healthy, opportunity-rich pipeline of prospects and potential clients across EMEA, with a clear focus on the categories and segments that align to Opus Agency's strengths and growth priorities.
- Personally lead and support high-value pursuits with priority prospects, shaping the pursuit strategy, story, and win themes for key opportunities.
- Own the prospect experience from first contact through handoff into delivery, orchestrating the right internal teams at the right time and keeping communication clear and simple for the client.
- Shape pursuit strategies that are insight-led, aligned to client needs and buying dynamics in EMEA markets, and grounded in the strengths of Opus Agency's offerings.
- Use modern tools and AI capabilities to support research, targeting, outreach, and preparation, while keeping relationships and trust at the center of how you engage clients.
- Model a thoughtful, human approach to client engagement that reflects Opus Agency's culture and values.
Partner with regional leadership and global go-to-market teams (about 20 percent)
- Work closely with EMEA regional leadership to collaborate on growth priorities, account strategies, and market focus areas, ensuring the region presents a connected and intentional presence.
- Partner closely with Opus Agency's global Marketing and Growth Enablement teams as your core go-to-market counterparts, providing clear input into campaigns, content, thought leadership, and tools needed to attract and engage new clients across EMEA.
- Collaborate with account, strategy, and delivery leaders in the region to ensure a smooth handoff from pursuit to onboarding and early program delivery.
- Coordinate with peers in North America and APAC, and with global leaders, to support multi-region and global pursuits where EMEA is a key market.
Measure, learn, and continuously improve (about 10 percent)
- Contribute to setting and managing clear goals for pipeline health, pursuit activity, and new client revenue in EMEA.
- Maintain accurate and timely information in our systems to ensure leadership has visibility into performance, trends, and opportunities within the region.
- Share feedback from the market to help refine our approach, inform where we focus time and investment, and improve how we position Opus Agency across EMEA.
Where You Will Grow
- This role is designed to grow with you and with Opus Agency.
- In the near term, you will be a senior, hands-on driver of new client growth in the EMEA region. Over time, as the business development function grows in the region, you may have the opportunity to:
- Take on a larger leadership role across the EMEA business development function.
- Help define and then mentor additional business development team members in the region.
- Play a larger role in multi-region and global pursuits.
- Grow into a Senior Director-level role based on sustained performance, leadership, and impact.
Why You Will Rock This Role (Experience)
You may be a great fit for this role if you have:
- Significant experience in business development or client development for an events or experiential marketing agency.
- A consistent track record of attracting, winning, and growing new client relationships across EMEA markets.
- Strong experience in the events and experiential marketing industry, with a clear view of the agency and brand landscape, key categories, and how the ecosystem is evolving in EMEA.
- Familiarity with the industry ecosystem, including the trade publications, communities, associations, and events that shape conversation and opportunity in the region.
- Experience navigating complex buying environments in global and regional brands, including marketing, business leadership, and strategic sourcing and procurement, and the ability to coach internal teams to work effectively with each group.
- Experience collaborating closely with marketing and enablement teams to align campaigns, content, and tools to growth priorities.
- Comfort working across time zones and collaborating with colleagues in other regions on multi-market pursuits.
What You Will Bring to Opus Agency (Skills)
The ideal candidate will bring:
- Relationship building and executive presence
- Ability to build trust with senior client decision makers, represent Opus Agency with clarity and confidence, and guide complex conversations.
- A powerful, active network
- A modern-day "Rolodex" of senior clients and industry contacts, with a portfolio of warm relationships and a strong personal reputation that opens doors, creates conversations, and helps fuel a steady flywheel of new opportunities for Opus Agency.
- Connector and convener
- A natural tendency to connect people, ideas, and opportunities, and to stay in touch in ways that keep you top of mind with brand leaders and partners.
- Hands-on pursuit leadership
- Skill and comfort in leading pursuits end-to-end, including discovery, pursuit strategy, proposal development, and pitch preparation.
- Strategic thinking and planning
- Ability to prioritize sectors, accounts, and opportunities in EMEA, and to build clear, actionable pursuit plans.
- Collaboration and communication
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to work well with peers across marketing, growth enablement, strategy, and delivery.
- Operational discipline
- Strong follow-through, good use of systems, and the ability to manage your pipeline, calendar, and pursuits in a structured way.
- AI and tools literacy
- Comfort exploring and using tools that leverage AI for research, targeting, and insight, while keeping humans and relationships at the center.
Characteristics
The following characteristics are deeply aligned with our agency's culture and with the profile of someone who will thrive in this role:
- Versatility
Adaptable and resourceful, able to navigate complex situations, work across regions, and find effective paths forward in evolving environments.
- Optimism
A positive, forward-looking mindset that sees opportunity in change and brings energy and encouragement to teams and clients.
- Integrity
A commitment to doing the right thing, building trust with clients and colleagues, and representing Opus Agency with honesty and consistency.
- Curiosity
A genuine interest in clients, industries, and global markets, with a habit of asking good questions and seeking out new insights.
- Excellence
A high standard for quality in strategy, outreach, and execution, and a drive to elevate how business development is practiced across the agency.
Application Process and Requirements
When you apply, we would love to see examples that demonstrate your ability to lead business development and growth in previous roles. This could include:
Brief case summaries of new client relationships you helped originate and grow.
Any thought leadership, presentations, or other materials that highlight how you think about growth, client relationships, and the future of business development.
During the interview process, we may ask you to walk us through a recent proposal or the approach you would take to building a new client pipeline for Opus Agency. Our goal is to understand how you think, how you lead, and how you work with others.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT IN RETURN
- Full time position
- Opportunities for growth and development
- Health & dental insurance options
- London Bridge office with rooftop working and social spaces
- Hybrid/remote working flexibility
- Regular team social occasions
- Extended Bank holiday weekends in May and August
- Christmas and New Year period office closure
NOT SURE IF YOU SHOULD APPLY?
Studies show that those identifying as under-represented individuals might have talked themselves out of applying at this point. Don’t worry about checking every single box. At Opus Agency, we are dedicated to building a versatile, inclusive team with a variety of backgrounds and a growth mindset - so if you’re excited about this role, but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every single item listed in this job description, we encourage you to apply. You may just be the right candidate for this role, or we may have other roles that better align with your skillset.
Physical Requirements:
Individuals will be required to sit for the majority of the day and will be required to stand as needed. May require walking primarily on a level surface for periodic periods throughout the day. Reaching above shoulder heights, below the waist or lifting as required to file documents or store materials throughout the workday. Proper lifting techniques required. Individuals will be required to travel via airplane, train, taxi, car and/or other means of transportation as needed.
The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
OTHER DUTIES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the employee/ candidate a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of the position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the employee/ candidate a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of the position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Opus Agency does not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.