Business Development Manager, Client Solutions

Introduction:
This is a Business Development Manager role with responsibility for driving The Economist Group’s client solutions business in Singapore, including advertising, content marketing, research and events. The key objective is to meet and exceed sales revenue targets.

A key skillset is the ability to understand the story a client wants/ needs to tell; and to help strategize ways in which The Economist Group can help the client tell that story in a compelling way for the target audience and in a way consistent with our editorial quality and guidelines. This means understanding intellectually the content and recognizing the impact for, and value to, the target audience.

Accountabilities:
**How you will contribute**:

- Meet and exceed advertising revenue targets for The Economist's suite of advertising solutions, across print, digital and online.
- Prospect and convert leads, monitor the advertising of competitive publications and sites
- Work with South East Asia team on short and long range plans for improved revenues, policies, problem solving, etc.
- Develop and maintain long-term relationships with regular and potential advertisers, and maintain high visibility with customers and others in the industry in order to maintain a leading edge
- Create and propose integrated packages when appropriate together with events and research based products (Economist Intelligence Unit, EIU)
- Maintain and grow existing relationships with clients and agencies, and liaise with colleagues in other offices
- Grow and maintain a healthy pipeline of prospective new opportunities, and update these in com as they progress through the sales cycle
- Manage expenses within budget

**Reporting/Communication**
- Weekly Sales meetings
- Monthly plan and review
- Provide and achieve reliable monthly sales forecasts and provide weekly updates of any significant changes

Experience, skills and professional attributes:
**To succeed in the role you must have**:

- Bachelor degree holder in economics, business or Asian studies (preferred)
- Minimum 5 years of regional business to business sales experience and/or advertising sales experience with a consistent record of exceeding targets
- Experience in media and advertising sponsorship sales with a strong background in digital advertising and/or agency experience
- Familiarity with targeted high level sponsored activities and ability to articulate the concept of thought leadership as a marketing strategy
- Strong general business, political and current affairs knowledge. The ability to converse and ask questions around a broad range of topics will increase the success of this role
- An understanding of the workings of advertising and media agencies is an advantage
- IT literate (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SalesForce)
- Knowledge of specific software packages or other technical IT skills

**You will be able to demonstrate**:

- Proven ability at consultative selling and relationship management
- An excellent communicator with a strong presence, good presentation skills and rapport with clients of various levels of seniority
- Proactive approach to creating customer focused packages from a portfolio of products
- Ability to spot and exploit commercial opportunities for the Group and to take part in product/idea development process
- Ability to develop and manage a pipeline of business
- Ability to be a results-oriented, self-starter with the drive and determination to succeed
- Ability to be independent and resourceful, but committed to being a team player
- Ability to be well-organized and efficient at managing time to meet target deadlines with mínimal supervision and ability to cope well under pressure