Business Development & Strategy Director, EMEA Distribution

A critical leadership role, sitting centrally within EMEA Distribution that traverses local business management through to strategic development. This includes leadership of the Global Strategic Clients (GSR) programme internally by engaging and enabling global sales teams, alongside business management for the UK Client Groups, as well driving as strategic initiatives across EMEA. The role will require strong leadership skills, navigating a fast moving, growth orientated organisation, alongside a talent development mindset, directly leading a small team.

This is an opportunity for a highly energetic individual to have a real impact. They should relish the opportunity bring fresh thinking, perspectives and a drive to deliver growth to the EMEA business through relationship skill, technical expertise and a resilient mindset. The role is broken down into three core components:
1) Directly partner with Head of UK Client Group to enable commercial development and business management activity across Institutional, Insurance and Wholesale.
2) Lead the central planning and execution of our priority Global Strategic Relationships, influencing both senior leadership and sales account managers to drive effective global planning, co-ordination and execution. These represent the largest, most strategic accounts for Columbia Threadneedle globally.
3) Create business cases, stakeholder buy in and lead execution on strategic change, which can range from short-term improvements to medium and long-term business development - centrally and across the full spectrum of EMEA Distribution. How you'll spend your time...

• Sales planning and engagement, ensuring accountability in execution by leveraging available data and tooling to aid Distribution leaders increase sales effectiveness.
• Drive and facilitate core business management activities of EMEA Distribution including highly effective reporting, progress against Plan, and preparing internal presentations on behalf of C-Suite leaders.
• Embed consistency, process and clear roles and responsibilities across the team, while ensuring agility to pivot where demand requires.
• Business Management (annual planning, reporting, business presentations, training) to all levels across the organisation. Taking direct leadership and representing the business where appropriate.
• Strategic project work, ranging from product strategy (Liquid through to Alternatives) to developing the EMEA Distribution operating model. In doing so, create business cases / internal buy in and drive business related change, from idea to execution - which has a direct impact on our go to market.
• Leading internal Global Strategic Relationship account planning. This will build upon on the existing framework to help drive effective global client co-ordination. Requires internal network and influence across EMEA, North America and APAC. (Clients in scope are typically global Private Banks).
• Leverage the GSR framework for Tier 2 relationships, taking personnel ownership in driving sales connectivity, opportunity identification and effective execution.
• Maintain GSR account profiles with clear actions, stakeholder mapping and alignment back to strategic objectives that are set for each account annually.
• Drive actions (and relevant projects) within internally within the business to ensure we deliver for these key clients.
• Strong knowledge of the Distribution landscape (Global or region specific) with extensive experience in asset management.
• Highly personable, able to engage at all levels of the organisation - taking others with you
• Collaborative approach with strong focus on client experience
• Strong commercial acumen and can-do attitude
• Ability to understand client business models and how this relates to our business to create and define opportunities
• Change management ability - able to set a vision, define requirements and take stakeholders on the journey to drive business impact.
• Good investment knowledge and ability to work in close partnership across investment teams
• Leadership strength with a collaborative approach and ability to prioritise across agendas.
• Outstanding ability to network, influence and execute across large, complex organisations.
• In depth understanding of Asset Management and the needs of critical client bases.
• A "firm first" mindset - meaning the ability to understand what is right for our business and clients and navigate different perspectives to drive the best outcome for the firm and our clients.
• Organised and structued, both with strong presentation skills and ability to track progress against key initiatives.
• Able to manage a wide-ranging portfolio of work, with a variety of deadlines and periods where pathways forward may not always be immediately apparent.
• A strategic mindset coupled with a strong grasp on the detail;
  The ability to see areas of opportunity and the boldness to then make it happen.
• Comfortable working closely with (and influencing) senior management.

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