Director of Strategic Growth and Business Development

This position is a leadership role that plays a crucial part in shaping and executing strategies for major business development opportunities. They lead a team of professionals to ensure the development and implementation of effective pursuit plans for securing high-impact projects. This role also involves developing tailored marketing initiatives to enhance brand awareness and market positioning within the engineering and technical sectors. The Director blends engineering knowledge or awareness with marketing expertise to implement successful marketing and pursuit strategies.

Core Responsibilities in this role will include:

1. Market Research and Strategy (40% of time)

• Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy aligned with the company and business line’s overall goals, including those identified by local pursuit teams.
• Provide strategic leadership to the pursuit teams, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
• Collaborate with leadership to define marketing objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Collaborate with leadership to define pursuit objectives and strategies.
• Drive the development of comprehensive pursuit plans, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities.
• Advise local pursuit teams in identifying Key Pursuits and teaming opportunities.
• Identify new markets and develop corresponding business plans in collaboration with other directors and other business lines within Garver.
• Identify needs and potential solutions in the transportation industry.
• Oversee the identification and assessment of major business opportunities in the market.

Market Research:

• Oversee staff’s in-depth market analysis, competitor intelligence, and risk assessments to inform pursuit strategies.
• Familiarity with emerging trends and technologies impacting the business landscape.
• Oversee and engage in national industry involvement in client and peer organizations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including clients, partners, and industry influencers.
• Collaborate with cross-functional, including cross-business line, teams to ensure cohesive and integrated pursuit efforts.

• Heighten and reinforce the organization's brand positioning within the engineering and technical communities.
• Develop and maintain a strong and consistent brand identity across all marketing channels.

Target Audience Engagement:

• Identify and understand the unique needs and preferences of engineering professionals and key decision-makers.
• Create targeted campaigns and content that resonate with the engineering audience, addressing their pain points and challenges.
• Build audiences, maintain contact lists, and track touch points.
• Plan and execute participation in relevant industry events, conferences, and trade shows.
• Coordinate sponsorships, speaking engagements, and other activities to maximize the organization's presence at engineering events.

• Articulate a clear vision for key pursuits aligned with organizational goals.
• Provide strategic leadership to the pursuit team, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.

Digital Marketing:

• Work with internal resources to strategize on digital marketing campaigns, including search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), email marketing, and social media, to reach and engage the engineering audience.
• Utilize analytics to measure and optimize the effectiveness of digital marketing initiatives.

3. Marketing Oversight (40% of time)

Oversight Coordination, QA/QC:

• Lead and manage a highly effective and collaborative marketing team of pursuit professionals, including pursuit managers, coordinators, and subject matter experts.
• Mentor and coach local pursuits team members, fostering professional growth and development.
• Implement lessons learned and best practices to enhance the organization's pursuit capabilities.
• Coordinate with Directors on project pursuits.
• Develop and manage the marketing budget, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of pursuit strategies and provide regular reports and updates to senior leadership on marketing performance, return on investment (ROI), and key pursuits.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement within the pursuit team.

Project Procurement (Proposals, Interviews, Resumes, Project write-ups):

• Implement marketing strategies to discover future opportunities.
• Coach local pursuit teams to develop targeted pre-sale strategies and tactics and provide marketing team resources for planned execution.
• Take a hands-on approach in leading the development of high-impact proposals for key pursuits.
• Ensure the delivery of compelling and differentiated proposals that meet client needs and expectations.
• Lead the identification and assessment of risks associated with key pursuits.
• Work closely with legal and compliance teams to adhere to risk mitigation measures and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Coach local pursuit teams in development and preparation for interviews

Basic Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, Marketing, or a related field.
• Ten (10) or more years’ experience in a leadership role focused on key pursuits, business development, or strategic planning.
• Proven record of successfully leading teams in securing and delivering on major business opportunities.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels.
• Extensive experience in marketing roles, with a focus on engineering or technical industries.
• Experience developing, executing, and monitoring business plans.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Proven experience in developing and implementing successful marketing strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex business environments and regulatory landscapes.
• Proficiency in using CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and project management tools.
• Industry-specific knowledge relevant to the organization's focus.
• Experience in managing pursuits in diverse industries or sectors.
• Experience working with SMEs to produce industry publications.
• Strong understanding of engineering principles and the ability to translate technical concepts into compelling marketing messages.
• Prior membership in state, regional, or national client and peer organizations

Preferred Requirements:

• Degree in Engineering
• Advanced degree or professional certifications