Business Development Director EMEA

Business Development Director EMEA – Retail Innovation Agency – EMEA (UK/EU, ideally London or Amsterdam)
 
Are you a Business Development Director looking for an exciting new opportunity?

DNA Recruit is working with a Global, Award-winning Retail Innovation Agency that partners with some of the world’s most recognisable consumer and lifestyle brands. With a reputation for transforming customer experience through technology, insight and creativity, the agency has big ambitions to grow its footprint across EMEA — and you could be the driving force behind it.

About the Role
As Business Development Director EMEA, you will play a pivotal role in setting and executing the new business strategy across the region. This is a high-impact, senior-level role that reports directly to the EMEA MD. You will:

• Define and deliver the agency’s business development plan across EMEA in collaboration with senior leadership
• Build and manage a robust pipeline in line with agreed KPIs and financial targets
• Lead end-to-end new business efforts, from marketing and prospecting through to pitches and contract negotiation
• Identify and nurture opportunities within target markets, bringing in qualified leads to drive growth
• Respond to RFQs, RFIs, and RFPs, ensuring timely and strategic submissions
• Develop compelling proposals, presentations, and strategic responses tailored to client challenges
• Manage and create new business and marketing assets – including case studies, bid libraries, team bios, and thought leadership content
• Track industry trends and client needs to inform positioning and outreach
• Represent new business at EMEA management level and collaborate with global commercial teams
• Provide regular updates and reports to the Board and contribute to broader marketing and BD initiatives

Skills and Experience Required

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in business development, ideally within a creative, innovation or retail-focused agency
• Proven track record in driving revenue growth and developing strategic partnerships across multiple EMEA markets
• Strong understanding of retail environments and a passion for working with global consumer brands
• Exceptional communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to distil and articulate complex ideas clearly
• Comfortable managing multiple projects under tight deadlines while working autonomously
• Highly proactive, commercially savvy, and results-driven
• Proficiency in a second European language (ideally German or French) is a strong advantage

Salary: £110,000 – £120,000 depending on experience + Bonus & Benefits
Location: Flexible (UK/EU), ideally London or Amsterdam
Job Reference: AW 11714
 
All applications are viewed and evaluated according to the role requirements. At DNA we aim to contact shortlisted candidates within 2 weeks. As we often receive a high volume of applications, we are unable to reply to everyone. If you have not heard back from us within 2 weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful - best regards the DNA team.
DNA is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
Although we try to respond to all applications, unfortunately, due to the high number we receive, we are unable to respond to all of those who are unsuccessful.

DNA is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
Although we try to respond to all applications, unfortunately, due to the high number we receive, we are unable to respond to all of those who are unsuccessful. 

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DNA Recruit deliver dynamic recruitment, search and talent solutions and provide insight, knowledge, and credible introductions necessary for client-side and agency roles. Areas we specialise in New Business, Account and Project Management, Strategy and Planning, Events, Experiential, Creative and User Experience Design, Technology, Product, Marketing and Data roles in permanent, contract and freelance recruitment, search and selection, talent advisory and consulting across the UK and globally.