Senior Deal Specialist - Associate Director

Discipline-Pursuits & Commercial Excellence

Role Type-Senior Deal Specialist - Associate Director

The opportunity

The Senior Deal Specialist - Associate Director is responsible for supporting the firm’s most high-value, strategic deals (those designated Alpha+ and/or Alpha) across the following scope of responsibilities:

• Lead execution of pursuit process, including critical path, timeline, and interdependencies
• Assess competitive situation and help develop differentiated win strategy focused on client priorities while protecting EY’s interests
• Develop power map and tactics to navigate client buying process
• Provide ‘glue’ to focus and guide extended pursuit team through structured sales approach and proposal development
• Collaborate with extended pursuit team define, package and articulate compelling client offer across scope, solution, price, and terms
• Plan storyline/key messages and prepare extended team for orals.

The Senior Deal Specialist - Associate Director is expected to be a beacon of pursuit excellence, bringing vast knowledge, tools, and resources from across the firm and their own professional experience to proactively keep the pursuit on track and moving towards a winning outcome.

Senior Deal Specialist - Associate Director will demonstrate deal acumen, leadership, and insight by supporting Deal Leads or Deal Managers on Alpha+ and/or Alpha deals, respectively. As a path to progression in role to Director, accomplished Deal Senior Manager - Associate Directors will potentially manage Alpha-level deals independently.

Your key responsibilities

Essential functions: 

Some or all of the below accountabilities will be applicable depending on the scope of the role:

Project Management – Organizes, documents, and drives all pursuit workstreams and activities throughout the pursuit lifecycle

• Executes the firm’s Gold Standard Pursuit Process (GSPP) using gold standard tools and enablers to manage the pursuit from qualification through close
• Establishes deal infrastructure, including TEAMS site, calendar, action tracker, team roster, notebook, etc. with support from the Deal Coordinator as needed
• Develops and maintains the pursuit plan/action tracker and calendar, making certain that all pursuit activities are assigned ownership, tracked, and executed according to schedule
• Ensures all pursuit deliverables (e.g., meeting documents, proposals, presentations) are developed on schedule submitted on time and with the highest quality
• In coordination with the Deal Lead, sets up and runs a regular cadence of deal status calls with support from Deal Coordinator, as needed. Supports the Deal Leader in developing status call agendas and debriefs
• For Alpha+ deals, sets up and runs a regular cadence of deal status calls (including agenda setting, developing and distributing status updates for leadership, debriefs etc) in coordination with (and in place of) the Deal Leader, supported by the Deal Coordinator
• Engages and oversees support resources as necessary/appropriate, including proofers, SMRs and insights professionals, Pursuit Resource Center, additional creative services, etc
• In coordination with the Deal Lead, sets up and runs a regular cadence of deal status calls with support from Deal Coordinator, as needed. Supports the Deal Lead in developing status call agendas and debriefs. As appropriate, may set agendas and run calls in place of Deal Lead
• Supports Deal Lead in developing and distributing internal status updates for leadership and others as necessary. As appropriate, may prepare and distribute status updates in place of Deal Lead
• Act as the knowledge steward for the pursuit, capturing knowledge and contribute to the development and embedding into EY artefacts that can be used to support pursuits

Written communications - crafts articulate and client-centric content across all pursuit deliverables, most notably the win themes and proposal document

• Responsible for the development of all client-facing, written deliverables (e.g., meeting documents, proposals, presentations) that adhere to the firm style guide in collaboration with the Creative Designer for design and formatting
• In collaboration with other pursuit team members (e.g., Deal Leader, Engagement Partner, Client Partner), develops client-centric win themes that underpin the entire deal strategy. Ensures the win themes are reflected consistently throughout all client communications and deliverables
• Authors original content when critical and/or necessary (e.g., cover letter, executive summary) and leverages relevant firm resources to source non-critical, boilerplate content when appropriate
• Responsible for making sure the final proposal document tells a consistent, winning story and flows as if written in one voice

Deal strategy – Leverages gold standard process/tools, innovation, insight, and resourcefulness to help create a differentiated and winning deal strategy.

• Supports and co-leads certain discussions/meetings around deal strategy, actively contributing to critical deal meetings such as kick-off, win strategy, orals prep, etc
• Supports the Deal Leader in the constant qualification of the deal and navigating the deal through firm governance, quality and approval processes (e.g., Approval to Pursue, Approval to Contract)
• Suggests creative ideas that enhance our win strategy or ability to differentiate
• Demonstrates deal acumen and conversant in key principles of pricing for value, deal commercials and negotiations
• Grows relationships across the firm and connects the pursuit team to untapped resources that enhance our win strategy

Others -

• Builds collaborative relationships with pursuit teams, including Service Line, Account and Business Development leaders as well as Senior Managers, Managers and Staff
• Shares lessons learned, best practices and innovation from pursuits and other experiences with teammates, the broader BD community, and the global firm as appropriate
• Creates and/or leads team strategic and operational initiatives to develop new or enhance existing best practices, tools, or enablers

Analytical/Decision Making Responsibilities:  

Some or all of the below responsibilities will be applicable depending on the scope of the role:

• Must be able to operate in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment 
• Influences/challenges the pursuit team to optimize the chances of winning
• Demonstrates versatility and poise in a constantly evolving environment with a wide variety of social styles and interests 
• Solution-oriented and makes sound recommendations and decisions
• Champions best-practice pursuit tools and processes, while remaining open to new and better ways of doing things when appropriate

Knowledge and Skills Requirements:  

Some or all of the below knowledge and skills requirements will be applicable depending on the scope of the role:

• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Excellent project management and organizational skills with high attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously
• Has a strong ability to influence and direct others
• Self-motivated, resourceful, and able to work from own initiative with limited supervision
• Has a strong understanding of the business development and/or pursuit environment 
• The Senior Deal Specialist - Associate Director supports opportunities with a great deal of firm leadership exposure/involvement thus the Senior Deal Specialist - Associate Director must exhibit strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrates an advanced understanding of fundamental deal commercial and negotiation principles
• Possesses an advanced level of executive presence and gravitas

Supervision Responsibilities: 

• Works with considerable autonomy while often managing the work of others (e.g., Deal Coordinator, Creative Designer, Design Specialist, etc)
• May serve as a “Peer Buddy” to new joiners
• Serves as a Counselor and/or reviewer to other pursuit team members
• Coaches resources including client serving who do not reside within the Business Development/Sales organization and will be expected to inspire others through action in the marketplace

Other Requirements: e.g., travel, overtime, time zone flexibility

• Embraces shared philosophy that “great teams” execute a consistent set of behaviors aligned with being a:
  • Trusted Strategic Advisor – Build Trust and credibility by proactively providing forward-thinking insights and guidance to help pursuit teams develop and execute a winning pursuit strategy
  • Gold Standard Champion – Execute EY’s “gold standard” pursuit process with discipline and expertise to improve consistency and use of leading practices in EY’s approach to winning
  • Win-Win Advocate – Drive internal and external clients towards outcomes that deliver compelling and sustainable results for both the client and EY
  • Creativity and innovation Driver – Inspire and challenge teams to differentiate EY through innovative strategies, experiences, and deliverables that compel our clients to choose EY
  • Inspirational Change Agent – Invest in developing world-class talent, methods, tools, and capabilities to deliver better results, create exceptional experiences, and develop transformative leaders and teams
• As the job involves responding to clients' needs and varying time zones, long/flexible hours are regularly required
• Moderate travel will be required

Education:

• University/Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification required, preferably in a related field such as Business Administration, Sales, Marketing, English, Public Relations, or Journalism

Experience:

• 13 - 15 years of experience in pursuits, business development, marketing or project management, preferably in a professional services environment
• Must have communications and proposal writing experience, including the ability to provide relevant writing samples
• Has successfully supported a minimum of 7-10 complex consulting (e.g., managed services) deals

Certification Requirements:

• APMP, PMP certification is considered advantageous
• Completion of Miller Heiman methodology courses within 1-2 years of hire
• Expected to remain current on EY training and curriculum (e.g., Account Management Framework (AMF); Culture, Change and Communications (CCC); Badges; among others)

What we offer

EY Global Delivery Services (GDS) is a dynamic and truly global delivery network. We work across six locations – Argentina, China, India, the Philippines, Poland and the UK – and with teams from all EY service lines, geographies and sectors, playing a vital role in the delivery of the EY growth strategy. From accountants to coders to advisory consultants, we offer a wide variety of fulfilling career opportunities that span all business disciplines. In GDS, you will collaborate with EY teams on exciting projects and work with well-known brands from across the globe. We’ll introduce you to an ever-expanding ecosystem of people, learning, skills and insights that will stay with you throughout your career.

• Continuous learning: You’ll develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
• Success, as defined by you: We’ll provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
• Transformative leadership: We’ll give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the world needs.
• Diverse and inclusive culture: You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.