Vice President of Client Management (Sales & Bus. ...

“Vice President of Client Management (Business Development)”

(New York Metro, Chicago IL, Waltham MA) 

Company Overview:

Affinnova is the global leader in optimization technology for marketing and innovation. The company pioneered the game-changing use of evolutionary algorithms for marketing content optimization. Our patented IDDEA® technology evolves concepts (products, communications, or designs) based on collective consumer choice until only the fittest concepts survive. IDDEA delivers “Top Concepts” every time, consistently outperforming any alternative approach. IDDEA empowers marketers to explore all possible alternatives to their ideas, resulting in higher success rates, larger businesses, accelerated speed to market, and lower costs. Affinnova is one of the fastest growing marketing services companies in the US with revenue increases of 50%+ for three straight years (including the 1st Half of 2009). Growth is being fueled by adoption in the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry, penetration into international markets, expansion into new industries, and the introduction of SaaS solutions. Our client base includes 19 of the world’s top 20 CPG companies along with such technology firms as Microsoft and Intuit. Affinnova was awarded “2008 Supplier of the Year” by Walmart and “2009 Marketing Technology Winner” by MITX. 

Corporate Culture:

Our philosophy at Affinnova is simple: you cannot revolutionize the way global companies innovate with anything less than an all-star team. We believe in smart, driven people who are experts in their field, have a proven record of success, and have great potential to grow. We believe that collaboration supercharges the performance of people resulting in a dynamic workplace, the best outcomes for our clients, and continuous improvement in what we do. 

Position Description:

The Vice President of Client Management is responsible for driving the trial and adoption of IDDEA solutions and associated offerings at leading consumer products and services companies to more effectively help develop new products, revitalize existing brands, design packaging, and create ad campaigns.

Specific responsibilities include: 

-Business Development

·         Prospect new companies and increase penetration within existing clients across divisions

·         Evangelize the strategic need for Affinnova solutions in marketing and innovation at key levels and functions within organizations

·         Educate key user groups, e.g., consumer insights, marketing, and innovation, on the technical methodology and applied use of Affinnova solutions 

-Scoping and Implementation

·         Consult with clients on brand-level marketing and innovation initiatives that Affinnova can expertly address

·         Develop and author proposals that provide solutions that best meet client objectives

·         Manage client services team to ensure that project requirements are successfully executed

·         Lead result presentations that deliver insightful, strategic, and actionable answers for clients 

Account Management

·         Build long-term business relationships across client organizations  

·         Drive adoption of Affinnova solutions for marketing and innovation within accounts based on technical validation and financial value

·         Sell corporate wide contracts that institutionalize Affinnova solutions 

Reporting Relations:

The VP of Client Management reports to Amit Dhand, SVP of CM. Amit joined Affinnova in 2006 and has been instrumental in building a best-in-class business development organization. Prior, he was Director of Business Development at Catalina Marketing where he played a key role in the turnaround of the Northeast Division. He began his marketing research career at Information Resources. Amit reports to Waleed Al-Atraqchi, President & CEO. Waleed joined Affinnova in 2005 after serving as President of Imagitas. At Imagitas, he grew sales from $50 to $125M. Prior, he was SVP of Sales at Catalina Marketing. A classically trained marketer, he began his career at GSK. 

Candidate Profile

Experience

·         Proven track record of success selling consultative marketing services to Consumer Packaged Goods Manufacturers that leverage data and analytics or

·         Brand management or consumer insights experience with manufacturer or vendor, combined with relevant sales abilities

. Experience in new product development preferred.

·         Entrepreneurial experience a significant plus 

Skill Set

·         Leadership – people, thought, and implementation·         High level, consultative selling

·         Broad knowledge of consumer insights

·         Strategic and analytical problem-solving

·         Persuasive verbal and written communication

·         Relationship and influence building

·         Networking and business development

·         Project management 

Characteristics

·         Leadership, results-driven

·         Entrepreneurial – self-motivated, persistent, and resourceful

·         Open, honest, and genuine

·         Optimistic, passionate, and committed

·         Confident and persuasive

·         Collaborative, inclusive

·         Intelligent - strategic, analytical, creative, and innovative 

Education·         Undergraduate degree from reputable school; MBA preferred

·         High academic achievement (GPA - 3.5+) 

Other

·         Average travel of 35% (home office locations outside Waltham, MA)