Vice President, Business Development

About the role

The Vice President, Business Development will lead and scale the agency’s new business function at a key stage of growth. This role owns Highwire’s new business engine—driving pipeline strategy, leading pitches, and converting opportunities into long-term client partnerships. Working closely with executive leadership and practice teams, this leader will shape go-to-market strategy, elevate pitch excellence, and build the systems that make growth repeatable and scalable.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive Growth & Pipeline
• Own the full new business lifecycle from qualification to close
• Manage a strong, qualified pipeline aligned to agency priorities
• Partner with marketing and leadership to drive inbound and outbound growth strategy
• Track pipeline health, forecasting, and performance metrics
• Lead Prospecting & Client Engagement
• Build relationships with senior marketing and communications leaders
• Lead consultative conversations that uncover client needs and opportunities
• Partner with account teams to drive cross-sell and upsell growth within existing clients
• Lead Pitches & Win New Business
• Lead RFPs, referrals, and strategic pitch processes
• Partner with account teams to develop compelling, insight-driven proposals and presentations
• Orchestrate cross-functional teams across strategy, creative, digital, and insights
• Prepare and coach teams to deliver high-stakes presentations with strong executive presence
• Build Scalable Systems
• Create playbooks, templates, and frameworks to improve win rates and efficiency
• Improve forecasting, reporting, and pipeline visibility
• Use data to continuously refine business development performance
• Lead & Collaborate Across Teams
• Mentor and develop business development talent
• Align cross-functional teams around growth opportunities
• Share market insights that inform agency strategy and offerings

Success Factors

• 10+ years of experience in business development and client leadership with a communications, marketing, advertising or public relations agency
• Proven success leading complex, multi-stakeholder pitches and winning new business
• Strong understanding of integrated, cross-channel agency offerings
• Ability to build systems and processes that scale growth
• Executive presence with experience engaging senior-level procurement leaders and decision-makers
• Strong storytelling, pitching, and proposal development skills
• Solid understanding of agency economics and pipeline management

Ideal Attributes

• Strategic Growth Leader – connects market insight to opportunity
• Builder – creates structure, systems, and repeatable processes
• Collaborative Operator – brings teams together and drives alignment
• Strong Pitch Leader – excels in high-stakes, competitive environments
• Executive Communicator – clear, confident, and credible with senior clients

Pay

The salary range for this position is $130,000 to $195,000, with the final offer based on a combination of factors, including education, relevant experience, skills, prior training, internal equity, and local geographic market data. This role also includes a competitive benefits package with medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) matching, generous paid time off, and additional perks designed to support your overall well-being and growth.

About Highwire

Highwire is a strategic marketing communications agency at the intersection of innovation and industry. We partner with ambitious companies and established brands to navigate complexity, lead markets, and grow with purpose. With integrated expertise in strategic marketing and communications, corporate reputation, creative, and insights, we cut through the noise to deliver bold ideas and measurable impact across B2B technology, healthcare, cybersecurity, energy, professional and financial services, and more.

Location & Work Environment

Highwire offers both remote and hybrid work options, depending on where you live. Hybrid: Candidates located within commuting distance of our New York, NY or San Francisco, CA offices follow a hybrid schedule, with three in-office days per week. Remote: We hire for fully remote roles in the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C..