Job Overview
The International Business Development Director will help to strategise and grow our media business globally, across existing and new product lines.
You will be engaging and pitching the highest-level executives both inside and outside of Ink, which means you will need to perform flawlessly and professionally in a fast-paced environment – as well as have the grace and willingness to change direction when circumstances demand.
You will demonstrate the strongest business and moral judgment, professional etiquette and innovative problem-solving skills.
You need to be a self-starter who can liaise with colleagues and clients around the world and who isn't frightened to take risks or tackling challenges you have not confronted before. The Business Development Director will work closely with the executive management team, and especially the Chief Executive to help revolutionise the way that airlines and advertisers communicate with travellers.
You will be a flexible, results-oriented, and experienced business visionary with product insight, both print and digital media experience, and extensive leadership and management skills. You will have the business sense to help drive product goals and strategies, and a great instinct for developing compelling products. As the business grows, you will help recruit, train and manage business development staff.
Responsibilities
- Use your understanding of our print and digital product set to identify new business opportunities and contacts at target clients
- Project manages and lead formal new business pitches, including drafting extensive RFI and RFP responses and budgeting new projects.
- Attend and represent the Company at relevant trade events
- Brief and coordinate relevant departments when new business projects have been won/realised
- Constantly look for ways to improve current operating practices in every area of our business and product offering
- Maintain up to date records on existing and potential contacts and accounts in our CRM system to ensure that we are on top of the markets we target
- Liaise with the Company’s Creative, Sales, Production, Finance, Accounts, Marketing/Insight, Events, Technology and external partners as necessary
- Maintain a library of competing/relevant products and services
The list above is not exhaustive and the position may be required to undertake duties which are broadly in line with the responsibilities.
Requirements
- Undergraduate degree with a strong academic record. MBA a plus.
- Flexibility to travel on short notice whenever required
- First class, English-language written and oral presentation skills, excellent attention to detail and a well organized, structured approach to work—together with great ideas and fantastic creativity
- Perfect English and fluency in at least one other language (preferably more), plus international cultural awareness and sensitivity.
- Strong numeracy and ability to use Excel and other applications to model new business profit & loss projections
- 5 years’ experience in agency (or other media) business development
- The ability to think and act strategically and to learn quickly under pressure - but to also roll up your sleeves and make things happen, both as a self sufficient/self starting individual and as part of the business development team
- High level of creativity and energy. Positive attitude under pressure, and a willingness to learn new skills
- Be polished and professional whilst communicating and collaborating with a diverse range of people and job functions
- Enthusiasm and absolute commitment to helping the company achieve its current
Three Year Plan
Ink is the world leader at developing media that Connects with Travellers.
As well as producing more inflight magazines for more airlines than any other company in the world, Ink reaches a captive audience of hundreds of millions of travellers each year with our Targeted Advertising (TAD) web service, which allows us to place targeted ads in mobile applications, confirmation emails, check-in emails and print-at-home boarding passes.
Our geographic scale and product have grown dramatically in recent years, and we now have clients and advertising customers on every continent.
Founded in 2000, Ink works with over three dozen airlines, produces media in 13 languages, and sells advertising in over 100 countries. Our travel clients include companies as diverse as KLM, Air Macau, Bangkok Airways, easyJet, Eurostar, Germanwings, Gulf Air, Jetstar, Norwegian, PrivatAir, Ryanair, THAI Airways, TurboJET (the ferry from Hong Kong to Macau), United Airlines and Wizz Air.
We have made a strategic move in trade media that puts us in the centre of the airline and airport industry. We own the Airline Retail Conference in Europe and Asia, the recently launched China Travel Retail conference in Shanghai, and produce the Airline Passenger Experience Media Platform in association with APEX, the Airline Passenger Experience Association.
In addition, Ink has also launched the annual Global Passenger Survey, exploring passenger opinions, media consumption and buying habits. This unique, ambitious project survey includes airlines from around the world, and offers never-before available view on global passenger preferences.
The company has been profitable since 2002, and regularly clocks 30-50% annual revenue growth. Last year, Ink came in at no.7 in the Real Business Hot 100 and was listed in the London Telegraph Top 100 Companies to Watch, as well as winning a host of other award-wins for its fresh approach to media.