VP, Director, Business Solutions

Who We Are 

Horizon Next is one of the industry's most innovative and data-driven marketing organizations and sits at the intersection of three constantly changing landscapes: people, data, and media. Our business provides strategic leadership to accelerate growth for our clients through brand strategy, media planning and investment, and best in class analytics across all channels. As the leader in innovative business solutions, we are always pushing ourselves to understand what’s next: our next innovation, our next advancement in analytics, the market’s next media evolution, and your next breakthrough idea. Horizon Next operates with the single goal that tomorrow must outperform today.   
 
At Horizon, we understand the value that different perspectives can bring to our clients and culture, so we strive for an environment where our employees feel welcomed, safe and empowered. We value YOU and believe that your authentic voice and unique perspective allows us to create a more rewarding culture, and experience, together.  

Our simple recipe for success? We hire talented people (thinkers, doers, dreamers, makers), challenge them and give them every opportunity to grow. 

What You’ll Do 
Strategic Planning – 30%  

• Lead the team in translating client goals into strategic media solutions that grow our client’s brands and ensure strategic consistency across all elements of plan development and implementation, heavily focusing on performance-based media & analytics driven approach to client success 

• Collaborate with Next senior leadership on strategic marketing approach, guiding translation of client goals to the Business Solutions team, activation teams, and media partners 

• Responsible for providing high level strategic insights from campaign reporting, executing across all channels 

• Apply and leverage attribution models functionalities and benefits to build media recommendations and optimize future campaigns  

• Develop & maintain strong understanding of all internal and external analytics tools, identify appropriate applications based on business needs 

• Oversee development of strategic framework for quarterly plans, lead strategic client recommendations  

• Lead the team’s understanding of client’s business and uncovering of motivations/needs; proactively learning about the business from a holistic perspective (e.g. quarterly earnings reports, overarching business trends) 

• Seek innovative media solutions to deliver on clients’ goals and evaluate current health of client business via analysis of relevant business metrics (ROI, A/S) 

• Ensure strategic alignment across all channels and teams, to ensure a fully integrated approach  

Account Management – 15%  

• Responsible for agency revenue and profitability  

• With support from senior leadership, oversee the day-to-day operations of the Business Solutions Team to ensure consistent and high-quality client deliverables 

• Have a thorough understanding of client contracts, support development & renegotiation of said contracts 

• Partner with SVP & EVP on staffing needs and plans 

• Work alongside other internal Horizon teams (e.g., channel & consumer research) to ensure tasks are within contract scope and are executed properly 

• Meeting orchestration, ensuring pre-reads are scheduled with senior management and all appropriate departments; ensure appropriate parties are at client meetings and presentations 

Relationship Development & Management – 30% 

• Advance client relationship by maintaining positive rapport and championing trust through thorough understanding of their business and consistent delivery  

• Communicate and build relationships with senior level clients  

• Tap into Horizon Next resources/tools and collaborate with partner and creative agencies to offer clients holistic business solutions 

• Maintain trust & partnership across direct team and overall organization, ensuring positive collaboration  

• Ensure team is anticipating client requests, guide team in troubleshooting and problem solving with internal resources to proactively provide solutions  

• Manage client expectations around timelines and deliverables, adjusting and reprioritizing as needed  

• Understand when to elevate situations to senior management 

• Act as client’s “go-to”, serving as a trusted and consistent voice in meetings and providing POVs – 

• You have presence and can influence the clients more, able to own the room, (having autonomy here, vs VPD is more reliant on leadership setting the stage and having influence) 

Team Management & Supervision – 20%  

• Foster an inclusive environment for team members to be their whole selves & do their best work  

• Provide ongoing, real-time, performance feedback to ensure continued team growth 

• Guide team in setting goals and professional development timelines, ensure team members have challenging, level-appropriate projects and opportunities to learn new skills 

• Ensure team members have training and support needed to achieve development goals 

• Provide guidance on junior team members’ performance reviews, coaching to maximize success 

• Active role in conversations around staffing needs  

• Promote the work of both junior and senior team members, set a positive team environment 

• Participate in the interview process for junior team members 

Training & Development – 5%  

• Proactively take part in continued learning opportunities internally and externally  

• Maintain active knowledge of industry trends, attending relevant industry conferences and events 

Who You Are 

• A strong writer, presenter and communicator; who can communicate complex ideas with ease 

• A strong team leader with people management skills 

• A self-starter who can work both independently and collaboratively to bring ideas to completion  

• A calculated risk taker with the foresight to understand implications  

• Innately curious, with a hunger for proactive and creative problem solving  

• Comfortable providing and receiving constructive feedback and opportunities for growth 

• Confident in navigating conversations with senior leadership internally and externally  

• Nimble and flexible with ability to succeed in a fast-paced environment 

• Proficient with marketing principles, problem solving, data and analytics 

• Well versed in communicating with and presenting to clients regularly 

• Able to thrive under pressure, driving success in deadline driven environments  

• A supporter of and advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion 

Preferred Skills & Experience  

• 10+ years of experience 

• Thorough understanding of advanced analytics and performance media 

• Strong leadership skills and experience developing media professionals, ability to manage a team 

• Experience in a client relationship management role 

• Effective verbal and written communication skills; able to confidently present and sell through ideas both internally and to clients 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and media research/reporting resources 

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations 
N/A 

Physical Activity and Work Environment 
N/A