Publicis Sapient (PS) is a digital transformation partner helping our clients transform the way they serve their customers and the way their teams work by using the power of digital. We help unlock value through a start-up mindset and modern methods, fusing strategy, consulting and customer experience with agile engineering and problem-solving creativity. As digital pioneers with 20,000+ people and 53 offices around the globe, our experience spanning technology, data sciences, consulting and customer obsession – combined with our culture of curiosity and relentlessness – enables us to accelerate our clients’ businesses through designing the products and services their customers truly value. Publicis Sapient is the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe. For more information, visit publicissapient.com.

The Company growth is fuelled by our clients, the work we do for them and the value we bring to them.  We are seeking seasoned Client Partners to join our team and drive new business at existing clients and new clients within the Retail vertical.  For new opportunities, a strategic sales approach is expected where you will (often be) the lead PS representative and will form and lead teams to progress the opportunities. You will work to bring opportunities to closure and transition to delivery. You will bring the full capabilities of PS to our clients to expand and grow the business. Your individual results roll up to the results of our company growth, and in this role, you will harness the depth and breadth of the PS portfolio. Our proposition includes unique capabilities covering digital strategy, experience design, data & engineering, product and delivery, and we also utilise the Power of One with Publicis Groupe to further amplify differentiation for our clients by integrating creative capabilities from the agencies within Groupe.

Successful candidates will have industry-specific expertise and/or domain expertise coupled with a proven track record of creating, leading and closing new business opportunities. Geographic location is open and driven by both our location and client coverage needs, along with the qualifications of the individual.

As a successful candidate, your primary objective is to seek out, develop and help close new opportunities that grow the PS business. You must be embraced by the value you demonstrate to the existing PS teams through industry knowledge and/or domain knowledge and sales leadership.  You will be capable of cross-selling the entire PS portfolio as an ingredient to bringing both client value and PS growth. 

You will report to the Retail Industry leader with a dotted line into the Global Retail team, where you will focus on growing a set of existing PS clients and driving new client logos. Your subject matter expertise and the PS portfolio will be critical sales differentiators. Specific expectations & measurement are viewed through a lens of Growth, Business & pipeline management, and Industry specialisation. 

Growth

• Represent the PS portfolio and develop opportunities through the early stages of the selling cycle to the proposal stage. 
• Create and lead new pursuits in one or multiple target accounts and bring forward clear and compelling client propositions that deliver initial engagements that demonstrate clear value and impact.
• Manage and grow existing clients within your portfolio, ensuring clear plans are in place to leverage the power of PS to continually expand the account.
• Strive to provide continual value-add to existing client teams and clients through Industry expertise, domain expertise, or sales leadership and eminence.
• Use a variety of resources to identify specific deals, potential renewals, potential repeatable business opportunities
• Manage quarterly and annual individual growth (signings) targets.

Business management

Lead annual client account planning sessions. The output is a PS sales identification & execution strategy for that year and the foreseeable future. It includes but is not limited to:

• Articulation of client priorities.
• Insight on applicable industry trends.
• Clarity on PS competitive set. 
• Understanding of client budget and projects planned to support strategic planning.
• A relationship map and calling plan between the client and PS executives. 
• Catalogue of known opportunities and a set of proactive proposals to be developed.
• Declare who and what is needed to pursue each opportunity.
• Assign PS client team members to help drive tactical pursuits. 
• Ensure all opportunities are accurately reflected and forecasted in our CRM. Whether from a planning activity or ad-hoc sales activities identified throughout the year.
• Collaborate with PS colleagues to understand and manage delivery expectations and plan for post-sale transition to successful delivery.
• Take ownership of monthly, quarterly, and annual signing targets and ensure contractual arrangements meet defined commercial goals.
• Manage PS Internal teams to build a dedicated and virtual team of experts to match our offerings to Client priorities.

Industry leadership

• Lead (with the assistance of a cross-functional team) the development of proactive propositions to take forward to multiple clients. Their impact and quality will position PS as a relevant provider in a client’s digital business transformation agenda to open doors to opportunities that would not be otherwise present.
• Create an innovation agenda to differentiate the PS value proposition with clients.
• Foster strategic partnerships to help grow the perception of PS and our capabilities. Business partners, marketing campaigns, and thought leadership are examples.
• Contribute to team education and community for the benefit of the growth office and PS populations. Innovations, thought leadership pieces, client successes, asset demonstrations, etc.
• Attend selected industry & digital business forums to promote PS to the market and forge and maintain industry relationships and knowledge. Identify leads and execute them as a result.
• Maintain a current and compelling set of client reference materials for re-use in pursuing client opportunities by you and the PS client team population.

 Past experience and qualifications 

• Demonstrated experience in digital business transformation professional services with a proven record of developing and closing new businesses. Examples and contributions will be part of the interview process.
• Industry expertise gained from working in industry or selling/consulting to industry in a consulting or IT capacity. You will demonstrate connections within your industry that will facilitate access to clients and opportunities.
• You possess a hunting mentality but also bring the requisite business acumen to find, develop, create, and sell business outcome-based solutions to clients.
• Proven ability to manage and grow clients within your portfolio.
• Excellent spoken and written communication and proficiency in Microsoft presentation tools are expected. Examples of personnel prior to work may be requested as part of the interview. 
• Proven ability to be accepted by and communicate at the CxO client level. Executive presence is a subjective qualification but essential and will be assessed during the interview.

About you in the role

• You possess a strong learning mindset and drive for continuous self-improvement, including exceptional communication and negotiation skills, personal adaptability, and high empathy and curiosity.
• As a routine and rigour, you thoroughly understand PS’ portfolio and solutions and how to best differentiate these values to our clients. 
• You are a collaborator who fosters trusted advisor relationships with clients and internal stakeholders. Style, Industry POVs, and value-driven conversations are your approach.
• You are an articulate leader who leads internal teams to outcomes. You embrace mentoring and developing others in your journey. You can apply a data-driven approach to research, business intelligence, and compelling strategies.
• Flexible and mobile, able to work in a hybrid work-from-home and office and travel as the role necessitates.