Director of Business Development

Director of Strategic Growth - Kansas City, MO.

Growth is not a department here.

It is an expectation.

Trozzolo Communications Group is looking for a Director of Strategic Growth to help lead the next era of momentum across our organization, while continuing to expand regional and national relationships, visibility and opportunities.

This role reports directly to the President and operates at the center of agency growth, market expansion, executive relationship development and pursuit leadership.

We are NOT looking for a traditional salesperson.

We are looking for a strategic marketing advisor who thinks like a business consultant.

When those two elements are combined in creates a true growth leader. Someone who can command a room with prospects and clients. Someone who can lead executive-level business conversations with confidence and credibility. Someone who understands how to build trust quickly, organize teams internally, lead complex pursuits and help transform growth from something reactive into something scalable and repeatable.

This is a highly visible, highly collaborative and highly accountable leadership role.

The person in this role will help shape:

• how we pursue opportunities
• how we position ourselves in the marketplace
• how we organize around growth
• how we scale beyond founder-led business development
• and ultimately, how we win

This role requires regular travel, consistent visibility in the regions surrounding our offices in Kansas City and Milwaukee, and active engagement with clients, prospects and business communities nationally.

If you are looking for a quiet executive role filled with internal meetings and maintenance-mode leadership, this is not it.

No politics. No passengers. No whiners. Just smart people doing ambitious work and building something meaningful together.

WHY THIS ROLE EXISTS

Trozzolo Communications Group is entering an important phase of growth.

As the organization continues to expand, we are looking for a leader who can help evolve our company from founder-led business development into a scalable, repeatable and sustainable growth engine.

This role exists to:

• build structure around growth
• improve pursuit leadership and accountability
• create stronger organizational alignment
• elevate executive-level business development
• help accelerate momentum in Milwaukee
• and reduce operational dependency on executive leadership for day-to-day pursuit management

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Lead Strategic Growth

• Develop and lead growth strategies across Trozzolo and Punch PR
• Identify, qualify and help close strategic new business opportunities across regional and national markets
• Lead executive-level discovery and business development conversations with CEOs, CMOs, Presidents, founders and growth leaders
• Build scalable systems and processes that create more intentional, organized and repeatable growth
• Collaborate with leadership on revenue planning, forecasting and pipeline development
• Help evolve the agency’s overall growth infrastructure and operating rhythm
• Build strategic partnerships and referral relationships that create long-term opportunity pipelines

Lead Market Development

• Help accelerate agency visibility, momentum and growth in Milwaukee and Kansas City
• Build relationships with business leaders, organizations, prospects and community influencers
• Represent the agency at networking events, conferences, industry functions and executive gatherings
• Expand national prospect relationships and visibility beyond the Midwest
• Develop proactive strategies to strengthen market presence and relevance in Milwaukee
• Maintain a strong external presence that consistently creates conversations and opportunities
• Travel regularly to support market development, prospect engagement and agency growth initiatives

Lead Agency Pursuits

• Lead and quarterback high-value new business pursuits from first conversation through final pitch
• Drive RFP responses, proposal strategy, pitch preparation and presentation development
• Lead cross-functional pursuit teams across strategy, creative, PR, media, digital and account leadership
• Create clarity, accountability and momentum throughout the pursuit process
• Collaborate with agency leaders to develop differentiated, strategic and winning pursuit materials
• Improve pursuit systems, workflows, storytelling and close rates
• Help ensure the agency is pursuing the right opportunities, not simply more opportunities
• Bring urgency, organization and strategic thinking to every opportunity pursuit

Support Market Visibility & Positioning

• Collaborate closely with marketing and communications leadership to strengthen agency visibility and positioning
• Help translate agency expertise and thought leadership into strategic business development opportunities
• Ensure pursuit messaging and executive conversations align with agency positioning and differentiation
• Support speaking opportunities, relationship-building efforts and strategic visibility initiatives
• Help reinforce a market presence that reflects the caliber of thinking and creativity inside the organization

Collaborate Across the Organization

• Partner closely with strategy, creative, PR, media, digital and client leadership teams
• Build strong working relationships across departments and agency brands
• Identify opportunities for organic client growth and expanded partnerships
• Bring energy, accountability and momentum into the organization
• Help improve organizational alignment around growth priorities
• Operate like an owner, not a spectator

What Success Looks Like

• More high-quality opportunities entering the pipeline
• Increased momentum and visibility in Milwaukee
• Continued momentum and leadership visibility in Kansas City
• Stronger executive-level prospect relationships nationally
• More strategic and successful agency pursuits
• Growth becoming intentional, organized and repeatable
• Stronger internal alignment and accountability around pursuits
• Reduced operational dependency on executive leadership for day-to-day business development coordination
• Existing clients growing with us
• Sharper positioning and differentiation in the marketplace
• Teams energized by momentum, clarity and opportunity
• Trozzolo Communications Group continuing its trajectory toward becoming a significantly larger and more influential organization

What We’re Looking For

• 10+ years of experience in strategic growth, business development, consulting, agency leadership or communications leadership
• Proven ability to generate revenue and build lasting executive-level relationships
• Experience leading or supporting successful RFP responses, proposals and pitch processes
• Ability to lead consultative business conversations with sophisticated decision-makers across industries
• Strong understanding of integrated marketing, communications and business strategy
• Excellent communication, presentation and relationship-building skills
• Strong business instincts paired with operational discipline
• Experience organizing teams, driving accountability and leading complex pursuits
• Comfortable operating in fast-moving, evolving and entrepreneurial environments
• Ability to lead cross-functionally and influence without ego
• Willingness to travel regularly for market development, agency visibility and client opportunities
• High standards, strong follow-through and natural curiosity
• A builder mentality

The Kind of Person Who Thrives Here

• Strategic but practical
• Relationship-oriented but results-driven
• Confident without ego
• Organized under pressure
• Collaborative
• Curious
• Comfortable with accountability
• Self-aware
• Honest communicator
• Energized by building, improving and winning
• Not afraid to think big, challenge assumptions and help move an organization forward
• The authentic kind of kind.

About Trozzolo + Punch

Trozzolo Communications Group is an independent, integrated marketing communications agency headquartered in Kansas City with expertise spanning strategy, creative, public relations, media, digital and growth marketing.

Punch PR is our Milwaukee-based public relations agency known for smart thinking, strong relationships and standout earned and social media work.

Together, we believe ambitious ideas backed by strong execution still win.

And we are building what comes next.

AAP/EEO STATEMENT

Trozzolo is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates. Trozzolo prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Trozzolo conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Apply now.

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