Deal Manager

The opportunity

The Deal Manager is responsible for supporting the firms most high-value strategic deals (those designated Alpha and/or Alpha) across the following scope of responsibilities:

Manage execution of pursuit process including critical path timeline and interdependencies

Assess competitive situation and help develop differentiated win strategy focused on client priorities while protecting EYs interests

Develop power map and tactics to navigate client buying process

Provide glue to focus and guide extended pursuit team through structured sales approach and proposal development

Collaborate with extended pursuit team define package and articulate compelling client offer across scope solution price and terms

Plan storyline/key messages and prepare extended team for orals.

The Deal Manager is expected to be a beacon of pursuit excellence bringing vast knowledge tools and resources from across the firm and their own professional experience to proactively keep the pursuit on track and moving towards a winning outcome.

Assistant Deal Managers will develop foundational deal acumen leadership and insight by supporting Deal Leads and/or Associate Deal Managers on Alpha and/or Alpha deals respectively.

Your key responsibilities

Project Management Organizes documents and drives all pursuit workstreams and activities throughout the pursuit lifecycle.

• Executes the firms Gold Standard Pursuit Process (GSPP) using gold standard tools and enablers to manage the pursuit from qualification through close.
• Establishes deal infrastructure including TEAMS site calendar action tracker team roster notebook etc. with support from the Deal Coordinator as needed.
• Develops and maintains the pursuit plan/action tracker and calendar making certain that all pursuit activities are assigned ownership tracked and executed according to schedule.
• Ensures all pursuit deliverables (e.g. meeting documents proposals presentations) are developed on schedule submitted on time and with the highest quality.
• In coordination with the Deal Leader sets up and runs a regular cadence of deal status calls with support from Deal Coordinator as needed. Supports the Deal Leader in developing status call agendas and debriefs.
• Supports Deal Leader in developing and distributing internal status updates for leadership and others as necessary.
• Engages and oversees support resources as necessary/appropriate including Proofers EY Knowledge Pursuit Resource Center additional Creative Services etc.
• Act as the centralized knowledge steward for the pursuit.

Written communications - Crafts articulate and client-centric content across all pursuit deliverables most notably the win themes and proposal document.

• Responsible for the development of all client-facing written deliverables (e.g. meeting documents proposals presentations) that adhere to the firm style guide in collaboration with the Creative Designer for design and formatting.
• In collaboration with other pursuit team members (e.g. Deal Leader Engagement Partner Client Partner) develops client-centric win themes that underpin the entire deal strategy. Ensures the win themes are reflected consistently throughout all client communications and deliverables.
• Authors original content when critical and/or necessary (e.g. cover letter executive summary) and leverages relevant firm resources to source non-critical boilerplate content when appropriate.
• Responsible for making sure the final proposal document tells a consistent winning story and flows as if written in one voice.

Deal strategy Leverages gold standard process/tools innovation insight and resourcefulness to help create a differentiated and winning deal strategy.

• Supports discussions/meetings around deal strategy actively contributing to critical deal meetings such as kick-off win strategy orals prep etc.
• Supports the Deal Leader in the constant qualification of the deal and navigating the deal through firm governance quality and approval processes (e.g. Approval to Pursue Approval to Contract)
• Suggests creative ideas that enhance our win strategy or ability to differentiate.

Other

• Builds collaborative relationships with pursuit teams including Service Line Account and Business Development leaders as well as Senior Managers Managers and Staff.
• Shares lessons learned best practices and innovation from pursuits and other experiences with teammates the broader BD community and the global firm as appropriate.
• Supports team strategic and/or operational initiatives to develop new or enhance existing best practices tools or enablers.
• Flexibility to work outside regular working hours and across time zones
• Moderate travel may be required

Skills and attributes for success

Must be able to operate in a fast-paced deadline-driven environment

Influences/challenges the pursuit team to optimize the chances of winning

Demonstrates versatility and poise in a constantly evolving environment with a wide variety of social styles and interests

Solution-oriented and makes sound recommendations and decisions

Champions best-practice pursuit tools and processes while remaining open to new and better ways of doing things when appropriate

Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)

Excellent project management and organizational skills with high attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously

Has a strong ability to influence and direct others

Self-motivated resourceful and able to work from own initiative with limited supervision

Has a strong understanding of the business development and/or pursuit environment

The Deal Manager supports opportunities with a great deal of firm leadership exposure/involvement thus the Deal Manager must exhibit strong interpersonal skills.

Embrace shared philosophy that great teams execute a consistent set of behaviors aligned with being a:

Trusted Strategic Advisor Build Trust and credibility by proactively providing forward-thinking insights and guidance to help pursuit teams develop and execute a winning pursuit strategy

Gold Standard Champion Execute EYs gold standard pursuit process with discipline and expertise to improve consistency and use of leading practices in EYs approach to winning

Win-Win Advocate Drive internal and external clients towards outcomes that deliver compelling and sustainable results for both the client and EY.

Creativity and innovation Driver Inspire and challenge teams to differentiate EY through innovative strategies experiences and deliverables that compel our clients to choose EY

Inspirational Change Agent Invest in developing world-class talent methods tools and capabilities to deliver better results create exceptional experiences and develop transformative leaders and teams.

To qualify you must have

Bachelors degree or equivalent required preferably in a related field such as Business Administration Sales Marketing English Public Relations or Journalism.

Approximately 5 years of relevant experience in pursuits business development marketing or project management preferably in a professional services environment.

Must have communications and proposal writing experience including the ability to provide relevant writing samples.

Ideally youll also have

APMP PMP certification is considered advantageous