BUSINESS DIRECTOR, ENGAGE UK
Who are we?
A world where complexity is the only constant demands a new breed of company. Brave Bison is a different beast: a media, marketing and technology company purpose built for the digital era.
Our universe is made up of award-winning business arms Brave Bison, Engage, SocialChain and MTM. And we’re underpinned by leading marketing training practice, MiniMBA, as well as our very own social-first media network who deliver monthly views in the billions for some of the biggest channels in sport and entertainment across YouTube, Snap, Meta and TikTok.
We’re a global collective who live and breathe digital, working with some of the boldest brands in the world to capitalise on the complexity that defines the modern marketing landscape.
Our mission
New platforms, new behaviours, new audiences, new trends, new technologies, new regulations—our clients’ worlds get more complex daily. Their agency partnerships shouldn’t. It’s our job to cut through the chaos, make the complex simple and navigate a clear path to growth for them.
That’s why we make it our mission to capitalise on complexity for our clients—across consultancy, capability and execution—by crafting dynamic digital solutions that outpace tomorrow’s challenges.
Our values
We’re a proudly diverse business comprised of deep specialists across media, marketing, training and technology. Although our skills, backgrounds and beliefs may differ, we are united by four core shared values:
- Bold Curiosity.
We run at change and challenge convention because we love to push the boundaries of what the world thinks is possible. We champion discovery, go deep into our clients’ worlds and are always hungry to learn more about them, our specialisms and each other.
- Connected Clarity.
We are focused in our collaboration — joining the right dots between our clients, our partners and our herd of experts to deliver agile solutions at speed and scale. We set a shared ambition from the outset, are transparent at every stage and always strive to make the complex simple.
- Positive Encouragement.
We want to make working with us the best part of someone’s day. We lift one other up, find the fun in the day to day and are committed to ensuring everyone belongs.
- Constant Impact.
We believe in outcomes over outputs. We’re goal orientated, results driven and data-led. We show up with passion every day. And we’re always honing our craft.
About Engage Digital Partners
Engage are a full-service sports marketing agency who, since 2012, have helped ambitious governing bodies, sports teams and sponsors become future fit. Operating in the UK, India, Australia and the US, we offer round the clock delivery to sports brands including the International Cricket Council (ICC), Real Madrid, Godolphin, New Zealand Rugby and Formula 1.
Role Overview
We are seeking a visionary, commercially driven, and strategically minded Business Director to join Engage Digital Partners. The role balances senior client leadership with a strong focus on growth, with around half of the remit dedicated to leading new business pitches and strategic growth opportunities.
Reporting to the Managing Director (MD), you will be the senior strategic lead across multiple high‑value global and regional client accounts, with a particular emphasis on sport, partnerships, and globally distributed audiences. You will be responsible for driving client growth, shaping long‑term strategy, and unlocking new opportunities across international markets.
This role is ideal for a dynamic leader who thrives on building deep client partnerships, guiding strategic direction, and influencing agency‑wide thinking. You will oversee a team of Account Directors, Managers, and Executives, ensuring they are empowered to deliver best‑in‑class work while you focus on high‑level client development, innovation, commercial performance, and global account leadership.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Client Leadership
- Act as the senior strategic partner for key clients, building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders.
- Lead the development of long-term client strategies that align with business goals and market trends.
- Drive client growth through proactive identification of new opportunities, upselling, and cross-selling.
- Lead quarterly and annual strategic planning sessions with clients, delivering insight-led recommendations.
- Champion the agency’s full creative, social, influencer, and partnership offering, with specific confidence in sport, sponsorship, and culturally led campaigns.
- Advise clients on navigating complex global ecosystems, including rights holders, federations, leagues, talent, and commercial partners.
Business Growth & Commercial Oversight
- Own revenue forecasting, growth planning, and commercial performance across a hub of global accounts
- Lead high‑value new business pitches and strategic responses to briefs, including global, regional and multi‑market opportunities (50% of role)
- Collaborate with the MD and leadership team on agency‑wide growth initiatives, innovation roadmaps, and capability development.
- Ensure profitability, margin protection, and commercial efficiency across all client engagements.
- Support the development of sport‑focused propositions, partnerships, and long‑term client retainers.
Strategic Oversight of Campaigns
- Guide the strategic direction of campaigns, ensuring alignment with client objectives, cultural relevance, and regional market nuances.
- Partner with Strategy, Creative, Paid Media, and Partnerships teams to shape integrated, insight‑driven campaigns across platforms and markets.
- Oversee campaign performance at a macro level, ensuring consistent delivery of business results and learning across territories.
- Provide senior oversight on sport‑led activations, sponsorship campaigns, tournaments and events, and always‑on content ecosystems.
Leadership & Culture
- Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of Account Directors, Managers, and Executives, fostering a high‑performance, collaborative culture.
- Ensure teams are aligned with Engage’s values and equipped to deliver strategic excellence at scale, across multiple clients and markets.
- Support talent development, succession planning, and team structure optimisation, particularly for global and specialist account needs.
- Promote best‑practice ways of working across distributed teams and international partners.
Industry Influence
- Represent the agency at industry, sport, media and partnership events, panels, and thought‑leadership forums.
- Stay ahead of trends in sport, social, digital, creator economy, partnerships, and fan engagement to inform client strategies.
- Build and maintain strong relationships across the sports ecosystem, including rights holders, broadcasters, platforms, talent agencies, and commercial partners.
What We’re Looking For
- 6–8+ years’ experience in senior client leadership roles within a creative, digital, social, or partnership‑led agency.
- Proven track record of growing client accounts, leading strategic transformation, and driving commercial success.
- Strong experience working with global or multi‑market clients, with confidence navigating international complexity.
- Demonstrable understanding of sport, sponsorship, partnerships, and fan‑led communities, and how these intersect with social and digital platforms.
- Experience dealing with sports rights holders, either directly as a client or through a partnerships division.
- Deep understanding of social media, influencer marketing, creator partnerships, and digital innovation.
- Strong commercial acumen with experience in forecasting, budgeting, business planning, and margin management.
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and leadership skills, with credibility at senior client and board level.
- A strategic thinker with a passion for innovation, culture, sport, and client success.
- Proficient in business tools including PowerPoint, Excel, and Microsoft Workspace.
