Business Director (Maternity Cover)

HAVAS; City Of London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A top marketing agency in London is seeking a Business Director to lead its Activations Team. This role focuses on major sponsorship clients and requires exceptional leadership and strategic thinking. The ideal candidate will manage diverse partnership properties and ensure financial growth through innovative client solutions. Experience in the sports and culture industry is essential. The agency promotes equal opportunities for all candidates.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing client portfolios, especially in the sponsorship sector.
• Ability to manage varying scale budgets and deliver financial growth.
• Strong understanding of market trends and cultural relevance.

Responsibilities

• Deliver strategic and creative programs across client brands.
• Lead a team to manage a portfolio of partnership properties.
• Foster relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Client and team management skills

Exceptional leadership

Strategic thinking

Knowledge of sports and culture industry

Job description

Agency: Havas Play

Job Title: Business Director

Reports To: Managing Partner

Role Summary

Business Director role that sits within the Activations Team, leading one of Havas Play’s biggest Sponsorship clients – HSBC, and managing parts of their UK sponsorship portfolio. This role will also oversee additional clients spanning both sport and entertainment, with requiring experience in delivering live experience campaigns, activations & events.

Key role in driving growth through opportunities within existing client base and by leading new business initiatives.

Purpose of Role

As an experienced senior leader, this role is focused on delivering market leading partnership campaigns and projects at Havas Play, overseeing a variety of clients, including one of our biggest clients – HSBC.

Requires exceptional client and team management skills, building brilliant relationships with internal stakeholders and external cross-agency groups.

Providing client counsel to senior clients and their teams, you will manage the overall performance of the client (s) and be accountable for financial growth.

Manage varying scale budgets, ensuring the team are following Havas Play finance process.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver brilliant strategic & creative programmes for all client brand portfolios, offering trusted guidance and counsel
• Plan, create, deliver and execute best in class partnerships across the relevant client base
• Demonstrate and share in-depth knowledge of the sport & culture industry – network, people, trends, insights and trade industry bodies
• Demonstrate and share in-depth knowledge of key cultural territories relevant to Havas Play client business e.g. sport, music, gaming, film etc.

Client Specific

• HSBC - lead a team (inclusive of client services/account management, strategy, creative and studio) to manage a portfolio of multiple partnership properties, including Tennis, Motorsports, Golf, Arts & Culture, and Music
• Be a strong strategic partner to Strategy team, helping shape overall partnerships strategy for 2026 and beyond
• Key lead role with Rights Holders, ensuring relationships are kept tight.

People / Leadership

• Exceptional leadership skills – selfless, self aware, inspirational, acting as a role model and mentor, being seen as a visionary, decision maker and problem solver.
• To take lead responsibility of talent management, succession planning, recruitment and communication within their group.

Here at Havas across the group we pride ourselves on being committed to offering equal opportunities to all potential employees and have zero tolerance for discrimination. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants irrespective of age, sex, race, ethnicity, disability and other factors that have no bearing on an individual’s ability to perform their job.