VP, Business Development (Professional Services/Consulting Sales)

Valiant Search Partners; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Valiant Search Partners is seeking a seasoned Business Development Executive for a private equity-backed business consulting firm with opportunities across New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and Austin. You will originate, develop, and close high-value advisory engagements, building long-term relationships with senior decision-makers in large enterprises and PE-backed clients.

You will lead end-to-end sales cycles, collaborate with delivery teams, and expand into new markets, leveraging your

Qualifications

• 10+ years in enterprise or professional services business development.
• Track record of originating revenue and developing long-term client relationships.
• Experience selling complex consulting or advisory engagements.
• Established network of senior executives and decision-makers.

Responsibilities

• Originate and close high-value consulting and advisory engagements across the firm’s portfolio.
• Develop new clients and markets rather than simply managing inherited accounts.
• Navigate enterprise buying environments and engage with C-suite and senior leaders.
• Lead consultative sales cycles from discovery through proposal, negotiation, and close.
• Partner with consulting practice leaders to translate client challenges into solutions.
• Build a durable pipeline through relationships, referrals, and market cultivation.

Skills

Relationship building

Executive networking

New logos

Complex consulting sales

Job description

New York City | Chicago | San Francisco | Austin, Texas

Private Equity-Backed Business Consulting Firm

~800 Employees Nationally | Approximately $300M in Annual Revenue

ABOUT OUR CONFIDENTIAL CLIENT

Our client is a rapidly growing, private equity-backed business consulting firm that helps companies navigate complex challenges across finance and accounting, business transformation, technology, human capital, and other critical enterprise functions.

The firm has built a strong reputation serving middle-market, upper-middle-market, private equity-backed, and large enterprise clients. As the organization continues to scale nationally, it is making a significant investment in expanding its senior commercial leadership team and deepening relationships with larger, more complex organizations. The culture is high-accountability without being unnecessarily bureaucratic. Senior leaders have meaningful autonomy, direct access to executive leadership, and the opportunity to influence how the firm grows.

THE OPPORTUNITY

We are seeking accomplished Business Development Executives in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and Austin, Texas who have built careers creating trusted relationships with senior decision-makers and turning those relationships into meaningful consulting revenue.

This is not a traditional sales management position, nor is it a role built around inheriting a mature book of accounts. The EVP will be an individual producer and market builder—someone who knows how to identify whitespace, open doors, understand complex business problems, and connect clients with the right consulting capabilities.

The strongest candidates will have spent their careers selling complex professional services, consulting, or advisory engagements, rather than primarily selling software, licenses, or products.

Success will come from relationships, credibility, curiosity, and the ability to understand how sophisticated consulting services are actually purchased.

WHERE YOU’LL CREATE VALUE

You will:

• Build and expand trusted relationships with senior executives and influential decision-makers across large enterprise, middle-market, and private equity-backed organizations.
• Originate and close high-value consulting and advisory engagements across the firm’s broad portfolio of capabilities.
• Develop new clients and markets rather than simply manage inherited accounts or an established book of business.
• Navigate complex enterprise buying environments, building relationships not only at the C-suite level but with the senior executives and functional leaders who influence, sponsor, and authorize consulting investments.
• Lead consultative sales cycles from initial relationship development and discovery through solution development, proposal, negotiation, and close.
• Partner closely with consulting practice leaders and delivery executives to translate client challenges into thoughtful, relevant solutions.
• Bring market intelligence back into the organization—helping leadership understand emerging client priorities, competitive dynamics, and opportunities to evolve or expand the firm’s capabilities.
• Build a durable pipeline through a combination of existing relationships, new relationship development, referrals, networking, and thoughtful market cultivation.

THE EXECUTIVE WE’RE HOPING TO MEET

You have likely spent 10+ years in enterprise or professional services business development, with a demonstrable record of originating revenue and developing long-term client relationships.

Your title today might be Managing Director, Principal, Client Partner, Senior Director, Executive Director, Vice President, or another senior commercial title. The title matters less than the track record.

You have:

• A history of selling complex consulting, advisory, transformation, or other professional services engagements.
• An established network of senior business leaders and executive decision-makers who know you, trust your judgment, and engage when you reach out.
• Experience navigating enterprise buying environments where the ultimate decision-maker may be a CFO, CIO, CHRO, CAO, Controller, SVP/VP, transformation executive, or another empowered senior leader.
• Demonstrated success developing new logos, creating markets, or expanding into new client relationships—not simply servicing an inherited portfolio.
• The executive presence and business judgment to engage credibly with senior leadership while collaborating effectively with consulting delivery teams.
• A consistent record of revenue generation and measurable commercial performance.

Experience selling into finance, accounting, technology, HR, business transformation, or adjacent consulting environments is particularly relevant.

WHAT THIS ROLE IS — AND ISN’T

This opportunity is likely to appeal to an executive who enjoys creating markets rather than inheriting them.

You like the independence and accountability of owning your commercial outcomes. You enjoy earning executive trust, identifying needs that aren't always obvious at the outset, and bringing the right people and capabilities together to solve meaningful client problems.

You may also be at a point in your career where your commercial success and relationships have outpaced the advancement opportunities available within a larger or more layered organization.

This opportunity may be less compelling if your career has centered primarily on:

• Selling SaaS, software licenses, hardware, or products rather than professional services.
• Managing established accounts without significant new-business origination responsibility.
• Leading sales teams while being largely removed from personally developing business.
• Operating within highly structured sales organizations where most opportunities are generated by SDR, marketing, or inside-sales functions.

WHY CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY?

For the right executive, the attraction is not simply a new title.

It is the opportunity to join a growing national consulting platform at a stage where senior commercial leaders can still have a meaningful influence on its trajectory.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Help shape a market rather than inherit one.
• Sell across a broad consulting platform rather than a narrowly defined service offering.
• Work directly with senior practice and executive leadership.
• Build relationships across multiple enterprise buying centers.
• Influence how the firm approaches markets, clients, and emerging opportunities.
• Translate your personal network, market knowledge, and commercial instincts into something you can help build over time.

The firm offers the resources and capabilities of a substantial national consulting organization while preserving meaningful autonomy for senior leaders who know how to create business.

COMPENSATION & LOCATION

Base Salary: Approximately $175,000–$275,000 (DOE and market), plus a meaningful commission-based incentive bonus opportunity, and long-term upside potential. First year Total Comp projected between $400K to $600K (but commission plans are uncapped).

Positions are being considered in:

New York City | Chicago | San Francisco | Austin, TX

For confidential consideration or additional information, please contact: