Managing Director, Professional Services

Managing Director, Professional Services

Circana is a leading provider of technology, AI, and data solutions for consumer packaged goods companies, manufacturers, and retailers. Our predictive analytics and Liquid Data® platform help clients measure market share, uncover consumer behavior, and drive growth—powered by six decades of expertise and an expansive, high-quality data set.

At Circana, we are fueled by our passion for continuous learning and growth, we seek and share feedback freely, and we celebrate victories both big and small in an environment that is flexible and accommodating to our work and personal lives. We’re a global company dedicated to fostering inclusivity and belonging. We value and celebrate the unique experiences, cultures, and viewpoints that each individual brings. By embracing a wide range of backgrounds, skills, expertise, and beyond, we create a stronger, more innovative environment for our employees, clients, and communities. With us, you can always bring your full self to work. Join our inclusive, committed team to be a challenger, own outcomes, and stay curious together. Circana is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. This prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Circana. Learn more at

Role Overview

Circana, the world’s market leader in understanding consumer behavior and retail sales performance brings together unmatched market measurement, consumer and retailer panels, supply chain intelligence, media insights, and professional services to deliver the most comprehensive view of how products are bought, sold, and consumed around the world. This unique combination of data assets, advanced analytics, and a rapidly expanding AI-driven technology platform positions Circana as the definitive authority across the global retail ecosystem.

The Head of Strategic Business Development, Professional Services is a senior commercial leader responsible for growing Circana’s Professional Services revenue globally, part of the role focuses on originating and closing medium to large enterprise engagements—consulting, managed services, ongoing support, and solution development—either as stand‑alone engagements or attached to Circana data and technology offerings.

This role leads the Professional Services global sales team, with a primary mandate to build and convert new pipeline across North America and Europe, while pursuing selective expansion in Australia and other international markets. While global is in scope, a Central or Eastern U.S. time zone presence is strongly preferred to support effective collaboration with executive leadership, global teams, and international clients.

Building on Circana’s leadership in general merchandise, CPG, and retail, this role will extend the company’s differentiated capabilities into adjacent verticals, including pharmacy, healthcare, government, and financial services. The Head of Strategic Business Development will own global growth strategy, pipeline development, deal execution, and sales leadership, closing medium- to large-scale, complex enterprise engagements that are strategic, multi‑stakeholder, and often multi‑region in nature

Job Responsibilities

• Define and execute Professional Services global go-to-market strategy, leveraging Circana’s position as the world’s leading authority on retail sales and consumer behavior
• Drive new business pipeline primarily across North America and Europe, with opportunistic growth in Australia and select international markets
• Identify enterprise opportunities where Circana’s market measurement, panel data, supply chain intelligence, media insights, and AI-enabled analytics create clear, differentiated value
• Expand Circana’s presence in adjacent verticals, particularly pharmacy, healthcare, and financial services
• Ensure a consistent global client message while tailoring strategies to regional market dynamics
• Personally originate and manage a global enterprise sales pipeline focused on medium- to large-scale strategic opportunities
• Lead and develop the Professional Services global sales team, setting clear targets, ways of working, and expectations
• Team members focused on winning new clients and entering new verticals and geographies
• Team members focused on growing existing client relationships through services
• Build, hire, and scale a team of 6–8 globally distributed services business development leads, each accountable for new Professional Services bookings and expansion
• Directly manage this team, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and career development
• Own pipeline reviews, forecasting accuracy, and deal progress across regions

Complex Deal Execution & Commercial Leadership

• Represent Professional Services at the executive level with senior client stakeholders worldwide
• Lead the end-to-end commercial process for complex enterprise opportunities, including:
• Value articulation and explaining the approach
• Commercial structuring and pricing strategy
• Business-case development and financial modeling
• Internal governance and executive approvals
• Contract negotiation and close
• Own the commercial terms for services including Statements of Work (SOW), managed service constructs, rate cards/pricing, margin targets, and delivery assumptions
• Lead responses to RFPs and tenders when required, and ensure SOWs are clear on scope, assumptions, deliverables, and acceptance criteria
• Work with delivery and account leads to secure renewals and follow-on work for ongoing managed services and support engagements
• Partner closely with Circana’s product, analytics, professional services, legal, finance, and executive teams to ensure deal integrity and successful handoff

Executive Presence & Communication

• Serve as a confident and articulate senior representative for Circana’s Professional Services market leadership and differentiated capabilities
• Lead high-impact sales pitches, strategy sessions, and executive readouts across regions
• Provide clear, data-driven updates to senior leadership on global pipeline health, regional performance, and market expansion progress

Organizational & Process Leadership

• Define and continuously enhance a formal global sales process that supports consistent growth
• Mentor and coach sales leaders and enterprise sellers on navigating complex, multi‑stakeholder deals
• Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance across geographies

Requirements

Experience

• Proven success selling Professional Services (consulting, managed services, ongoing support, and/or solution development) into enterprise clients, ideally in a data/analytics/technology-enabled environment
• Comfortable working through procurement, legal review, and security/compliance requirements typical of enterprise services contracts
• Understanding of Professional Services economics (margin, utilization, and how resourcing assumptions affect delivery and profitability)
• Track record of turning delivery experience into repeatable service offers, playbooks, and pricing
• Experience leading RFP/tender responses and producing clear SOWs that set scope, deliverables, and acceptance criteria
• Demonstrated ability to originate, structure, and close medium- to large-scale strategic enterprise deals
• Experience expanding business into new geographies and adjacent verticals
• Track record of building and leading globally distributed sales teams
• Strong command of formal enterprise sales methodologies, pipeline discipline, and forecasting

Highly Valued / Preferred Experience

• Experience selling software or data solutions within the healthcare ecosystem, particularly:
• Pharmaceutical retail organizations
• Pharmaceutical wholesalers and distributors
• Familiarity with healthcare data, regulatory environments, and complex enterprise buying structures is a significant value-add, though not required
• Experience in a top‑tier professional services environment (e.g., Big 4, Tier 1 strategy consulting, leading boutique consultancy, or major systems integrator), with evidence of originating and growing client portfolios

Skills & Capabilities

• Exceptional executive presence and communication skills across cultures and regions
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including business-case development and contract structuring
• Ability to manage long, complex, multi-region sales cycles
• Strategic thinker with a hands‑on, execution‑oriented leadership style
• Confident, outcome‑driven professional presence

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience
• Advanced degree a plus, but not required

Beyond technical skills, experience, and role-specific attributes, these shared behaviors are fundamental to our culture and success. We seek individuals who consistently demonstrate and champion these behaviors in their daily work:

• Stay Curious: Being hungry to learn and grow, always asking the big questions.
• Seek Clarity: Embracing complexity to create clarity and inspire action.
• Own the Outcome: Being accountable for decisions and taking ownership of our choices.
• Center on the Client: Relentlessly adding value for our customers.
• Be a Challenger: Never complacent, always striving for continuous improvement.
• Champion Inclusivity: Fostering trust in relationships engaging with empathy, respect, and integrity.
• Commit to each other: Contributing to making Circana a great place to work for everyone.

Location: This position can be located in the following area(s): Hybrid - Chicago, IL

The below range reflects the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, geographic location, performance, shift, travel requirements, sales or revenue-based metrics, any collective bargaining agreements, and business or organizational needs. The salary range for this role is $225,000 USD to $250,000.

This job is also eligible for bonus pay.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k)to eligible employees.

An offer of employment may be conditional upon successful completion of a background check in accordance with local legislation and our candidate privacy notice. Your current employer will not be contacted without your permission.

This position is expected to remain open for approximately 30 days and may close earlier if sufficient qualified candidates are identified.

#LI-SD2

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.