Business Development Executive

Professional Services | Exemplar Companies

Role Overview

Exemplar Companies is seeking a Business Development Executive to architect, lead, and scale enterprise revenue across our integrated professional services advisory platform, spanning human capital, corporate law, tax strategy and controversy, wealth management, investment banking, compliance, AI, governance, and enterprise strategy.

This is not a transactional sales role. The Sales Executive is a senior executive responsible for building a disciplined, trust-based revenue engine designed for long-cycle, high-stakes professional services engagements. This leader must understand how sophisticated buyers evaluate risk, credibility, and outcomes when engaging advisors across legal, financial, and strategic domains.

The CSO will partner closely with the CEO, Chief Strategist, legal and financial practice leaders, and delivery teams to translate Exemplar's intellectual capital into predictable, sustainable revenue-while protecting client outcomes, regulatory integrity, and brand trust.

Key Responsibilities

Professional Services Revenue Strategy

• Own and execute Exemplar's enterprise revenue strategy across advisory and professional services, including:
  • Human capital and workforce strategy
  • Corporate and transactional legal advisory
  • Tax strategy, planning, and controversy support
  • Wealth management and fiduciary advisory
  • Investment banking, capital advisory, and transaction support
• Design go-to-market frameworks for complex, multi-disciplinary engagements sold to CEOs, CFOs, General Counsel, boards, family offices, investors, and private equity-backed organizations.
• Establish pricing, packaging, and deal structures appropriate for regulated, high-liability services (legal, tax, financial advisory), ensuring alignment with risk, scope, and value.
• Build multi-year pipeline visibility aligned with utilization, margin, and delivery capacity across multiple practices.

Sales Leadership & Advisory Execution

• Build, lead, and mentor a professional-services sales and business development organization capable of selling complex advisory work, not products.
• Define qualification standards, discovery methodology, and deal governance appropriate for legal, tax, financial, and strategic advisory services.
• Personally lead or support high-stakes enterprise pursuits, board-level conversations, and multi-practice engagements.
• Ensure all sales commitments are executable, profitable, and compliant with professional and regulatory standards.

Client Development & Strategic Partnerships

• Develop and manage senior-level referral and alliance relationships with:
  • CPA and accounting firms
  • Law firms
  • Wealth management and fiduciary firms
  • Investment banks and capital partners
  • Private equity, family offices, and institutional investors
• Drive expansion and cross-practice opportunities across Exemplar's advisory ecosystem.
• Act as a senior executive presence in client negotiations, renewals, and long-term advisory relationships.

Cross-Functional Alignment

• Partner closely with legal, tax, finance, strategy, and delivery leaders to ensure sales strategy aligns with:
  • Regulatory obligations
  • Ethical standards
  • Capacity planning
  • Margin discipline
• Ensure forecasting accuracy and transparency across the pipeline, close rates, realization, and long-term revenue.
• Align sales compensation and incentives with client outcomes, retention, and lifetime value-not volume alone.

Brand, Trust & Market Positioning

• Uphold Exemplar's quad bottom line standard in all revenue activity.
• Ensure sales messaging reflects the seriousness, rigor, and fiduciary nature of legal, tax, financial, and investment advisory work.
• Represent Exemplar in executive forums, professional networks, and strategic industry conversations.

Qualifications & Experience

• 15+ years of experience selling professional services, with at least 7-10 years in senior leadership roles.
• Demonstrated success selling complex, regulated advisory services such as:
  • Legal or corporate advisory
  • Tax planning, compliance, or controversy
  • Wealth management or fiduciary services
  • Investment banking, capital advisory, or transaction support
  • Management consulting or integrated advisory services
• Proven credibility selling to CEOs, CFOs, General Counsel, boards, and investors.
• Strong understanding of professional-services economics, including utilization, margin, scope control, and delivery risk.
• High financial and regulatory acumen; comfortable navigating discussions around EBITDA, valuation, compliance risk, fiduciary duty, and governance.
• Exceptional executive presence, judgment, and negotiation skills.

Preferred Background

• Senior sales or revenue leadership within:
  • Professional services firms
  • Advisory or consulting firms
  • Accounting, legal, tax, or financial advisory environments
  • Investment banking or capital advisory platforms
• Experience selling multi-practice, integrated engagements.
• Familiarity with private equity, family office, and institutional client environments.

Leadership Attributes

• Strategic, disciplined, and analytically grounded.
• High integrity with strong appreciation for fiduciary and regulatory responsibility.
• Relationship-driven, patient, and credible with sophisticated buyers.
• Collaborative leader who aligns sales with delivery and professional standards.
• Long-term thinker who prioritizes sustainable growth and brand trust.

Why Exemplar Companies

Exemplar Companies operates as an integrated professional services advisory platform, trusted with decisions that impact people, capital, risk, compliance, and enterprise value.

The Chief Sales Officer will play a pivotal role in shaping Exemplar's growth-building a revenue engine that reflects the complexity, credibility, and trust required to sell at the intersection of law, tax, finance, human capital, and strategy.