Director, Business Development

Job DescriptionAt Designer Brands, we are the proud parent company of DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, The Shoe Company, and Rubino, operating nearly 675 stores across North America and a billion-dollar digital commerce business. We lead the footwear industry with a diverse portfolio of iconic brands, including Topo Athletic, Keds, Vince Camuto, Kelly & Katie, Jessica Simpson, Lucky Brand, Mix No. 6, Crown Vintage, and others. With expertise in design, production, and sourcing, we create on-trend footwear and accessories, delivered through a robust omni-channel infrastructure and national wholesale distribution. At Designer Brands, we are committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, where each employee’s unique perspective contributes to our success. Anchored by our core values of “We Love What We Do,” “We Own What We Do,” “We Do What’s Right,” and “We Belong,” we continuously drive forward together, building a future where everyone can put their best foot forward.The OpportunityThe Director, Business Development is responsible for leading the evaluation, diligence, and prioritization of new business initiatives across the enterprise. This role serves as a critical partner to executive leadership by assessing growth opportunities with a focus on strategic fit, financial viability, and execution risk.This leader will act as a central point of intake for new business development ideas and opportunities—developing structured business cases, conducting financial analysis, and translating complex insights into clear, actionable recommendations for senior leaders. This leader will also support idea-to-value project coordination and follow through with stakeholders within the business. The role is highly cross-functional, requiring strong collaboration with strategy, finance, operations, and functional business teams to advance high-impact initiatives.Reporting To: SVP, Strategy & AnalyticsEssential Duties and Responsibilities:Conduct market and competitive research on trends and identify potential growth opportunities aligned to DBI’s overall enterprise strategyServe as the central intake point for evaluating new business initiatives across the organization, including opportunities from executive leadership, internal teams, and external partnersEvaluate strategic alignment of initiatives with enterprise priorities and identify key risks, dependencies, and value driversBuild and own comprehensive financial models and scenario/sensitivity analyses to support decision-makingTranslate complex financial and operational inputs into clear, decision-ready insights, including expected returns, cost structures, and risk profilesDevelop executive-level presentations and materials that clearly communicate recommendations, trade-offs, and key decision pointsPartner cross-functionally with strategy, finance, IT, operations, merchandising, marketing, and other stakeholders to gather inputs, validate assumptions, and address business case benefits and risksDrive project management of evaluation efforts, ensuring timelines, milestones, and deliverables are met across multiple concurrent initiativesMaintain and track the pipeline of active and proposed initiatives, including status updates, key milestones, and decision timelinesSupport development and application of prioritization frameworks to focus on the highest-impact opportunitiesProvide visibility to leadership on pipeline health, trade-offs, and resource considerationsSupport transition to execution for approved initiatives, including outlining key implementation considerations and success metricsPartner with initiative owners to ensure continuity of business case assumptions and alignment from evaluation through executionRequired Skills:Strong structured strategic thinking with the ability to break down ambiguous problems into clear frameworksAdvanced financial modeling and analytical capabilitiesExceptional executive communication skills (written and verbal)Proven project management skills with ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneouslyAbility to influence without authority in a highly cross-functional environmentStrong business judgment and attention to detailExperience:8–10+ years of experience in strategy, consulting, investment banking, private equity, corporate finance, or similar analytical rolesDemonstrated experience developing business cases, financial models, and executive-level presentationsExperience working in or supporting retail or consumer-facing businesses strongly preferredTrack record of leading complex, cross-functional projects from concept through recommendationPreferred Qualifications:Experience in both analytical roles (finance/consulting) and operational or industry roles (e.g., retail) is highly valuedExposure to corporate development or transaction-related work is a plus but not requiredEducation:Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field requiredMBA or advanced degree strongly preferredJob DetailsJob Type: Full-timeCategory: AnalyticsSalaried: Salaried