Deal Lead - Director

Deal Lead - Director

Location: Chicago Other locations: Anywhere in Region Salary: Competitive Date: Aug 17, 2026

Job Description

Requisition ID: 1735985 Location: Chicago, New York, Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Irvine, Los Angeles, Denver, Stamford, Hartford, Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Tampa, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Des Moines, Kansas City, Wichita, Louisville, New Orleans, Baltimore, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Hoboken, Iselin, Buffalo, Rochester, Cleveland, Columbus, Portland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Providence, Greenville, Nashville, Memphis, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Salt Lake City, McLean, Richmond, Seattle, Milwaukee, Washington, Dallas, Charlotte At EY, we're all in to shape your future with confidence. We'll help you succeed in a globally connected powerhouse of diverse teams and take your career wherever you want it to go. Join EY and help to build a better working world. The Deal Lead (DL) Director rank, leads the most strategic, complex, and largest pursuits (e.g. business or IT transformation, managed services, sourcing models, commercially complex deals) in the Super Region portfolio across all key phases, up until close. The objectives and purpose of the Deal Lead role is to develop and execute the pursuit strategy through exceptional leadership, experienced deal acumen, broad commercial savvy, and a strategic mindset to properly position the firm's strongest win-win value proposition to the client to win new business opportunities. To those objectives, the role is responsible for actively leading the pursuit and process with a bias for action, infusing large complex deal experience and know-how to elevate pursuit team thinking on the win strategy, solution, pricing, and commercials. The Deal Lead has responsibility for mobilizing the right pursuit skills and team, and collaborating with key stakeholders to effectively respond to the potential client's needs and opportunity. This role assesses, make recommendations, and updates Pursuit and sales Leadership, Client Service Partners and Firm leadership to continue or stop the opportunity/pursuit. Essential Functions of the Job: Support global priority pursuits resulting in contracted "win" sales revenue in excess of the annual sales quota of $80mm in Total Contract Value (TCV): Deal Strategy and Execution Provides leadership in the design, development and execution of pursuits, obtaining comprehensive pursuit knowledge to make informed recommendations and decisions (e.g., continuous qualification, win strategy, client requirements/needs, competitive analysis, solution, pricing for value, commercial deal principles, Client facing deal assumptions, and Client/EY stakeholder engagement) Executes firm's Gold Standard Pursuit Process (GSPP) throughout pursuit with key stakeholders, continuously confirming expectations and outcomes are aligned between Client and EY Assesses pursuit team skills, resources and level of support required for pursuit, providing best opportunity to win Provides leadership, coaching, and mentoring across all team members executing against pursuit process (Pursuit Team, Service Line, Delivery, Account Team, etc.), developing high-performing pursuit teams Drives the momentum of pursuits and team members to make certain that deliverables are met, duties are shared appropriately, and enthusiasm and motivation remain high; exhibits strong ownership of deal strategy and the associated deal narrative Drives quality and efficiencies through pursuit process and controls, delivering highest quality end product Engages and manages EY senior leadership expectations throughout the pursuit and approvals, articulating with clarity, win themes, sources of client value delivered, competitive positioning, solution details, deal economics, commercial considerations, and deal risk (e.g., economic, reputation, media, relationship) Supports the transfer of pursuit knowledge, learnings, and client relationships to delivery teams, ensuring their understanding of the requirements for ongoing management of the commercial aspects of contracts Conducts formal win/loss reviews to capture knowledge, improving future strategic pursuits (e.g., deal structures and terms) Participates in EY training sessions and events, sharing of success stories across the firm to showcase "gold standard" deal execution Delivers formal feedback to pursuit team members during and post pursuit, including, but not limited to the Global Client Service Partner (GCSP), Center of Excellence (COE) individuals, other Pursuits Group team members, etc Actively shares experience and insights to improve the knowledge and skills of US SDT and the firm, as applicable through participation in team meetings, initiatives and special projects Analytical/Decision Making Responsibilities : Executes firm's Gold Standard Pursuit Process (GSPP), determining whether of not EY should start or continue expending resources towards a pursuit relative to client commitment and understanding (e.g., timing is right, is a priority when matched against other initiatives, urgency/burning platform, committed executive sponsor and known Buyers, client willingness to provide information/data, and agreed to decision criteria, process, and timeline) Identifies and clearly articulates value beyond quantifiable cost reduction into other, often harder to quantify value components (e.g., improved service, risk reduction, relocation of resources, tech avoidance, fine/penalty avoidance) Builds win-win business cases based on intimate understanding of client goals/objectives, competitive landscape, and EY expected returns to balance competing interests, such that deal can be shaped satisfying EY's requirements in an executable form that protects both parties, while achieving the clients strategic and economic goals Shapes the right deal through ongoing evaluation of the intersection of scope, pricing, and terms from submission to contract signature. Understanding any proposed variations or adjustments to EY's offer necessitate our ability to make appropriate counter-balancing adjustments (e.g., more fees for more risk or scope and vice-versa) Knowledge and Skills Requirements: Has "consultative" client-service mindset from professional services or strategic sourcing expereince Proven Business transformation, IT transformation, and strategic sourcing pursuit execution in fast-paced, collaborative, or deal-making environment Experienced working in a geographically spread business and agile work environment Exhibits key principles and practices of other pursuit roles (e.g. deal manager, solution architect, commercial architect, lead negotiator, and creative designer): Client-centric pursuit messaging and win themes Solution blueprint and details driving cost to serve estimates Pricing for value methodology to enhance EY mindset and optimize client and EY ROI Lead negotiations in a disciplined fashion to optimize the outcome for EY Client centered end-to-end visual communication strategies to convey EY's win themes Skilled in identifying sources of expected client value creation to differentiate EY from other alternatives Works with client and delivery teams to co-develop solutions to meet the needs of the business Has strong individual presence leading and working across teams, developing trusted relationships based on thought leadership and extensive pursuit expereince and deal accumen Skilled at "connecting the dots" across multiple dimensions of pursuit execution, with insightful perspective to anticipate (e.g., see around the corner), navigate complex situations, and shape EY's response to the client buying needs Brings relevant quantitative and qualitative commercial acumen to lead pursuit teams define and distinguish a good deal Influences pursuit team to assess and use the full breadth and depth of EY's expereinces, capabilities, and resources to best position EY to win Demonstrates high level of credibility to influence key EY and client stakeholders on pursuit and deal strategies & outcomes, including boardroom gravitas (able to influence without authority) - personal style, experience and approach Produces consistently high-quality outcomes meeting time-sensitive commitments Has excellent communication skills (written and verbal) Demonstrates an understanding of emerging AI, Generative AI and agentic service models, and their potential to transform large-scale business transformation and managed services engagements. Maintains a keen interest in evolving AI trends and proactively assesses their relevance to client challenges and EY solutions Supervision Responsibilities: Works as individual contributor operating with considerable autonomy and minimal direction in leading pursuits Serves as a Counselor and/or reviewer to other pursuit team members Coaches resources including client serving who do not reside within the sales organization and will be expected to inspire others through action in the marketplace Other Requirements: Trusted Strategic Advisor Build Trust and credibility by proactively providing forward-thinking insights and guidance to help pursuit teams develop and execute a winning pursuit strategy Gold Standard Champion Execute EY's "gold standard" pursuit process process with discipline and expertise to improve consistency and use of leading practices in EY's approach to winning Win-Win Advocate Drive internal and external clients towards outcomes that deliver compelling and sustainable results for both the client and EY Creativity and innovation Driver Inspire and challenge teams to differentiate EY through innovative strategies, experiences, and deliverables that compel our clients to choose EY Inspirational Change Agent Invest in developing world-class talent, methods, tools, and capabilities to deliver better results, create exceptional experiences, and develop transformative leaders and teams Moderate to frequent travel will be required Job Requirements: University/Bachelor's Degree required MBA or master's degree in Business, IT or related field preferred 15+ years management consulting expereince with complex deal shaping for Business or IT transformation and strategic sourcing, through formal procurement-led pursuits (e.g. RFPs) and non-RFP sole source pursuits (prefer 20-30% of experience be sole source) 10+ years of experience leading multi-geography strategic and commercially complex pursuits, working in a delivery environment with multiple resourcing capabilities (e.g., onshore, nearshore, offshore, consulting, strategy) Full pursuit life cycle experience from opportunity identification through to contract close Preferred working knowledge of finance, banking, risk, compliance or tax processes Preferred execution experience in strategic business and IT transformation (including ERP transformations), managed services, sourcing models, or commercially complex deals Expected to remain current on EY training and curriculum What we offer you At EY, we'll develop you with future-focused skills and equip