Account Executive, Business Development

Account Executive, Business Development

BBDO New York is looking for an Account Executive, Business Development to join the Growth team and support the agency's business development efforts.

This is the most junior role on the Business Development team and is an opportunity for an ambitious, highly organized individual to gain broad exposure to new business, agency growth, pitching, and the inner workings of a leading creative agency.

Working closely with the Business Development Managers and VP, Business Development Director to provide day-to-day support across business development opportunities and pitches. They will help keep projects organized, information flowing, and teams equipped with what they need to do their best work.

The ideal candidate is curious, proactive, detail-oriented, collaborative, and eager to learn. They should have a genuine interest in advertising and be excited by the pace and variety of new business.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development Support

• Support the Business Development team across active new business opportunities and pitches.
• Assist with research on prospective clients, industries, competitors, and relevant business challenges.
• Help gather and organize information, credentials, case studies, capabilities, and other materials for new business opportunities.
• Maintain accurate project documentation, contact information, timelines, and deliverables.
• Support the preparation of internal and external meetings, presentations, and materials.
• Track action items and follow up with team members to ensure deadlines are met.
• Provide day-to-day administrative and organizational support to the broader Growth team.

Pitch Support

• Assist with the coordination and execution of new business pitches from kickoff through presentation.
• Support pitch meetings, brainstorms, work sessions, rehearsals, and presentations.
• Help manage pitch materials and ensure teams have the latest versions of documents and presentations.
• Coordinate logistics for meetings, presentations, and other pitch-related activities.
• Help prepare meeting agendas, notes, action items, and follow-ups.
• Support the team in managing last-minute requests and changes throughout the pitch process.

Research & Intelligence

• Conduct research to support new business opportunities and pitch development.
• Gather information about prospective clients, their businesses, brands, competitors, and category dynamics.
• Monitor relevant industry, cultural, and advertising trends.
• Help identify information and insights that could strengthen a new business opportunity.
• Maintain and organize relevant research and agency resources.

Team Support

• Work closely with the Associate Program Director to keep business development projects organized and on track.
• Support the VP, Business Development Director, and Chief Growth Officer as needed.
• Collaborate with Creative, Strategy, Account Leadership, Production, and other agency teams.
• Build strong relationships across the agency and become a trusted resource for the Growth team.
• Take ownership of assigned tasks and follow through from start to finish.

What We're Looking For

• Agency experience preferred, but not required for the right candidate.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with PowerPoint/Keynote, Excel/Google Sheets, and other common agency tools.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines.
• Strong research and information-gathering skills.
• A proactive, can-do attitude and willingness to take ownership.
• Ability to work collaboratively with people at all levels of the organization.
• Genuine curiosity about advertising, brands, creativity, and culture.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is hungry to learn and excited to build a career in agency growth and business development.

They don't need to know everything about new business on day one. What matters most is that they are smart, organized, curious, and proactive—and that they have the instinct to see what needs to be done and jump in.

They are someone who can be trusted with the details while developing an understanding of the bigger picture. They listen carefully, ask good questions, take feedback well, and follow through.

They are comfortable with the unpredictable nature of new business and understand that priorities can change quickly. They bring energy and a positive attitude even when timelines are tight.

The strongest candidates will have a genuine passion for advertising and an interest in how agencies win business, build brands, and create great work.

This role is designed for someone who wants to learn the business from the ground up, gain exposure to senior agency leadership, and grow within the Business Development and Growth organization.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: VP, Business Development Director

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means being a reliable, proactive, and highly valued member of the Growth team.

The Account Executive will:

• Keep assigned tasks and deliverables organized and on time.
• Make the team more efficient by anticipating needs and following through.
• Provide accurate and thoughtful research and support.
• Help ensure pitches and business development projects run smoothly.
• Build strong relationships across the agency.
• Develop a strong understanding of the agency's business development process.
• Take on increasing responsibility as they grow in the role.