Vice President, Business and Client Development

Position Summary:

The Vice President of Business and Client Development leads the growth of public sector business for the Civic Initiatives brand (a Public Knowledge® Company) by building and sustaining executive-level relationships across state government, local government, K-12, and higher education. In partnership with the President, this role extends the organization's leadership presence in the procurement community.

The ideal candidate is a recognized former public procurement executive who can engage chief procurement officers, agency heads, and senior government leaders as a peer, understand their challenges from the inside, and shape those conversations into engagements that deliver value to clients and growth for the organization. This position will have a yearly sales target.

We are seeking someone who is passionate about serving public sector clients, focused on cultivating meaningful relationships, excited about supporting strategic growth, and dedicated to bringing to life the PK Way and the overall impact of Public Knowledge on the people and communities we serve. 

About Public Knowledge (PK)

Public Knowledge® is a national management consulting firm that helps government agencies solve tough problems and thrive in complex environments. We do this by providing system, program, and people services. Most of our work is in Health and Human Services. You can learn more about us at www.pubknow.com. The GLI® Group owns Public Knowledge®, which provides Public Knowledge® with a larger company's financial backing and infrastructure.

Inclusion is not an initiative at Public Knowledge®; it is one of our core values. We believe every team member enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver solutions. We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive workplace that highlights the diversity in all of us and our experiences. Our team members are people with different backgrounds, strengths, and lived expertise who share a commitment to being a catalyst for change, leaving each person, project, client, colleague, and community better than when we started.

Key Responsibilities:

Executive Relationship Development

• Create, grow, and sustain executive-level relationships with states, municipalities, counties, and educational institutions.
• Engage at the highest levels of public organizations, including chief procurement officers, CIOs, CFOs, agency executives, and appointed officials, and represent Civic Initiatives in those conversations.
• Maintain an active, visible presence in national and regional procurement associations.

Growth Strategy and Business Development

• Serve as the executive accountable for developing and executing the Public Knowledge® Civic Initiatives growth strategy in partnership with the President.
• Establish business development priorities, direct pursuit activities, and coordinate organizational resources in support of growth objectives.
• Identify priority segments and opportunities and guide them from first conversation through contract execution, including pursuits across cooperative contract vehicles, statewide contracts, and competitive solicitations.
• Keep leadership informed on the health of the opportunity pipeline and emerging market opportunities.

Engagement Development and Framing

• Translate client needs into well-framed engagements, working with practice leads to define scope, approach, pricing, and value.
• Lead proposal strategy and positioning for major pursuits, including oral presentations and executive briefings.
• Following contract award, maintain executive sponsorship of strategic client relationships while transferring responsibility for project execution, staffing, budgets, and delivery performance to appropriate practice and delivery leaders.

Thought Leadership

• Represent the Civic Initiatives and Public Knowledge organization as a thought leader through speaking engagements, publications, webinars, professional associations, and industry events.
• Develop and champion content that demonstrates organizational expertise and client impact, including case studies, benchmarks, and perspectives on emerging issues in public procurement.

Marketing, Brand, and Outreach

• Direct marketing, branding, and outreach initiatives for the Civic Initiatives brand in coordination with Public Knowledge marketing team.
• Lead the organization's presence at conferences, trade shows, and association events, including exhibit strategy, speaking opportunities, and executive meetings.
• Establish priorities for campaigns, events, and digital outreach aligned with organizational growth goals.

Team Leadership 

• Lead, develop, mentor, and support staff responsible for marketing, outreach, and business development.
• Provide servant leadership that promotes collaboration, professional growth, accountability, and organizational success.
• Support organizational change initiatives and continuous improvement efforts.
• Promote and model Public Knowledge's culture, values, and commitment to excellence in client service.

Performance Expectations 

Performance will be evaluated against mutually established annual objectives, including qualified pipeline development, new client acquisition, expansion of existing client relationships, revenue generation, achievement of annual sales targets, and market visibility. 

The Vice President will carry an annual sales target and will be accountable for achieving established bookings, revenue, and pipeline objectives through new business acquisition, growth of existing client relationships, and development of strategic partnerships. 

Objectives will reflect agreed-upon organizational resources, delivery capacity, and market conditions while supporting sustainable growth, exceptional client outcomes, and the values of Public Knowledge and Civic Initiatives. 

Required Qualifications

• Prior executive leadership in public procurement, such as service as a state chief procurement officer, state purchasing director, or comparable leader of a municipal, county, or institutional procurement organization, with a reputation established and recognized across the public procurement community.
• Demonstrated ability to engage credibly and effectively in the highest-level conversations with state, local, and education leaders.
• Proven track record of meeting revenue responsibilities, including developing growth plans and leading initiatives to direct revenue outcomes.
• Recognized thought leadership in public procurement, evidenced by speaking, publishing, association leadership, or similar contributions that have built relationships and generated opportunities.
• Experience managing individuals responsible for marketing, outreach, or revenue generation.
• Experience developing and framing professional services engagements, including scope, approach, and pricing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership roles within national procurement professional organizations.
• Experience with cooperative purchasing programs and multi-state contract vehicles.