Director, Business Development - Transaction & Financial Communications Practice

FGS Global is the world’s leading stakeholder strategy firm, with approximately 1,400 professionals around the world, advising clients in navigating critical issues and reputational challenges. FGS was formed from the combination of Finsbury, The Glover Park Group, Hering Schuppener and Sard Verbinnen & Co to offer board-level and C-suite counsel in all aspects of stakeholder strategy — including corporate reputation, crisis management, and public affairs and is also the leading force in transaction and financial communications worldwide.

FGS offers seamless and integrated support with offices in the following locations: Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Boston, Brussels, Calgary, Chicago, Dubai, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Houston, Kingston, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Paris, Riyadh, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, South Florida, The Hague, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver, Washington, D.C., and Zurich. The firm is headquartered in New York.

FGS is consistently ranked a Band 1 PR firm for Crisis & Risk Management and for Litigation Support by Chambers and Partners.  For the second year, FGS was ranked #1 Global M&A PR firm by Deal Count and Value in 2024 by Mergermarket.

As part of its ambitious growth strategy, FGS Global is building a global Growth team under the leadership of the Chief Growth Officer. The team will combine Business Development and Marketing and, as such, will play a key role in supercharging the firm’s growth. It will be comprised of individuals embedded in and responsible for FGS’ Practice Areas, Sector Teams and Regions, as well as other Business Development specialists. 

About the Transaction & Financial Communications Practice 

FGS Global’s Transaction & Financial Communications (“T&F”) practice advises clients on their most critical financial situations, including M&A, IPOs, activist defense, spin-offs and restructurings. We also advise clients on their ongoing investor communications, including quarterly earnings support and major investor/analyst events, helping companies tell their stories impactfully to the capital markets. We support private capital firms, including global private equity sponsors, on their communications programs and those of their portfolio companies. As part of this work, we develop and execute tailored communications strategies to protect and enhance valuation, minimize risk and build reputation with key stakeholders. 

We bring decades of experience and a proven track record of guiding clients through transformative financial events, and our leading global franchise is consistently at the top of the various rankings. We couple that with peerless political and regulatory expertise, including antitrust and litigation experts with deep connectivity. 

Position Overview 

The Director, Business Development for the T&F Group in North America will play a key role in driving the growth of the practice across our global markets. This is a newly created role is designed to help the practice group’s leadership team implement its ambitious five-year growth strategy. This individual will lead the practice’s global expansion efforts, working closely with their T&F Business Development counterpart in Europe, as well as other colleagues and, practice leaders, and business development teams to design, implement, and execute strategies for measurable growth. 

Specifically, the Director, Business Development will help drive cross-serving with other practices and capabilities across the firm into existing clients; help colleagues to further expand their networks with investment banks, law firms and others who act as key referral sources; and assist in further expanding our coverage of private capital clients, including their portfolio companies. The role will be both a key source of support within the practice group and with other practice groups, in North America and globally. The role will also help to identify, develop and disseminate pitch materials and marketing collateral in order to support the growth trajectory outlined by the team. 

Key responsibilities 

• Support the development and execution of a comprehensive business growth strategy for the Transaction & Financial Communications practice in North America, specifically by identifying opportunities and referral sources across M&A, activism, capital markets/IPOs, restructuring and investor relations. 

• Serve as point person for North America T&F knowledge management systems, including developing and maintaining core T&F pitch and marketing materials (e.g., presentations, experience slides, sub-practice one-pagers, etc.) as well as relevant data in the firm’s CRM system; ensuring that these are always up-to-date. 

• Serve as liaison between Business Development, Marketing, Internal Communications and HR to support internal cross-serving and training/upskilling. 

• Maintain competitive intelligence on marketing activities of key competitors (e.g., tracking conferences, events, owned content, etc.) and help identify key industry events, such as conferences and panels, where FGS Global experts should have a presence. 

• Collaborate with Marketing and practice group leaders to develop thought leadership content (e.g., articles, white papers, etc.) that positions FGS Global as a best-in-class and forward-thinking advisor. 

• Conduct research as directed by North America T&F Leadership, such as market research, developing profiles of major referral sources and data mining the FGS client list.  

• Spearhead North America T&F league table submissions such as for Mergermarket and The Deal.  

Ideal candidate profile 

We are seeking a candidate who embodies the following qualities: 

• Bachelor’s degree 

• 5-10 years’ experience in a similar role at a professional services firm, preferably a law firm or investment bank. 

• Working knowledge of financial markets and related special situations.  

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills. 

• Highly collaborative, and able to work well in a cross functional, matrixed organization. 

• Strong time management and organizational skills, and an ability to seamlessly balance multiple priorities simultaneously. 

• Proven project management skills. 

• Attention to detail, with a high level of accuracy in data handling, ensuring reliability and consistency in reporting and analysis. 

• Confidence and presence to work effectively with leaders and senior members of account teams in high-stakes, fast-moving situations.  

• A strong service-oriented mindset, dedicated to fostering collaborative partnerships and delivering tailored solutions that drive value for our clients.  

• Well-rounded, adaptable and detailed-oriented individual comfortable working through challenges. 

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Officeand use of AI tools and CRM platforms. 

• Entrepreneurial, self-starter, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced corporate environment. 

• Demonstrates high integrity and maintains strict confidentiality at all times. 

• Authorization to work in the U.S. without requiring sponsorship now or in the future. 

Role setup & interactions 

The person will be based in New York but will work closely with teams across the globe. The role is hybrid, with an expectation of at least three days per week in the office. 

• Reporting to Christine Graeff, Chief Global Growth Officer (based in Zurich) with a dotted line to the leadership team of the North America T&F practice (based in New York, Chicago and San Francisco). 

• Close cooperation with Business Development and Global Marketing colleagues across our other practice groups across the globe. 

What we offer 

• The opportunity to become part of a newly created team with an entrepreneurial spirit. 

• A collaborative and inclusive work environment in a global firm with well-articulated and ambitious growth plans. 

• An annual profit-sharing model in the form of a discretionary annual performance bonus. 

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance. 

• 401(k)-plan with a generous company match. 

• Generous time off benefits, including flexible vacation, parental leave, and sabbatical. 

• A collaborative group of smart, passionate and highly motivated people.  

• A team-oriented work environment structured to provide opportunities for professional growth and development. 
• A competitive compensation package, commensurate with experience