Head of Deal Activation - UK&I Financial Services - Director

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.

Head of Deal Activation – UK & Ireland (UK&I) Financial Services (FS) – Director   The opportunity   Are you ready to redefine what's possible? We are looking to appoint an experienced bids and pursuits professional to lead EY’s Deal Activation (bids and pursuits) function for our UK & Ireland (UK&I) Financial Services (FS) business – a $1bn+ business with over 7,500 people.   The key objective of this role and this function is to support EY’s ambitious growth strategy by winning and defending priority contracts and realising new business opportunities – from complex transformation and technology programmes to major tax mandates, to flagship audit contracts, and beyond.   This is a pivotal appointment for the business, and an opportunity for the right candidate to drive transformative impact across the partnership and for our end clients.     Specifically, you would:

Lead and manage a high-performing, specialist team of 30+ pursuit and bid professionals, comprising Pursuit Leaders (bid leaders), Pursuit Strategists (bid and proposal managers), Creative Designers (graphic designers) and Pursuit Coordinators – based both onshore and offshore Shape, drive and embed the UK&I FS Deal Activation strategy and best practice – spanning people, process and technology   Transform the team operating and delivery model to systematically realise the benefits of AI and innovation – driving better outcomes and unlocking efficiency Work closely with the UK&I FS Deal Activation partner sponsor as well as broader Clients & Industries and service line leadership. Support a myriad of senior stakeholders across the business Champion the integration of technology and innovation into our client value propositions and sales and pursuit processes

Your key responsibilities Strategy

Originate, implement and continually refine a Deal Activation strategy and plan that sets the strategic direction for how pursuits are resourced, governed and executed. The core focus of this strategy is scaling impact to improve outcomes Work with UK&I FS Clients & Industries leadership to align Deal Activation effort and resourcing to the sales pipeline – balancing competing demand  Team closely with the business (including Service lines, Sectors, Solutions and Account teams) to drive pursuits effectively – ensuring Deal Activation is deployed in a way that has maximum impact on revenue and outcomes. Actively guide the broader business to do the right things at the right time to maximise winnability, and call out improvements when needed Navigate and lead through change – noting we are in a period of disruption to our business model and technology transformation   Advance best practice and spot opportunities to heighten competitive edge. Monitor market trends and enforce win/loss learning discipline. Be a strong voice to the top of EY with insight and challenge on where EY can improve  Work with service lines, markets and commercial teams, as needed, to land the new value equation to support new products and new methods of delivery (notably AI models) – to secure new revenues, protect margin and identify and sell the EY differentiators.

Team Leadership

Overall function leadership responsibility for the UK&I FS Deal Activation Team – which includes people, capability and processes. Direct line management of ~8 Senior Managers, and supervision and oversight of the broader team. Balance the performance demands on Deal Activation with capacity, resilience, and wellbeing Regularly monitor and assess capability needs of the team. Sponsor the UK&I FS Deal Activation learning curriculum and champion continuous improvement Spend most of the week physically in