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Industries
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Agency & Media
SALES & MARKETING RECRUITMENT
Agency & Media. Winning the client is half the job.
Fast briefs. Big ideas. Tight turnarounds. Plenty of opinions.
We find new-business, client-services and agency-marketing people who understand scope, margin and what the client is actually buying — not just how to pitch.
Business Services
Lights on. Customers answered. Sites secure. Problems solved before most knew they existed.
Recruitment for commercial roles across outsourcing, facilities, logistics, workplace services, professional support, managed operations and B2B service providers.
SALES & MARKETING RECRUITMENT IN
SALES & MARKETING RECRUITMENT
Business Services
Lights on. Customers answered. Sites secure. Problems solved before most knew they existed.
Recruitment for commercial roles across outsourcing, facilities, logistics, workplace services, professional support, managed operations and B2B service providers.
1 - BIG PICTURE STORY:
The Business Services Economy
THE UK PICTURE
In the UK, Administrative & Support Service Activities generated approximately £169.5 billion in aGVA in 2024, an increase of 8.6% from the previous year and the largest absolute increase of any service division in the Annual Business Survey. (Office for National Statistics)
THE IRISH PICTURE
In Ireland, Administrative & Support Service Activities generated approximately €35.4 billion in current-price GVA in 2025, up from €31.9 billion in 2024. (Central Statistics Office)
Within this economy, a national facilities contract, outsourced staffing agreement, logistics service and specialist workplace solution can all involve very different margins, mobilisation requirements, procurement processes and commercial risks.
£169.5bn
UK Administrative & Support Services aGVA, 2024
166.1k
Ireland Administrative & Support Services employees, Jul 2026
+1.8%
Ireland Administrative & Support Services employment growth, year-on-year Jul 2026
01 — THE SECTOR
Unique hiring considerations:
In Business Services, the sale becomes operational almost immediately.
A contract can look excellent at signature and still become poor business if the staffing assumptions were wrong, the scope was misunderstood, mobilisation was rushed or the price left no room to deliver the service properly.
That makes operational judgement unusually important in Sales.
Strong Business Development people understand how the service will actually work before they promise it. They become more alert to what sits behind the price, what has to happen between contract award and go-live and whether the business genuinely has the people, systems and capacity to deliver.
Marketing has to make something quite intangible credible before the buyer experiences it. Case studies, service evidence, operational expertise, client stories and proof of reliability often do more than broad claims about quality or partnership.
Two New Business Directors may both show major pitch wins and well-known clients. The same result can start at very different points in the buying journey.
The title tells us surprisingly little unless we know what the client was buying and how the agency made money from it.
CANDIDATE A
Strongest once the brief lands
• Builds strong credentials and pitch processes
• Coordinates senior agency involvement
• Converts briefs once the opportunity is defined
CANDIDATE B
Shapes the brief before it exists
• Builds senior relationships before formal briefs
• Creates preference while needs are still forming
• Qualifies carefully for fit, margin and win probability
02 — HOW WE ASSESS
Same CV. Different capability.
<p class="font_8">Two Business Development Managers may both list large contracts, tenders and new-business wins. One may convert relatively standard enquiries using established solutions and pricing; another may develop multi-site opportunities, influence requirements before tender, build the solution with Operations and understand the staffing, mobilisation and margin assumptions underneath the contract. The headline win can look similar while the work required to create it is very different.</p>
CANDIDATE B — SHAPES THE BRIEF BEFORE IT EXISTS
Develops large multi-site opportunities
Influences requirements before formal tender
• Qualifies carefully for fit, margin and win probability
CANDIDATE A — STRONGEST ONCE THE BRIEF LANDS
Develops large multi-site opportunities
Manages comparatively straightforward contracts
Delivers growth through a repeatable sales process
02 — HOW WE ASSESS
Same CV. Different capability.
02 — HOW WE ASSESS
Same CV. Different capability.
<p class="font_8">Two Business Development Managers may both list large contracts, tenders and new-business wins. One may convert relatively standard enquiries using established solutions and pricing; another may develop multi-site opportunities, influence requirements before tender, build the solution with Operations and understand the staffing, mobilisation and margin assumptions underneath the contract. The headline win can look similar while the work required to create it is very different.</p>
SAME JOB TITLE - CANDIDATE A
Works with established solutions and pricing
Manages comparatively straightforward contracts
Delivers growth through a repeatable sales process
SAME JOB TITLE - CANDIDATE B
Develops large multi-site opportunities
Influences requirements before formal tender
Builds solutions alongside Operations
SALES, NEW BUSINESS & CLIENT GROWTH
01
New Business Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Which pitches deserve the agency's time — not just winning them.
HOW IT VARIES
RFP-led in some agencies; relationship-led long before a brief in others.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"Tell us about a pitch you walked away from."
02
Client Services Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
The gap between what the client expects and what the fee covers.
HOW IT VARIES
Full P&L and renewal authority, or delivery lead with pricing held elsewhere.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"When did you last renegotiate scope mid-year?"
03
Account Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Growth that doesn't turn into unpaid over-servicing.
HOW IT VARIES
Performance agencies build media economics; creative agencies build judgement on ambiguous briefs.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"How did the account's margin move under you?"
MARKETING
04
Agency Marketing Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Attracting the kind of brief New Business actually wants.
HOW IT VARIES
Visibility and awards in some agencies; proposition and pipeline in others.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"Which piece of thinking brought a client in?"
05
Communications Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
The agency's reputation, and sometimes its clients' too.
HOW IT VARIES
Corporate narrative in-house, or crisis and media work on behalf of clients.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"What didn't you say, and why?"
06
Content Strategy Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Connecting audience insight to measurable commercial outcomes.
HOW IT VARIES
Client-facing strategy lead, or the agency's own thought-leadership engine.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"How did you prove it worked?"
We also recruit across media sales, partnerships, PR, performance and digital marketing, and sales & marketing leadership.
Discuss a role in this sector →
03 — ROLES
What the title doesn't tell you
We also recruit across media sales, partnerships, PR, performance and digital marketing, and sales & marketing leadership.
Discuss a role in this sector
→
MARKETING
04
Agency Marketing Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Attracting the kind of brief New Business actually wants.
HOW IT VARIES
Visibility and awards in some agencies; proposition and pipeline in others.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"Which piece of thinking brought a client in?"
05
Communications Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
The agency's reputation, and sometimes its clients' too.
HOW IT VARIES
Corporate narrative in-house, or crisis and media work on behalf of clients.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"What didn't you say, and why?"
06
Content Strategy Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Connecting audience insight to measurable commercial outcomes.
HOW IT VARIES
Client-facing strategy lead, or the agency's own thought-leadership engine.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"How did you prove it worked?"
SALES, NEW BUSINESS & CLIENT GROWTH
01
New Business Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Which pitches deserve the agency's time — not just winning them.
HOW IT VARIES
RFP-led in some agencies; relationship-led long before a brief in others.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"Tell us about a pitch you walked away from."
02
Client Services Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
The gap between what the client expects and what the fee covers.
HOW IT VARIES
Full P&L and renewal authority, or delivery lead with pricing held elsewhere.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"When did you last renegotiate scope mid-year?"
03
Account Director
WHAT IT REALLY OWNS
Growth that doesn't turn into unpaid over-servicing.
HOW IT VARIES
Performance agencies build media economics; creative agencies build judgement on ambiguous briefs.
WHAT WE'D PROBE
"How did the account's margin move under you?"
03 — ROLES
What the title doesn't tell you
MARKETING
Makes the agency's thinking visible before a brief appears
Uses case studies to demonstrate decisions and outcomes
Builds reputation that helps the agency enter consideration early
Communicates a clear proposition rather than a capability list
Aligns agency marketing with the work New Business actually wants
SALES
Qualifies opportunities before consuming pitch resource
Understands what is really driving the client's decision
Sells the agency that will actually deliver the work
Understands how the pricing model affects account economics
Protects scope, margin and relationship quality as accounts grow
04 — WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR
Strength signals
SALES
01
Qualifies opportunities before consuming pitch resource
02
Understands what is really driving the client's decision
03
Sells the agency that will actually deliver the work
04
Understands how the pricing model affects account economics
05
Protects scope, margin and relationship quality as accounts grow
MARKETING
01
Makes the agency's thinking visible before a brief appears
02
Uses case studies to demonstrate decisions and outcomes
03
Builds reputation that helps the agency enter consideration early
04
Communicates a clear proposition rather than a capability list
05
Aligns agency marketing with the work New Business actually wants
04 — WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR
Strength signals we listen for
04 — WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR
Strength signals we listen for
SALES STRENGTH SIGNALS
Understands how the service will actually be delivered
Prices with staffing, mobilisation and service requirements in mind
Qualifies operational fit before pursuing the opportunity
Uses Operations early enough to challenge assumptions
Builds growth through retention and expansion as well as acquisition
MARKETING strength signals
Makes operational delivery capability visible
Turns existing contracts into credible commercial proof
Understands different members of the buying group
Builds confidence throughout long procurement cycles
Differentiates similar-looking services through evidence
40-person Belfast brand agency needed a Commercial Director during a major repositioning.
Result: 3-person shortlist. Successful hire remains in post today.
The brief required an unusual combination of strategic leadership, people management and new business ability. We mapped the relevant market thoroughly and narrowed a broad potential field to three candidates capable of operating across all three areas.
05 — A RECENT SEARCH
In practice
05 — A RECENT SEARCH
In practice
Seasonal facilities business needed a Head of Sales to build new routes to market.
We targeted sales leaders able to combine direct selling with strategic partnership development across commercial and public-sector customers. The search prioritised people capable of creating sustainable growth rather than simply inheriting existing accounts.
Hired after 4 months. The appointee later became a part-owner.
FOR EMPLOYERS
Discuss a Sales or Marketing Hire
For employers, we look beyond the obvious CV match and spend time understanding the services, contract models, clients, procurement environments and operational responsibility behind someone's experience.
We look beyond the agency name and title to the proposition, pricing model, account economics and real commercial ownership behind someone's experience.
DISCUSS A HIRE
FOR PROFESSIONALS
Considering your next move?
We help make sense of the experience you've built, what you're genuinely good at and where it might take you next.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST
CALL TO ACTION
Hiring in Agency & Media?
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
[Sarah to write — one sentence]
Sarah, Founder
About MRKTSEARCH →
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
[Sarah to write — one sentence]
Sarah, Founder
About MRKTSEARCH →
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
[Sarah to write — one sentence]
Sarah, Founder · About MRKTSEARCH →
£169.5bn
UK Administrative & Support Services aGVA, 2024
166.1k
Ireland Administrative & Support Services employees, Jul 2026
+1.8%
Ireland Administrative & Support Services employment growth, year-on-year Jul 2026
06 — THE NUMBERS
The Business Services Economy
FOR EMPLOYERS
Discuss a Sales or Marketing Hire
For employers, we look beyond the obvious CV match and spend time understanding the services, contract models, clients, procurement environments and operational responsibility behind someone's experience.
SOURCES
Advertising Association; Creative Communications Ireland.
£35.2bn
UK creative & media agency GVA, 2024
£46.7bn
UK advertising investment, 2025
€1.7bn
Irish advertising market, 2025
06 — THE NUMBERS
The agency & media economy
In Business Services, the sale becomes operational almost immediately.
A contract can look excellent at signature and still become poor business if the staffing assumptions were wrong, the scope was misunderstood, mobilisation was rushed or the price left no room to deliver the service properly.
That makes operational judgement unusually important in Sales.
Strong Business Development people understand how the service will actually work before they promise it. They become more alert to what sits behind the price, what has to happen between contract award and go-live and whether the business genuinely has the people, systems and capacity to deliver.
Marketing has to make something quite intangible credible before the buyer experiences it. Case studies, service evidence, operational expertise, client stories and proof of reliability often do more than broad claims about quality or partnership.
01 — THE SECTOR
Unique Hiring Considerations
In Business Services, the sale becomes operational almost immediately.
A contract can look excellent at signature and still become poor business if the staffing assumptions were wrong, the scope was misunderstood, mobilisation was rushed or the price left no room to deliver the service properly.
That makes operational judgement unusually important in Sales.
Strong Business Development people understand how the service will actually work before they promise it. They become more alert to what sits behind the price, what has to happen between contract award and go-live and whether the business genuinely has the people, systems and capacity to deliver.
Marketing has to make something quite intangible credible before the buyer experiences it. Case studies, service evidence, operational expertise, client stories and proof of reliability often do more than broad claims about quality or partnership.
01 — THE SECTOR