Chief Revenue Officer

At Stout, we’re dedicated to exceeding expectations in all we do – we call it Relentless Excellence ®. Both our client service and culture are second to none, stemming from our firmwide embrace of our core values: Positive and Team-Oriented, Accountable, Committed, Relationship-Focused, Super-Responsive, and being Great communicators. Sound like a place you can grow and succeed? Read on to learn more about an exciting opportunity to join our team.

The CRO will report to the head of client service and will serve as a business partner to the executive leadership team and, at times, interact with the board. The CRO will be the senior-most Go to Market (GtM) leader, responsible for strategic direction and management of sales and business development activities. The CRO will drive and support Stout’s achievement of revenue goals and acceleration of market share growth through new business development, key account management processes, brand and marketing, sales enablement and effectiveness, and cross selling.

Specifically, the CRO will be broadly responsible for leading the GtM organization as well as serving as the senior-most relationship manager to a selection of key clients. He/she will provide all operational guidance, performance management, systems and process infrastructure and technology, professional development, talent acquisition, and retention to ensure optimal geographic sales coverage and account penetration while maximizing revenue growth. 

In addition, the CRO will have accountability for supervising the design and delivery of monthly, quarterly, and annual reports across all services lines, managing daily operational activities of the BD organization as well as relationship management, new business development, and sales enablement and effectiveness. This professional will bring analytical rigor and operational discipline to monitoring all transactions through the sales cycle, including client interface and consultation, proposals, structuring, pricing, contract administration, and supporting back office activities. This sales leader will have comprehensive responsibility for the complete administration and management of the BD organization, personally focusing on training, coaching, mentoring, and retaining BD personnel as well as developing BD skills across the broader client service groups.

Importantly, the CRO will personally serve as a senior commercial face to the external industry and will personally invest time and energy in building presence and brand across the sector. As an active industry participant, the CRO will position himself/herself to advise the executive team and board on industry trends, market intelligence, competitor environment and intelligence, sector performance, specific client dynamics, and the effect of these issues on broader GtM strategies.

Key Responsibilities for the CRO Include:

• Build a strong working relationship with the Chief Client Service Officer, Business Line Presidents, and entire management team
• Exert sophisticated, analytical, and data-focused rigor across all sales and BD processes to help further evolve all areas of the Stout platform
• Establish and drive a disciplined sales, cross selling, and account management framework and process, including market segmentation, ideal client profile (ICP) development, quarterly and annual sales planning, and pipeline and funnel management
• Ensure the annual sales plan is supported by data and aligned with the broader organizational strategy and quantitative key business objectives
• Maintain vigilant and perpetual market intelligence, including the monitoring of competition, their market presence, strategies, price points, and successes/failures
• Support/partner with the Business Line Presidents in the identification of new/ancillary markets and develop market plans to effectively enter and profitably compete
• Support the entire BD and client service teams and their continual professional development and improvement
• Implement and execute BD programs and best practices across all of Stout’s client service and BD professionals
• Drive organizational development, recruitment, and retention of members of the GtM organization
• Onboard, train, and mentor new GtM colleagues
• Partnering with CFO and Chief Client Service Officer, develop and deploy effective compensation programs
• Ensure communications are synchronized and coordinated, and enable sales plan objectives while meeting organizational expenditure requirements

Person Specification:

• An undergraduate degree is required; MBA or an advanced business degree is highly desired
• Experience as the CRO or Senior Sales or Business Development Executive of a high-quality professional services business
• A former professional services practitioner, with excellence in sales and/or business development, and who has sold and delivered work is highly desired
• Experience or exposure to brand, communications, and marketing initiatives as well as marketplace partner alliances
• Experience in a firm with a strong sales culture with sophisticated use of technology and data and analytics in solving both strategic issues and tactical problems
• Demonstrated change management ability
• Demonstrable record of building a team and delivering sales results through the team with robust sales processes, effective communication, and meaningful performance metrics
• Strong presence and client orientation with proven experience of successfully influencing those critical to a group’s success, such as clients, Board, CEO, senior leadership, and industry participants
• Ability to sense new markets and anticipate industry trends as well as quantify and analyze their potential impacts
• Decisive team leader who sets high standards, drives performance, and who is capable of creating a best-in-class GtM organization through strong recruitment, development, and retention of staff and the implementation of best-fit processes and systems
• Personally proven as a successful “closer” in combination with a proven track record implementing, teaching, and utilizing best practice sales tools and processes, particularly in sales planning, to improve overall sales effectiveness and drive top-line growth
• A mature, self-aware, dynamic, and resilient executive, adept at translating ideas into action and utilizing a consultative, fact-based style to lead, coach, and develop his/her teams to identify and quantify client needs and develop innovative client solutions
• High-energy executive, able to personally contribute as well as lead;  less dependent on a large staff and resources to achieve objectives. A self-starter with a “roll up the sleeves” style capable of working collaboratively in a decentralized, fast-paced, goal-oriented, data-driven environment
• Strategic, innovative, and adaptive, this leader possesses the external awareness to understand the nuances of selling in the target marketplace as well as teach, mentor, and coach teams to consistently deliver operational excellence and over-achieving outcomes
• Must demonstrate a sense of urgency coupled with the relentless drive, persistence, and relationship-building skills to effect critical change
• Ability to work effectively in an operationally-intense company environment; providing guidance and leadership where required, but also able to gauge when to focus on detail and add direct support to accomplish objectives
• Outstanding analytical skills and the ability to add rigor and discipline to Stout’s BD processes and market development activities
• The ability to proactively problem solve, design actionable steps, and measure progress is critical
• Must be forward-thinking and anticipatory in mindset and an enabler of strategy and action
• Possesses a brand of humble confidence, allowing for effective delegation and empowerment across his/her entire team
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to build and foster relationships externally with clients and internally across management and key stakeholders is imperative; able and willing to have hard conversations and address conflicts when needed
• Ability to instill a “can do” attitude and to motivate teams to produce short-term results and simultaneously inspire and support several longer-term strategic projects and initiatives
• Demonstrated track record of the highest personal integrity and ethical compliance

Why Stout?
At Stout, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards program with competitive compensation, benefits, and wellness options tailored to support employees at every stage of life.

We foster a culture of inclusion and respect, embracing diverse perspectives and experiences to drive innovation and success. Our leadership is committed to inclusion and belonging across the organization and in the communities we serve.

We invest in professional growth through ongoing training, mentorship, employee resource groups, and clear performance feedback, ensuring our employees are supported in achieving their career goals.

Stout provides flexible work schedules and a discretionary time off policy to promote work-life balance and help employees lead fulfilling lives.

Learn more about our benefits and commitment to your success.

https://www.stout.com/en/careers/benefits

The specific statements shown in each section of this description are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements and criteria necessary to successfully perform the job.

Stout is an Equal Employment Opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment on the basis of valid job requirements, qualifications and merit without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law. 

Interested in joining a rapidly growing group of bright, ambitious professionals in a work environment that values culture, inclusion, and personal growth? Stout might just be the right place for you.