Vice President of Business Planning and Development

Vice President, Business Planning & Development
Location: United States | Full-Time | Remote / Hybrid / On-site
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer / Managing Partner
Role Overview
The Vice President, Business Planning & Development will lead the development of business plans, identify opportunities for organizational growth, and establish the planning frameworks needed to support long-term commercial objectives.
This position focuses on translating business opportunities into structured development plans, evaluating growth initiatives, and coordinating the resources required to execute approved priorities. The VP will work closely with executive leadership to assess business performance, identify development opportunities, and improve the organization's ability to make informed strategic and commercial decisions.
The role is suited to an experienced business planning leader who combines financial awareness, commercial analysis, organizational judgment, and practical execution capabilities.
Primary Areas of Responsibility
Business Planning & Resource Alignment
Lead annual and quarterly business planning processes in coordination with executive leadership and functional managers.
Translate organizational objectives into operating plans, measurable targets, timelines, and resource requirements.
Evaluate business priorities and recommend adjustments based on performance, market conditions, and available resources.
Coordinate planning assumptions across departments to improve consistency in budgets, forecasts, staffing plans, and operating objectives.
Develop scenario analyses to help leadership assess alternative business strategies and prepare for changing conditions.
Establish planning calendars, documentation standards, and review procedures that improve organizational accountability.
Identify gaps between business objectives and execution capacity and recommend practical solutions.
Business Development & Opportunity Assessment
Identify opportunities to develop new revenue streams, expand existing services, enter additional customer segments, or improve commercial reach.
Evaluate potential business initiatives according to market demand, financial viability, resource requirements, and strategic fit.
Prepare business proposals, opportunity assessments, investment recommendations, and development plans for executive consideration.
Collaborate with Sales and Business Development teams to assess prospective customers, commercial channels, and growth opportunities.
Evaluate potential partnerships and external business relationships that may strengthen the organization's capabilities or market position.
Coordinate internal stakeholders during the evaluation and implementation of approved development initiatives.
Monitor the progress of business development projects and recommend adjustments when assumptions or priorities change.
Performance Review & Business Intelligence
Establish reporting frameworks that provide leadership with visibility into business performance, operating priorities, and development initiatives.
Analyze revenue trends, operating costs, budget variances, resource utilization, and other relevant performance indicators.
Work with Finance and departmental leaders to improve forecast reliability and explain material differences between planned and actual results.
Develop management reports and executive presentations that highlight business issues, emerging opportunities, and recommended actions.
Identify recurring performance gaps and coordinate the development of corrective action plans.
Use market research, competitive information, and internal business data to support planning decisions.
Maintain clear records of planning assumptions, management decisions, initiative ownership, and follow-up actions.
Business Development Lifecycle
The VP will establish a disciplined process for moving opportunities from initial evaluation to implementation and review.
Opportunity identification: Define the business problem, assess market demand, and determine whether the opportunity merits further evaluation.
Feasibility assessment: Review financial implications, resource needs, operating requirements, commercial risks, and potential returns.
Planning and approval: Develop a structured business plan with objectives, milestones, accountable owners, budgets, and performance measures.
Implementation coordination: Work with relevant departments to monitor execution, address dependencies, and maintain alignment with approved objectives.
Performance evaluation: Compare actual results with initial expectations, document lessons learned, and recommend whether to expand, modify, or discontinue the initiative.
Leadership Deliverables
The successful candidate will be expected to produce practical outputs that support executive decisions and improve business execution, including:
Annual and quarterly business plans.
Business development opportunity assessments and prioritized initiative pipelines.
Revenue and operating forecasts developed with Finance.
Resource allocation recommendations and scenario analyses.
Business performance reports and management review materials.
Implementation plans for approved growth initiatives.
Performance tracking frameworks for major business development projects.
Recommendations addressing execution gaps, emerging risks, and changing commercial conditions.
Professional Qualifications
We are looking for an executive with a substantial background in business planning, corporate development, commercial analysis, or organizational growth.
Candidates should demonstrate:
20+ years of progressive experience in business planning, corporate development, commercial planning, business operations, or related disciplines.
Senior leadership experience overseeing business plans, development initiatives, performance reviews, or cross-functional programs.
Demonstrated ability to assess business opportunities and convert findings into actionable development plans.
Strong knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, business case development, resource planning, and performance analysis.
Experience evaluating new business initiatives using financial information, market research, and operational considerations.
Proven ability to coordinate planning activities across Finance, Operations, Sales, Marketing, and other functional teams.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including the ability to explain complex business issues to senior decision-makers.
Experience preparing executive presentations, management reports, business proposals, and investment recommendations.
Excellent communication, organizational, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
The ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining clear accountability for deliverables and deadlines.
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Management, or a related field required. An MBA or other relevant advanced degree is preferred.
Candidate Backgrounds of Interest
This position is particularly relevant for candidates who have progressed through business planning, corporate development, commercial finance, or business operations roles.
Potential backgrounds include:
Vice President of Business Planning
Head of Corporate Development
Director of Business Performance
Senior Commercial Planning Executive
Head of Strategic Business Initiatives
Business Operations Director with enterprise-wide planning responsibilities
Management consultant specializing in business planning and organizational development
Candidates should have experience beyond producing reports alone. The role requires a track record of influencing business decisions, coordinating implementation, and evaluating whether development initiatives deliver their intended results.
Experience in technology, professional services, manufacturing, telecommunications, financial services, or other complex business environments may be relevant. Industry-specific expertise will depend on the organization's operating model and development priorities.
Leadership Expectations
The VP is expected to bring structure to ambiguous business opportunities, communicate recommendations clearly, and maintain a balanced view of commercial potential, financial constraints, and execution risk.
The successful candidate will exercise sound judgment when prioritizing initiatives, challenge unsupported assumptions, and establish practical planning processes without creating unnecessary administrative complexity.
The role reports to the Chief Executive Officer or Managing Partner and works closely with Finance, Operations, Sales, Marketing, and other business leaders.

Work arrangement
Yes