Business Development Intern (MBA) - Summer 2022
Our Company
WillowTree is one of the largest independent digital consultancies in the US providing strategy, research, design, and engineering services to Fortune 500 companies all over the world. Some of WillowTree’s clients include HBO, National Geographic, Anheuser-Busch, PepsiCo, and more.
WillowTree is a 6-time Inc 500/5000 company and has been featured in the Forrester Wave for mobile, digital design, and development services. Recently, we were named to Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 due to our 244% revenue growth from 2015-2018. We are also one of a few firms globally to be certified partners with Apple, Google, SAP, and Microsoft.
In November 2018, WillowTree established our first external board following our new partnership with a private equity investor group called Insignia Capital Group. Our board is highlighted by the addition of a former Global Managing Partner at A.T. Kearney, Johan Aurik. This relationship has allowed us to unlock additional opportunities in the digital consultancy space and properly scale our business to meet our clients’ evolving needs.
Your Team
Our Business Development team rallies around three distinct areas in the client journey map: Prospecting, Pursuit, and Expansion. A few responsibilities across our team include: identifying new relationships and opportunities, nurturing ongoing relationships with client partners, contracting agreements, writing proposals, pitching our services to prospective clients, and more. Our summer program gives current MBA students the chance to innovate by contributing ideas and adding a new perspective to real client projects. And just to make sure you’re advancing in your craft, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn from fellow team members by discussing the latest trends in tech or gaining insights about creative methods of client engagements.
We understand our responsibility to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive place within the tech industry, while pushing to make our industry more representative. Because of this responsibility, we need candidates who value diversity and inclusion through their work, team collaboration, or involvement in student organizations. So in your cover letter, we encourage you to reflect on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
*This is not a remote position, but all team members are working from home until our offices reopen. This role is open in two locations: Charlottesville, VA, and Durham, NC.
Your Impact
- Hands-on experience by working on real client work -- you’ll work with a team to make technology decisions that consider client needs and WillowTree’s in-house capabilities. Common examples include cross-platform vs. Native, out of the box CMS vs. custom, and the tradeoffs of introducing middleware to the system
- Work with potential and existing clients to define mobile products and develop creative solutions -- help frame business/technical needs, project scope
- Collaborate with Engineering, Design, and Strategy team members across WillowTree to ideate, develop comprehensive digital strategies, and establish product concepts on behalf of clients
- Combine technical plans and creative concepts into written proposals (RFP, etc) for submission and presentations for pitches to C-level executives of Fortune 500 companies.
- Work alongside and be mentored by members of our executive leadership
Your Background
- Currently pursuing an MBA and graduating in May 2023
- A couple of years of professional experience working with software, ideally in management consulting or within an agency.
- Previous engagements with external clients and stakeholders — including consulting, solutioning, and strategizing
- Dynamic experience and skill making pitches to stakeholders, preferably at the executive level
- You have a genuine enthusiasm and an eye for creativity that helps you craft solutions for brands and clients
- Gifted client relationship builder with a focus on communicating clearly, confidently, and tactfully with clients.
Bonus Points
- You’ve worked in a client services environment (e.g. digital agency, heavy client facing)
- A technical undergraduate degree
P.S. Even if you don’t have expertise in all of the qualifications listed, we value new perspectives and encourage you to apply. We’re committed to building a diverse company that reflects the diversity of our users. If you feel confident about a good amount of the bullet points above, we’ll ramp you up on the rest.
Why WillowTree?
We offer a place to be yourself.
Our differences, both visible and invisible, benefit our teams, our communities, and the products we craft. That’s why WillowTree strives to build a team with diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives. You’ll work hard here; however, we’ll balance that with a culture that supports your growth and cares about your well-being. We’re committed to creating an environment of inclusion — a place where every Tree can thrive.
Our summer internship program is an opportunity for you to work on real client projects and make a real impact on our organization all while receiving one-on-one mentoring from our full-time team members. Not only that, but you’ll have weekly paid lunches, snacks galore, and plenty of chances to socialize with your fellow interns — including fun outings during work hours. We’ll have you with us full time (think 40 hours a week for 10 weeks) and yes, it is definitely paid. Not a bad gig, right?
WillowTree upholds our core values in every aspect of our work. We promote safe and inclusive work environments and maintain a drug-free workplace. We celebrate our differences and provide equal employment opportunities to all team members and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Diverse teams build better products. We acknowledge that the tech industry especially lacks opportunity for those who are of non-traditional backgrounds and in underrepresented groups. In order to create the best products for everyone, we know that it's important for our team to reflect the diversity of our users, and we are committed to being the change we want to see.