Commercial Partnerships Director

We are ready to redefine podcast media and technology with this new company.

“I truly believe that we have every core component required ready to disrupt and redefine the global podcasting industry with this new venture.

We have done this in our own tiny way already with The Diary Of A CEO, but I'm haunted by the potential that we see to scale this globally, for the people and the voices who will change the world”

Steven Bartlett: Founder, Chairman, Entrepreneur, Podcaster

Are you the A Player to join us on our new mission?

The Opportunity:

Team DOAC/Flight Studio is on a mission to revolutionise the podcast industry and deliver unparalleled experiences to our audiences and partners. We're seeking an experienced and talented Partnerships Director to lead our efforts in identifying and cultivating new business opportunities, nurturing relationships with key media stakeholders, and driving revenue and value through the industries most innovative commercial offering:

• Podcast sponsorship (baked in and DAI)
• Audio ads (audience and contextual targeting)
• Branded content (podcast, video, social)
• Live events
• Equity partnerships via Flight Fund

This is an individual contributor role and the successful candidate will have a proven track record of driving revenue growth through strategic 360” influencer-led partnerships. Additionally, you should be a natural builder/doer, exhibit endless curiosity, have strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to adapt to a fast-paced and ever-changing environment. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of our platform, make a significant impact in the podcasting industry and wider media landscape.

Responsibilities:

• Identify > pitch > negotiate > secure > activate > analyse brand partnerships that align with our company values and target audiences
• Proactively seek speaking engagements and media opportunities, positioning our talent as international thought leaders and elevating brand visibility
• Work collaboratively with the creative and account management team to build compelling pitch decks and media plans
• Negotiate and finalise partnership agreements that deliver mutual value and drive revenue growth, conducting regular global pricing benchmark exercises across all formats
• Develop and execute revenue-driven strategies and business plans, fostering innovative and mutually beneficial collaborations
• Identify and explore untapped markets and growth opportunities for Flight Studio commercials
• Manage and optimise relationships with existing partners through the facilitation of regular status calls, embracing project management systems and ensuring higher-value renewals through exceptional campaign execution and reporting
• Overseeing the successful implementation of cross platform partnerships, tracking and analysing partnership performance, providing regular reports and recommendations for improvement, including full funnel measurement
• Measure impact by monitoring lead generation and revenue targets, aligning KPIs with the broader business objectives and providing data-driven recommendations to the team
• As a member of the scaling commercial team, you will be expected to have a hands-on approach to building the collateral and processes that will enable our collective success (creds decks, market updates, insights, case studies etc)
• Contribute to evolving internal processes, driving efficiencies, automation, and risk mitigation
• Collaborate closely with internal teams such as the CCO, Creative Director, Account Manager, Marketing Director and Executive Producer(s)/Production Team to align partnership activities with overall business goals
• Analyse industry trends and competitive landscape to identify new opportunities, keeping us at the forefront of the media and advertising industry

A typical week involves:

• Proactive business development outreach: min x15 per week, leveraging our existing CRM database from Steven Bartlett/DOAC in-bounds leads, networking and/or other BD activities
• Min 3-5 business development meetings/presentations with key agency and client stakeholders to uncover new business opportunities
• Presenting response to briefs (RTBs) via virtual calls and IRL meetings
• Collaborate with the Creative Director for additional brief uncovery to help ensure strategic ideation that exceeds our partners expectations
• Overseeing the successful implementation of cross platform partnerships, tracking and analysing partnership performance, providing regular reports and recommendations for improvement, including full funnel measurement
• Responding to all in-bound briefs spanning podcast sponsorship, branded content, social campaigns and speaking request (est 5-10 p/w)
• Provide accurate weekly revenue pacing and quarterly forecasts to the CCO
• Facilitation of weekly 1:1’s with your Snr Campaign Manager ensuring that all projects are on track to deliver on time and identifying and removing roadblocks where needed
• Creative/quality control across all campaign assets
• Attending campaign shoot dates with talent where needed
• Building case studies and collateral to contribute to our Commercial Team’s foundations
• Reading industry reports and reviewing quarterly business planning progress
• Social/client relationship management
• Conducting between 5-10 experiments p/w with our Failure and Experimentation Manager including but not limited to: copy variations, AB testing host reads or social assets and other process or creative campaign improvements

Requirements

Must Haves:

• 5+ years of experience in senior sales/creative partnership management spanning podcasts, social, video, speaking engagements, live events, product or talent management
• Proven track record of successfully securing major brand partnerships and driving revenue growth, including exceptional market references
• Ability to work collaboratively with multiple departments across the company
• Systematic, process-driven approach to partner outreach and relationship management
• Experience working in Google suite of products (Google Slides, Sheets, Docs, etc.) and Keynote
• An analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data, draw insights, and make data-driven decisions
• Understanding of how technology and automation drive growth, enhance business performance, and foster adoption
• Excellent networking skills, with the ability to build and nurture relationships
• Self-driven and capable of independently advancing projects in a fast-paced startup environment, embracing ambiguity
• Strong network of contacts within the media ecosystem
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence high-profile brand partners and stakeholders
• Passion for sales and entrepreneurship
• Willingness to occasionally travel internationally to establish and nurture partnerships

Nice To Haves:

• Experience in a rapid start up environment
• Social native - deep knowledge of digital marketing and social media platforms
• Experience interpreting social analytics for branded content collaborations
• Experience with the Megaphone and YouTube platforms
• Experience interpreting brand uplift studies and pixel based attribution report
• International account management experience, particularly in the US market
• Understanding the different buyer needs across direct response vs brand budgets
• Experience structuring talent fees across and content usage rights
• Relationships with the major US podcast performance agencies (, Oxford Road, ARM, Right Side Up etc)
• Relationships with talent agents or speaking agencies

Benefits

Location:

• London - Shoreditch ~ we are an in-person-first culture and believe in fostering a vibrant and work environment centred around connection and community.
• Some roles will require global travel so flexibility in this aspect is important and your hiring manager will confirm this with you during the interview process

Our Values:

Our first principles and values for every person in our company no matter their tenure, experience or status, are the same.

You will be an endlessly ambitious, passionate professional. An emotionally intelligent, resilient leader and a trusted, empathetic co worker. A life-long student of your craft no matter whether it’s day 1 or day 1001. A brave, proactive experimentalist, obsessed with the 1% and marginal gains. An open, compelling, collaborative communicator, an attentive listener and friend.