VP, Platform Partnerships & Business Development

SoundCloud is a next-generation music entertainment company powered by an ecosystem of artists, fans, and thriving communities. As one of the world’s most influential cultural platforms, SoundCloud holds a singular market position as both a music-streaming service with the largest catalog of music, and an artist services and distribution business to help artists grow long-term, successful careers. 

SoundCloud is looking for a Vice President of Platform Partnerships & Business Development. 

As a member of SoundCloud’s Business Development team, you will collaborate across our organization — with Finance, Product, Legal, BD, Analytics, and business unit leaders — to identify and evaluate platform integration and growth opportunities that accelerate our business and product strategy. You will deeply understand the nuances of SoundCloud’s positioning and opportunities, and provide the team with the insight needed to drive intelligent, sound decision-making. With an appetite for challenge and a growth mindset, you will bring strong quantitative and communication skills, strategic thinking, and sound business judgment to bear in order to think beyond the constraints of today and help grow the SoundCloud of tomorrow.

The Business Development team drives SoundCloud’s growth strategies by identifying and executing on transformative partnerships opportunities across existing and future markets. Consisting of experienced deal & strategy professionals, we’re dedicated to unlocking step-function changes to accelerate SoundCloud’s strategy. We drive target identification, lead business diligence and negotiations, and help support partnership execution. We also expect this leader to help shape and contribute to the SoundCloud culture - whether that is offering mentorship to junior members or participating in ways that create more connection among our SoundCloud community. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement business development strategies and roadmaps for the fan and creator segments, aligning with the company's short-term and long-term goals.
• Identify key strategic partners and new business opportunities, markets, and niches for growth, and create actionable plans to capitalize on them.
• Advocate for SoundCloud with partners and work closely with our product team to guide successful product integration with SoundCloud’s platform.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, partners, industry leaders, and the developer / start-up ecosystem to enhance business opportunities and collaborations that accelerate and strengthen SoundCloud’s roadmap
• Lead the negotiation and closure of strategic deals, contracts, and partnerships that drive against business goals, fuel revenue generation and contribute to the company's growth.
• Provide strategic analysis of and recommendations for building Soundcloud's relationships with platform partners (e.g. Google, Apple, TikTok)
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including legal, marketing, product, and finance, to ensure alignment and seamless execution of BD initiatives.
• Understand and communicate market opportunities, needs and partner feedback to Product and Engineering teams to inform roadmap and prioritization 
• Monitor industry trends, competitor activities, and market dynamics to identify potential risks and opportunities, adapting the business development strategy accordingly.
• Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of partners and developers, utilizing data-driven insights to track progress and forecast success metrics.
• Prepare and present regular reports to the executive team, highlighting achievements, challenges, and recommendations for the business development function.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to the broader team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and professional growth.

Experience and Background:

• 10+ years experience in business development, strategic partnerships or related roles at consumer internet, D2C or media companies
• Strong business acumen with the ability to understand various media and creator business models, industry dynamics, and fan/creator needs
• Leadership experience, including managing teams and inspiring a high-performance culture
• Fluent in Excel / Google Sheets and PowerPoint / Google Slides
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, project management and interpersonal skills, with a track record of building and maintaining successful relationships.
• Excellent quantitative and qualitative analytical skills
• Strong presentation skills, capable of effectively communicating ideas and strategies to internal and external stakeholders.
• Able to work effectively under urgency

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