Vice President, Distribution Sales & Partnerships - Versant

Company Description

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

Comcast NBCUniversal has announced its intent to create a new publicly traded company ('Versant') comprised of most of NBCUniversal's cable television networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel along with complementary digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. The well-capitalized company will have significant scale as a pure-play set of assets anchored by leading news, sports and entertainment content. The spin-off is expected to be completed during 2025.

Job Description

The Vice President of Distribution Sales and Partnerships will be a key leader responsible for the distribution of Versant’s portfolio of media properties to a wide range of companies, spanning MVPDs, virtual MVPDs, FAST platforms  and streaming platforms/devices, as well as identifying and assessing new business opportunities with new accounts/partners/platforms and areas within existing accounts to drive incremental revenue..

Reporting to the SVP, Sales & Partnerships, the VP will negotiate for carriage of linear networks (and related digital content) with MVPDs and virtual MVPDs, publication of DTC/TVE applications and FAST channel distribution on streaming platforms, and all other third-party distribution of Versant’s sports, news and entertainment content, as well as new partnerships and accretive transactions related to that content.

We are seeking a strategic and driven leader with excellent business acumen, negotiation skills and industry relationships across traditional, digital and emerging distribution platforms who has a team-first mentality and is capable of motivating and leading a team, helping to drive strategy and confidently advocating for creative new ways to drive the business forward.  The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of the evolving media distribution and advertising ecosystem as well as a strong, data-supported perspective as to where it’s headed and how to use Versant’s content portfolio to unlock new monetization opportunities for both Versant and its distribution partners.  We are looking for a professional with a competitive and winning mindset who is willing to roll up their sleeves and lead by example while thriving in a fast-paced and entrepreneurial environment.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Support the SVP and negotiate high-stakes distribution deals and secure optimal transactional outcomes for Versant’s content portfolio of linear, VOD/TVE, streaming and AVOD/FAST in the U.S., Canada and the certain other territories.
• Facility with complicated contractual provisions and confidence interpreting and informing drafting, alongside legal, as necessary.
• Work cross functionally with legal, marketing and finance teams to develop negotiation strategies, oversee/architect development of proposals and related negotiation materials.
• Manage and train a sales team with varying levels of experience, with a focus on coaching and development.
• Maintain and develop key client relationships with key executives, developing a deep understanding of their priorities in order to identify distribution and partnership opportunities.
• Collaborate and communicate regularly with key internal partners/clients to ensure alignment around distribution strategies and appropriate visibility into deal status. 
• Work with Partner Marketing to build strategic marketing partnerships that generate value for Versant and our distribution partners.
• Manage post-deal implementation work and oversee contract compliance efforts.
• Identify and negotiate deals for new monetization opportunities for Versant’s content portfolio with new and emerging platforms and partners i