Director, Business Development, New Business and Formats

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Proposed Title: Director, Business Development, New Business and Formats

As Director of Business Development, New Business and Formats, you are an essential leader in CNN’s commercial organization who helps drive growth and revenue through innovative deal-making and partnerships. You are a seasoned professional with a deep understanding of the media and technology landscape who can manage complex and high-impact projects and priorities, lead multiple partner relationships, and work collaboratively across departments to identify and develop new deal opportunities.

You will report to the SVP of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development and partner closely with senior leaders across CNN to identify, develop, structure and execute new business opportunities that complement and propel CNN’s commercial growth – including emerging markets and developing deal and partnership opportunities around new formats. You will be responsible for licensing and distribution partnerships and deals, relationship management and commercial revenue strategy.

Responsibilities

- Deal Sourcing & Negotiation

o Source, evaluate, and negotiate high-impact deals, including content partnerships, distribution agreements, and technology collaborations, with a strong emphasis on new emerging opportunities and formats such as newsletters, vertical video, new content areas and audio.

o Build and maintain relationships with key industry stakeholders, including potential partners, clients, and investors.

o Oversee the entire deal lifecycle from initial contact through negotiation to post-deal integration.

- Strategic Planning & Execution

o Develop and implement business development strategies that drive growth and support CNN’s global objectives, with a focus on new growth areas.

o Identify new market opportunities, trends, and partnerships to expand CNN’s reach and revenue streams.

o Lead cross-functional teams to execute strategic initiatives.

- Market Analysis & Intelligence

o Conduct thorough market research to identify and assess potential business opportunities.

o Stay abreast of industry trends, competitive landscape, and emerging technologies to inform strategic decisions.

o Provide actionable insights and recommendations to senior leadership.

- Leadership & Collaboration

o Lead and mentor junior business development professionals, fostering a high-performance culture.

o Collaborate closely with internal departments, including editorial, legal, finance, and product, to ensure alignment and seamless execution of business initiatives.

o Represent CNN at industry conferences, events, and meetings to enhance the company's profile and network.

Qualifications & Experience…

· Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred.

· 7-10 years of progressive experience in business development and/or strategic partnerships.

· Experience with structuring deals complex, multi-part deals and partnerships

· Experience working with the major tech platforms and other media companies

· Exceptional written and verbal communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.

· Proven ability to build and manage relationships, sometimes with many stakeholders to ensure alignment and collaboration.

· News or entertainment background a plus

· Willingness to travel

How We Get Things Done… This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.

How We Get Things Done…

This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate a