Senior Director, Growth & Strategic Partnerships

Newsweek is the global media organization that has earned audience time and trust for more than 90 years. Newsweek reaches 100 million people each month with thought-provoking news, opinion, images, graphics, and video delivered across a dozen print and digital platforms. Headquartered in New York City, Newsweek also publishes international editions in EMEA and Asia. 

 

Senior Director, Growth & Strategic Partnerships 

Overview 

Newsweek is seeking a dynamic, entrepreneurial Senior Director of Growth & Strategic Partnerships to accelerate revenue and scale high-impact ventures across our research & rankings, licensing, and digital distribution initiatives. This role is ideal for a scrappy, results-driven leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment and knows how to both build new business and maximize existing partnerships. 

Reporting to the SVP of Research Strategy & Revenue, the Senior Director will serve as a key growth architect — sourcing and securing new prospects while deepening existing relationships that drive measurable results. This role requires equal parts business developer and relationship manager, with a strong bias toward execution and innovation. 

Key Responsibilities 

Growth & New Business Development (50%) 

• Identify, pitch, and close new partnerships in research & rankings, licensing, and digital distribution. 
• Move forward high-value deals from initial prospecting through contract execution. 
• Explore new growth avenues, testing creative monetization models and cross-platform activations. 

Partnership Management (50%) 

• Manage and expand a portfolio of existing partners to maximize revenue and brand impact. 
• Design tailored partnership frameworks that align with Newsweek’s editorial integrity and growth goals. 
• Collaborate with internal teams to deliver seamless execution that exceeds partner expectations. 

Strategic Collaboration 

• Partner with Newsweek’s Global Head of Research to identify new areas of growth within the rankings business. 
• Serve as a strategic advisor to Newsweek’s research revenue (sales) team, helping surface and shape promising commercial prospects. 
• Act as an internal champion for growth initiatives, ensuring they are prioritized and supported across teams. 

Revenue Strategy & Targets 

• Own and deliver on measurable revenue goals across research & rankings and licensing. 
• Build and track a robust pipeline, using BI tools and CRM systems to measure partner performance and ROI. 
• Provide insights and recommendations that turn data into clear business strategies. 

Cross-Functional Leadership 

• Collaborate with editorial, research, product, and marketing to launch and scale growth initiatives. 
• Represent partnership needs in planning discussions, balancing strategic vision with tactical execution. 
• Position the role for future team leadership, mentoring junior staff as the function grows. 

Qualifications & Experience 

• 8+ years in business development, growth, or partnerships within media, digital, or adjacent industries. 
• Proven success in both new dealmaking and managing high-value partnerships. 
• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills at the executive level. 
• Data fluency — ability to analyze pipeline health, performance metrics, and ROI. 
• Familiarity with CRM systems, Airtable, and BI platforms. 
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and collaboration skills.