Senior Vice President, CNN Ad Sales & Client Partnerships

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The Senior Vice President, CNN Ad Sales & Brand Partnerships is responsible for developing and executing high-impact advertising strategies that drive predictable, repeatable, and reliable direct revenue growth across premium brand partnerships. This executive will lead CNN’s national ad sales organization, collaborating closely with CNN’s editorial, product, and executive leadership teams to craft innovative, brand-aligned advertising solutions across all platforms.

Additionally, this role will work in tight coordination with Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) broader ad sales organization to integrate CNN’s premium news offerings into WBD’s portfolio, unlocking new revenue opportunities and maximizing client partnerships.

This position requires a visionary, external-facing sales leader who can navigate the evolving media landscape, develop distinctive sales propositions, and forge deep relationships with major brands and agencies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Business Development:
  • Expand CNN’s direct client base by identifying new revenue opportunities across linear, digital, streaming, audio, and emerging platforms.
  • Partner with WBD ad sales leadership to align CNN’s ad offerings with broader cross-network, multi-platform solutions.
• Editorial & Product Collaboration:
  • Work hand-in-hand with CNN’s editorial, digital, and product teams to create custom, premium advertising solutions that resonate with CNN’s audience while upholding journalistic integrity.
  • Influence product development to drive innovative data-driven and programmatic ad solutions, leveraging CNN’s first-party data and audience insights.
• Executive & Cross-Division Collaboration:
  • Serve as the key bridge between CNN’s ad sales team and WBD’s sales organization, ensuring CNN is fully leveraged in multi-network, global advertising opportunities.
  • Collaborate with internal stakeholders—including CNN leadership, WBD sales, marketing, research, and legal—to drive cohesive, integrated sales initiatives.
• Revenue Growth & High-Value Partnerships:
  • Build and nurture deep relationships with CMOs, agency leaders, and Fortune 500 brands, developing high-value partnerships that position CNN as a must-buy in the premium news category.
  • Set ambitious sales goals, ensuring the team consistently exceeds revenue targets.
• Sales Innovation & Emerging Revenue Models:
  • Spearhead new digital ad product development in partnership with CNN’s product and engineering teams, focusing on premium video, branded content, first-party data solutions, and emerging ad formats.
  • Assess and drive CNN’s participation in industry events and trade marketing opportunities to solidify its leadership position in the market.
• Team Leadership & Organizational Growth:
  • Lead and mentor CNN’s national ad sales team, ensuring they are empowered with the best tools, training, and strategic vision to succeed.
  • Foster a high-performance, growth-oriented culture that balances revenue execution with long-term strategic development.

Qualifications:

• Experience:
  • 10-15+ years of executive sales leadership experience, preferably in premium news, digital media, or multi-platform advertising.
  • Proven track record of closing high-value, multi-million-dollar ad deals, managing senior-level client and agency relationships.
  • Deep expertise in both direct and programmatic sales, with a strong grasp of first-party data strategies and evolving ad tech trends.
• Leadership & Collaboration Skills:
  • A natural connector who can align sales strategy with CNN editorial and product leadership, ensuring revenue goals support content integrity.
  • Strong ability to partner across divisio