Business Development Lead

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Iowa.

📋 Description

• Create new revenue streams and uncover opportunities outside of traditional individual subscriptions.

• Generate B2B and institutional sales prospects by packaging Lee’s content for corporate, educational, nonprofit, government, and other institutional clients.

• Assist in defining the strategy and operational framework for group subscriptions.

• Prioritize opportunities across various sectors, including financial services, healthcare, higher education, senior living, and major employers.

• Investigate sponsorships, bundled offerings, licensing agreements, and revenue models based on partnerships.

• Develop business cases, financial forecasts, pilot plans, recommendations, and success metrics.

• Utilize performance data to assess whether opportunities should be expanded, adjusted, or phased out.

• Identify, negotiate, and manage strategic partnerships.

• Recognize platforms, organizations, brands, and institutions that can introduce Lee’s journalism and products to new audiences.

• Cultivate community and local business partnerships throughout Lee’s markets.

• Stay informed about developments in media, membership, commerce, technology, and related industries.

• Build relationships with potential partners and maintain a pipeline of external opportunities.

• Assess business models based on audience needs, strategic alignment, revenue potential, feasibility, and scalability.

• Integrate market intelligence and customer insights into product, audience, and commercial strategies.

• Collaborate with the Chief Revenue Officer and commercial leaders to ensure initiatives align with the broader revenue strategy.

• Work cross-functionally with Audience Growth & Monetization, local markets, advertising, product, editorial, finance, legal, and technology teams.

• Define ownership, resource needs, economics, and go-to-market strategies.

• Transition concepts from exploration to pilot, launch, and scaling phases.

• Communicate progress, results, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.

• Establish a prioritized pipeline, launch pilots, develop group subscription and institutional sales programs, and drive new revenue.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, or a comparable combination of education and work experience.

• Extensive experience in business development, strategic partnerships, B2B sales, corporate development, and/or new business incubation.

• Proven track record of transforming early-stage ideas into commercial products, partnerships, or revenue-generating programs.

• Strong commercial acumen, including experience in assessing market demand, developing business cases, and evaluating financial viability.

• Experience negotiating partnerships and collaborating with senior decision-makers both internally and externally.

• Willingness and ability to travel as business needs dictate, potentially up to 25% of the time.

• Capability to lead complex, cross-functional projects.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship management abilities.

• Comfort in navigating a dynamic environment with a high level of ownership and ambiguity.

• A practical, entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to switch between strategy, analysis, relationship building, and execution.

• Experience in media, subscriptions, membership, local commerce, education, technology, or any industry experiencing business-model transformation is beneficial but not mandatory.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Generous paid time off and holiday schedule.

• Opportunities for professional development and advancement.

• A dynamic and collaborative work environment.