Sales Director, Sponsorship

Sales Director, Sponsorship

About the Role

New York Public Radio is seeking an experienced, results-driven Sales Director to join our Sponsorship team and drive revenue growth across NYPR’s portfolio of brands, programming, and platforms.

Reporting to the VP of Sponsorship, the Sales Director will lead and manage a team of five sellers while maintaining a strong focus on revenue growth, new business development, and strategic client and agency relationships.

The Sales Director will develop and grow relationships with advertisers and agency partners, identify new business opportunities, and create integrated sponsorship solutions that connect brands with NYPR’s audiences. This role will sell across NYPR’s sponsorship portfolio, including audio, digital, events, and custom content opportunities.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and consultative seller who combines strong business development skills with excellent client relationship management and a deep understanding of the evolving media and advertising landscape. The Sales Director will work collaboratively across the organization to develop compelling solutions that meet advertiser objectives while supporting NYPR’s revenue goals.

Responsibilities

Drive Revenue Growth

- Drive sponsorship revenue across NYPR’s portfolio through new business development, expansion of existing accounts, and strategic agency relationships.
- Develop and execute sales strategies to achieve individual and departmental revenue objectives.
- Build and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective advertisers and agency partners.
- Identify new client categories, prospects, and market opportunities that can expand NYPR’s sponsorship business.
- Develop strategic account plans for priority clients and agencies.
- Maintain accurate forecasts and actively manage opportunities through all stages of the sales pipeline.
- Monitor advertising, media, and client trends to identify emerging revenue opportunities.

Build Client & Agency Relationships

- Develop and maintain strong relationships with senior decision-makers across brands, advertising agencies, media agencies, and other prospective partners.
- Represent NYPR Sponsorship in the advertising marketplace and build awareness of NYPR’s value to advertisers.
- Lead client meetings, presentations, negotiations, and strategic business discussions.
- Develop a deep understanding of clients’ business and marketing objectives and translate those needs into relevant NYPR sponsorship opportunities.
- Grow existing client and agency relationships while establishing new partnerships that generate sustainable, long-term revenue.
- Deliver outstanding client service and responsiveness throughout the sales process.

Develop Integrated Sponsorship Solutions

- Develop integrated sponsorship solutions utilizing NYPR’s audio, digital, event, and custom content opportunities.
- Partner with the Sponsorship team to translate client objectives into compelling proposals, presentations, and customized programs.
- Develop sponsorship packages that align NYPR’s capabilities and audiences with advertiser objectives.
- Effectively communicate the value of NYPR’s brands, audiences, content, and sponsorship capabilities.
- Work with internal partners to evaluate pricing, inventory availability, feasibility, and execution requirements for proposed sponsorship programs.
- Lead negotiations and structure agreements that meet client objectives while supporting NYPR’s revenue goals.

Collaborate Across NYPR

- Partner closely with Sponsorship Marketing on proposals, presentations, sales materials, and custom opportunities.
- Collaborate with Monetization & Sponsorship Operations on inventory, programmatic opportunities, pricing considerations, and emerging monetization products.
- Work with Ad Operations and other Sponsorship team members to support a smooth transition from sale through campaign execution.
- Coordinate with Finance and other internal stakeholders on revenue forecasting, account management, and business planning, as appropriate.
- Monitor aging reports with business analyst to make recommendations for collection efforts/account status.
- Build productive partnerships with Content and other teams when developing sponsorship opportunities that require cross-functional collaboration.
- Share client and marketplace insights to help inform sponsorship products, packaging, pricing, and new revenue opportunities.

Sales Management Experience

- Demonstrated experience leading and managing a sales team, including coaching, developing, and motivating sellers to achieve individual and team revenue goals.
- Proven ability to establish sales goals, set clear performance expectations, and create accountability for results.
- Experience managing sales pipelines, forecasts, account strategies, and revenue performance across a team.
- Strong coaching skills, with experience helping sellers strengthen prospecting, relationship development, consultative selling, negotiation, and closing capabilities.
- Ability to identify performance opportunities and provide actionable feedback, support, and development.
- Experience partnering with sellers on complex or high-value opportunities, including client strategy, presentations, negotiations, and deal development.
- Demonstrated ability to build a high-performing, collaborative, and results-oriented sales culture.
- Ability to balance people leadership with revenue leadership, bringing strategic direction while remaining close to clients, agencies, and the marketplace.

Contribute Sales Leadership & Market Expertise

- Provide strategic guidance and marketplace insights regarding advertiser priorities, agency trends, competitive activity, and changes in media buying behavior.
- Contribute to sales planning and departmental revenue strategy.
- Bring client and market feedback into conversations about sponsorship products, packaging, pricing, and go-to-market strategies.
- Represent NYPR professionally at industry meetings, client events, networking opportunities, and agency presentations.
- Model disciplined pipeline management, collaboration, accountability, and exceptional client service.

Required Qualifications

- 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in advertising, media, sponsorship, or related sales, including significant experience managing complex client relationships.
- Demonstrated sales management experience, including direct responsibility for leading, coaching, and developing a sales team.
- Demonstrated track record of developing new business and growing revenue within a media or advertising environment.
- Experience selling integrated media or sponsorship solutions across multiple platforms.
- Strong relationships with, or demonstrated ability to develop relationships with, senior brand and agency decision-makers.
- Strong understanding of the advertising and media marketplace.
- Experience developing strategic, solution-oriented proposals based on advertiser business and marketing objectives.
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate complex agreements and successfully move opportunities from prospecting through close.
- Strong pipeline management, forecasting, and account-planning skills.
- Excellent presentation, communication, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
- Strong business judgment and the ability to operate effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.
- Ability to manage multiple clients, opportunities, and priorities simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience selling audio, podcast, digital media, branded content, events, or other cross-platform sponsorship products.
- Experience working within premium media, news, publishing, audio, podcasting, or public media.
- Familiarity with CRM and advertising sales systems.
- Understanding of evolving digital and programmatic advertising models.
- Experience using research, audience insights, and performance data to strengthen client proposals and sales strategies.
- Interest in and appreciation for NYPR’s public service mission and programming.

What Success Looks Like

- Achieving individual and departmental revenue objectives.
- Growing new business and expanding existing accounts.
- Building and maintaining a healthy, sustainable sales pipeline.
- Developing strong, long-term relationships with key clients and agency partners.
- Maintaining effective forecasting and disciplined account management.
- Developing and closing high-value, integrated sponsorship opportunities.
- Collaborating effectively across Sales, Marketing, Monetization, Operations, Content, Data, and Finance.
- Increasing NYPR’s visibility and consideration within the advertising marketplace.

Additional Information

This is a full-time role with a salary range of $150,000 - $160,000 annually (plus a full benefits package).This role includes a base salary and eligibility to earn commission under the organization’s commission plan. Commission payments are calculated and paid in accordance with plan terms and applicable performance criteria. Salary offered within this range is determined by skills, experience and organizational pay equity. New York Public Radio also offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, along with vacation time, personal days, sick time and parental leave.

This role is based in New York City (or the immediate metro area) and operates in a hybrid capacity, with a regular in-office presence to support cross-functional collaboration.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

New York Public Radio is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We continuously strive to place our employees at the center of our thinking and elevate inclusive practices to develop and support a more engaged and productive workforce. Our journalism and operations in the service of that journalism benefit from a broad range of perspectives, from all backgrounds, at all levels of the organization. Diversity is essential to honest, authentic, accurate storytelling and reportage; creating an institution in which all voices are encouraged, valued, and heard.

Equal Opportunity

New York Public Radio is an equal opportunity employer committed to achieving the goal of equal employment opportunity for all. Applicants and employees are considered and evaluated for positions without regard to mental or physical disability, race, creed, color, religion, gender, national origin, citizenship status, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, employment status or any protected federal, state or local status unrelated to the performance of the work involved.