Senior Vice President, Business Development & Commercial Strategy

Every great story has a new beginning, and yours starts here.

Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery… the stuff dreams are made of.

Who We Are…

When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what’s next…

From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.

CNN is seeking a Senior Vice President of Business Development & Commercial Strategy to manage the development of new revenue streams and establish growth strategies across CNN’s portfolio of properties. This position will also be responsible for driving processes to increase operational efficiencies in support of CNN’s reputation for journalistic excellence, including as oversight and leadership for business intelligence. The individual should be self-motivated, passionate and be able to manage a team prioritizing multiple projects and efforts. The Senior Vice President of Business Development & Commercial Strategy will report directly to CNN’s Chief Operating Officer and will be expected to be the primary owner of major business initiatives which help drive growth and operational distinction for CNN.

Responsiblities

• Management of team responsible for end-to-end management of revenue-generating partnerships, including pipeline development, sourcing (inbound, outbound, long-term strategic), deal viability evaluation, supporting business term negotiations, and deal operationalizing.
• Analyze and understand critical news content and entertainment trends to model and evaluate new monetization strategies for the company across all digital and linear platforms.
• Identify key operational metrics across the organization to measure and analyze existing products for opportunities to innovate, improve and grow monetization.
• Serve as key architect and collaborator on setting the optimal organizational framework, workflows, and growth strategies for monetization of CNN’s IP.
• Perform various analyses by leveraging resources and insights gathered from a broad range of functional experts and data sources, including content analytics, marketing, research, etc.
• Partner with CNN leadership to build strategic vision and oversee implementation and execution high priority commercial initiatives.
• Work in close partnership with broad array of executive stakeholders across Warner Bros. Discovery including Sales and Distribution, Linear networks, International and Streaming to monetize CNN’s IP.
• Partner with Ad Sales and Sponsorship teams with vendor management + optimization of existing business partnerships, including new features/revenue streams, and performance improvement opportunities.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of work experience.
• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Engineering, Editorial, Journalism or a related discipline; M.S. in engineering or computer science and/or MBA or JD is ideal
• 10+ years of experience in digital media publishing, television programming and producing, product development, or Ecommerce. 10+ years of leading/managing television and/or web broadcasts, online video streaming experiences, interactive television application, and new digital media products.
• Deep experience building business plans, go-to-market plans, SWOT analyses and then driving the results through to implementation.
• Experience and a proven track record managing business portfolios and product suites
• Experience building products and businesses across multiple platforms including Web, HTML5, Android, iOS, Windows, and MVPD systems.   
• Successful track record managing and growing a P&L
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, promote team-based behaviors, fostering cultural change and get results; proven thought leadership in the digital industry.
• Ability to set and manage priorities judiciously.
• Excellent organization, multi-tasking, prioritization and scheduling skills and practices
• Strong team player with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong interest in news media and social applications preferred
• Exceptionally self-motivated and directed
• Superior analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to think strategically and to translate ideas into action.
• Ability to facilitate and communicate cross-functionally to ensure consistent development and execution of strategies.
• High degree of comfort with Microsoft Suite for analysis, research, and presentation creation.

Key Contributors to Success

• Creative problem solver that can proactively identify problems, pull together data and people to identify causes and develop solutions. Strong attention to detail.
• High level of emotional intelligence, with the ability to create the right solutions and approaches for each situation.
• Experience managing a team of motivated high achievers.
• Passion for bringing out the best in those around you and facilitating the success of others.
• High degree of professionalism and the ability to interact with and present directly to senior management.
• Curious and fast learner, with a track record of taking on increasing levels of responsibility in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve, alone or in conjunction with internal and external teams.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks under tight deadlines.
• Experience working with international partners and/or properties.

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.

The Legal Bits…

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, skill set, experience, and/or performance. Base pay is just one component of Warner Bros. Discovery’s total compensation package for employees. Pay Range: $210,000.00 - $390,000.00 salary per year. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, an employee wellness program, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and sick time and vacation.

Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our society and the world around us. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.

If you’re a qualified candidate and you require adjustments or accommodations to search for a job opening or apply for a position, please contact us at recruitadmin@wbd.com.