Director of Sales and Business Development (Corporate Affairs + Politics)

ABOUT THE JOB Palette is a fast-growing startup at the center of the creator economy. Our team of 80+ is working towards defining the standard for talent management and marketing in an era of new media dominated by digital-first entertainers. Our management infrastructure mirrors the depth of attention given to the world’s biggest cultural and entertainment icons, and previously reserved for artists in traditional arenas of entertainment. Today, it services a roster of 200+ creators and influencers with a combined following of 1B+ serving over 45.8B impressions monthly. Our creators have starred in Super Bowl commercials, launched national brands, and have been featured in nearly every major publication. Our marketing agency executes strategy for some of the most influential brands and organizations in the world, including: The Biden White House, Amazon, simplehuman, and the Gates Foundation. 42% of Americans under the age of 40 are no longer accessible through traditional marketing channels – we enable organizations to speak to those audiences. Our marketing team has been recognized with 5 Shorty Impact Awards, and has advised three US Presidents on the future of the internet. THE ROLE As the Director of Sales and Business Development, you will be responsible for driving marketing side revenue growth, building the sales pipeline from the ground up, and establishing a repeatable sales process. Over the past five years, Palette has become a leader in the creator economy, building strong relationships with thousands of brands and partners — all without a formal sales team. The person in this role will be responsible for building the structure, process, and strategy to turn inbound interest and targeted outbound outreach into scalable revenue. RESPONSIBILITIES - Build and refine a sales playbook tailored to Palette’s marketing services, including prospecting approaches, outreach scripts, pricing tactics, and negotiation guidelines - Deliver on annual sales bookings and revenue targets by identifying and securing new client opportunities. - Create tailored proposals that address client challenges and position Palette as a strategic thought‑partner. - Negotiate campaign rates and develop scalable pricing structures that align with industry standards. - Prepare monthly/quarterly revenue forecasts and pipeline reports. - Monitor KPIs such as revenue generated, number and quality of leads, lead conversion rates, customer‑acquisition cost, and client retention. - Maintain strong relationships with C‑suite executives and key decision‑makers at client organization to ensure Palette is top of mind. - Serve as clients’ primary point of contact during the sales process and ensure a smooth handover to account managers or campaign managers. - Work closely cross-functionally to develop integrated campaigns and ensure that influencer strategies align with client goals. - As the business scales, hire and coach sales reps, setting clear performance expectations and providing ongoing training. QUALIFICATIONS - 5–8+ years of experience in brand partnerships, media sales, new business development or talent representation—preferably within digital media, influencer marketing, or creator economy. - Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Digital Marketing, Communications, Media Studies, or other closely related field - Proven track record of closing deals and managing high-level client relationships across brands, agencies, and media holding companies. - Strong understanding of the campaign planning cycle and RFP processes. - Deep knowledge of the influencer marketing landscape, with the ability to match the right talent to brand needs. - Confident negotiator with experience setting rates and managing deal structures at scale. - Ability to identify broader business needs, assess the revenue opportunity of deals, and project manage the full cycle of deals. - Highly organized and process-oriented, with the ability to build systems from scratch and scale operations over time. - Comfortable working independently in an ambiguous, fast-moving environment and motivated by building something new. - Existing robust network of decision-makers at agencies, brands, or media companies strongly preferred. - Proven ability to excel as a player-coach, consistently delivering individual results while also successfully building and leading high-performing teams. - Excellent communication skills—able to represent and advocate for Palette externally. - Bonus: Experience at a talent agency, influencer marketing agency, media company, or creator-facing platform.