Brand Partnerships Manager

Smooth Media; New York (NY); On-site; USD 68,000 - 83,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Base salary + uncapped commission

On-target earnings: $200k–$250k+

Health, dental, vision insurance

Unlimited PTO

Direct line to Head of Brand Partnersh

Leadership path to Senior Manager

Job summary

Smooth Media, a talent management company serving knowledge creators, is seeking a Brand Partnerships Manager in NYC. You will own a strategic book of business, building partnerships between leading brands and creators, driving revenue, and shaping how Smooth shows up in the market with the partners that matter most.

This mid-senior individual contributor role requires hunting your own pipeline, closing deals, and lifting the team through example.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in media sales or brand partnerships.
• Proven closing track record with quota attainment and multi-year deals.
• Self-directed; able to own pipeline and execute without heavy oversight.
• Strong written and verbal communication with senior marketers/CMOs.

Responsibilities

• Own a strategic book of business, including named accounts, agency relationships, and brand-direct deals.
• Hunt new pipeline through outbound prospecting and your existing network of brand and agency contacts.
• Lead the full sales cycle: discovery, pitching, negotiating, closing, and ongoing support.
• Develop and refine pitch frameworks, proposals, and category-level points of view on creator marketing.
• Mentor Brand Partnerships Associates through your work, coaching by example and helping them close deals.
• Partner with Creator Managers to align creators with brand opportunities.
• Provide real market POV on what brands buy and where Smooth has an edge.

Skills

Media sales

Brand partnerships

Sales strategy

Negotiation

Lead generation

Communication

Job description

Smooth Media is the talent management company for knowledge creators — the people teaching, explaining, and breaking down the world through smart, insightful content. We serve as a true strategic partner to our creators — an extension of their team that helps them run, grow, and professionalize their business.

About the Role

HIRING FOR 2027

Reports to: Head of Brand Partnerships

We're looking for a Brand Partnerships Manager to join our team. In this role, you'll own a strategic book of business, building partnerships between leading brands and our creators, driving revenue, and shaping how Smooth shows up in the market with the partners that matter most.

This is a mid-senior individual contributor seat for someone who's done the work before. You'll be expected to hunt your own pipeline, close your own deals, and lift the team through example, not formal management. Strong performers grow into Senior Manager, Brand Partnerships and beyond as we scale.

If you're a sharp closer who builds trust quickly, knows the creator economy or B2B media inside out, and wants to own real revenue at a fast-growing company, this role is for you.

What you'll do

• Own a strategic book of business, including named accounts, agency relationships, and brand-direct deals
• Hunt new pipeline through outbound prospecting and your existing network of brand and agency contacts
• Lead the full sales cycle: discovery, pitching, negotiating, closing, and ongoing support
• Develop and refine pitch frameworks, proposals, and category-level points of view on creator marketing
• Mentor Brand Partnerships Associates through your work, coaching by example, opening the deal floor for them, sharpening their pitches
• Partner with Creator Managers to align the right creators with the right brand opportunities
• Bring a real market POV on what brands are buying, what's resonating in creator marketing, and where Smooth has an edge
• Represent Smooth externally with senior brand marketers, agencies, and partners

What we're looking for

• 3-5 years of experience in media sales, brand partnerships, or a comparable revenue-carrying role
• A proven closing track record, quota attainment, multi-year deals, real book ownership
• Self-directed; you can take a number, build a plan, and execute without being managed
• Sharp closer instincts and the ability to navigate complex multi-stakeholder buy-in
• Strong written and verbal communicator who can pitch credibly to senior brand marketers and CMOs
• Understands the creator economy or brings real curiosity to learn it, and can articulate why knowledge creators are a different sell than lifestyle or entertainment
• Based in NYC or open to being in NYC (our team is in-office Mon-Thurs)

What we can offer

• Base salary: $75,000 plus uncapped commission on closed deals
• On-target earnings: $200,000–$250,000+ in Year 1 for strong performers
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Unlimited PTO (mandatory 10 days per year minimum)
• A direct line to the Head of Brand Partnerships and meaningful input into how the team builds
• A merit-based path to Senior Manager, Brand Partnerships and broader leadership as we scale, earned through performance, not tenure

Smooth Media is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.