Business Development Director

Thetradedesk; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Trade Desk is seeking a Senior Account Executive (Acquire) in Chicago to drive net new business with premier brands and agencies. You will own the full sales cycle from outreach to closing, building a robust pipeline and establishing long-term partnerships with top advertisers.

You will engage senior stakeholders, demonstrate the platform’s differentiated value, and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ensure rapid onboarding and early campaign success.

Qualifications

• 6–8+ years of experience in digital media or ad tech sales.
• Proven success in a quota-carrying, acquisition-focused role.
• Experience selling programmatic or advertising technology solutions (DSP experience strongly preferred).

Responsibilities

• Drive net new business acquisition, generating and closing opportunities with brands not currently working with The Trade Desk
• Own the full sales cycle, from prospecting and discovery through pitch, negotiation, and execution of commercial agreements
• Proactively prospect and build pipeline through targeted outreach, industry engagement, and strategic account planning
• Lead value-driven discovery conversations to understand client objectives and align solutions to business outcomes
• Present and demonstrate The Trade Desk platform, articulating differentiated value and driving client confidence
• Build relationships with senior decision-makers, including C‑level stakeholders across brands and agencies
• Develop and execute winning strategies for competitive opportunities, including RFP responses and new business pitches
• Negotiate and close new agreements, including MSAs, initial spend commitments, and long‑term partnerships
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Client Services, Trading, Marketing, Product, and other teams to ensure successful onboarding and early campaign success
• Maintain a disciplined approach to pipeline management and forecasting, with clear visibility into new business performance
• Leverage market insights and competitive intelligence to strengthen positioning and improve win rates

Skills

Digital media sales

Ad tech sales

Quota-carrying

Programmatic advertising

Job description

The Trade Desk is a global technology company and the world’s leading independent platform for digital advertising, with nearly 4,000 employees across more than 30 offices. Our technology helps advertisers reach the right audiences across the open internet — from streaming TV and podcasts to mobile apps, news, and more.

Advertising powers the content people love. By making it more transparent, effective, and responsible, we help support trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and creators worldwide. The world’s brands and agencies rely on us to reach their customers and grow their businesses responsibly.

The scale of our platform brings unique technical challenges — from processing massive datasets in real time to building systems that operate reliably on a global scale. When you work here, your impact is worldwide. We welcome diverse perspectives, encourage curiosity, and build teams that learn from one another. If you’re driven to solve meaningful challenges, we’d love to meet you.

The Senior Account Executive (Acquire) is a high-impact sales role focused exclusively on acquiring net new advertisers to The Trade Desk platform. You will be responsible for identifying, engaging, and closing new brand relationships, owning the full sales cycle from initial outreach through first scaled investment.

This is an opportunity for a driven, strategic seller who thrives on building pipeline, winning new logos, and establishing long‑term partnerships with leading brands and agencies.

What You’ll Do:

• Drive net new business acquisition, generating and closing opportunities with brandsnot currently working with The Trade Desk
• Own the full sales cycle, from prospecting and discovery through pitch, negotiation, and execution of commercial agreements
• Proactively prospect and build pipeline through targeted outreach, industry engagement, and strategic account planning
• Lead value-driven discovery conversations to understand client objectives and align solutions to business outcomes
• Present and demonstrate The Trade Desk platform, articulating differentiated value and driving client confidence
• Build relationships with senior decision-makers, including C‑level stakeholders across brands and agencies
• Develop and execute winningstrategies for competitive opportunities, including RFP responses and new business pitches
• Negotiate and close new agreements, including MSAs, initial spend commitments, and long‑term partnerships
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Client Services, Trading, Marketing,Product,and other teams to ensure successful onboarding and early campaign success
• Maintain a disciplined approach to pipeline management and forecasting, with clear visibility into new business performance
• Leverage market insights and competitive intelligence to strengthen positioning and improve win rates

Who You Are:

• 6–8+ years of experience in digitalmediaor ad tech sales, with a strong emphasis on net new business development
• Demonstrated success in a quota-carrying, acquisition-focused role, consistently exceeding new business targets
• Experience selling programmatic or advertising technology solutions (DSP experience strongly preferred)
• Proven ability to prospect, build pipeline, and close high-value deals from scratch
• Strong executive presence and ability to influence senior stakeholders, including C‑level decision-makers
• Skilled in managing complex sales cycles, including negotiation and contract processes
• Highly strategic and analytical, with strong commercial and problem‑solving skills
• Established network within brands or agencies is a plus
• Self‑motivated and driven, with a hunter mentality and bias toward action
• Naturally curious, collaborative, and energized by building something from the ground up

The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, The Trade Desk is committed to creating an inclusive hiring experience where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Please reach out to us at [e-mail] to request an accommodation or discuss any accessibility needs you may require to access our Company Website or navigate any part of the hiring process.

When you contact us, please include your preferred contact details and specify the nature of your accommodation request or questions. Any information you share will be handled confidentially and will not impact our hiring decisions.