Director of Business Development

Thunderhawk Technology Partners; Calabasas (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Thunderhawk Technology Partners seeks a strategic Director of Business Development to identify and execute growth opportunities across the brand and into new verticals.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience in live events, nightlife, music marketing, or experiential branding, with a strong network across brands, agencies and venues. The role presumes leadership experience and a track record of expanding revenue amid dynamic markets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 9+ years of experience in business development, sponsorship sales, strategic partnerships, brand marketing, or a related discipline within live events/entertainment.
• 2+ years of management experience with team leadership and restructuring experience.
• Proven ability to identify and execute strategic growth opportunities from concept through implementation.
• Strong ownership, proactive attitude, and ability to work under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate current operations, revenue mix, audience demographics, brand equity, and competitive positioning to identify growth opportunities.
• Identify and maximize underutilized assets including IP, data, partnerships, and digital platforms.
• Develop and implement a multi-year growth strategy focused on scalable revenue opportunities.
• Research and validate new markets, products, services, and business models beyond traditional events.
• Identify, cultivate, and develop strategic partnerships to create new distribution channels and incremental revenue.
• Lead negotiation and execution of high-value strategic partnership agreements.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Operations, Production, and Finance to support growth.
• Build systems and processes enabling sustainable and scalable business development.
• Assess organizational structure and advise on team/resource adjustments.
• Monitor industry trends to inform strategic decisions.
• Work evenings and weekends as needed for events and deadlines.

Skills

Strategic partnerships

Sponsorship sales

Brand marketing

Live events industry knowledge

Leadership

Relationship building

Negotiation skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing/Communications/Business

Tools

Microsoft Office

Asana

Concur

Procurify

Airtable

Job description

We are seeking a strategic and commercially minded Director of Business Development to identify, develop, and execute growth opportunities across the brand and into new verticals. This role will evaluate emerging markets, uncover scalable revenue opportunities, and develop actionable strategies that expand the brand’s reach, relevance, and long-term business potential.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience across live events, nightlife, festivals, music marketing, entertainment, or experiential branding, along with a strong network of relationships across brands, agencies, venues, and entertainment professionals.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Evaluate the company’s current business operations, revenue mix, audience demographics, brand equity, and competitive positioning to identify areas for growth and optimization.
• Identify and maximize underutilized assets, including intellectual property, audience data, brand partnerships, digital platforms, and community reach.
• Develop and implement a multi-year growth strategy focused on scalable and diversified revenue opportunities.
• Research, assess, and validate new markets, products, services, and business models beyond traditional live events and sponsorships.
• Identify, cultivate, and develop strategic partnerships that create new distribution channels, expand audience reach, and generate incremental revenue.
• Lead the negotiation and execution of high-value strategic partnership agreements.
• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Operations, Production, Finance, and other teams to evaluate organizational capabilities, resources, and infrastructure required to support growth.
• Build and implement systems, processes, and frameworks that enable sustainable and scalable business development.
• Assess organizational structure and recommend team or resource adjustments needed to support evolving business objectives.
• Monitor cultural, entertainment, consumer, and industry trends to identify emerging opportunities and inform strategic decision-making.
• Operate effectively in high-pressure environments while managing competing priorities and demanding timelines.
• Maintain flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed to support business priorities, events, and deadlines.
• Support the onboarding, training, and development of team members, clients, vendors, and strategic partners as needed.
• Take on additional projects, initiatives, and responsibilities as business needs evolve.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 9+ years of experience in business development, sponsorship sales, strategic partnerships, brand marketing, or a related discipline within the live events, entertainment, music, nightlife, or experiential industries.
• 2+ years of management experience required, with demonstrated success managing, developing, and leading teams, as well as restructuring and optimizing teams to align with evolving business needs.
• Proven ability to identify and execute strategic growth opportunities from concept through implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, and constantly evolving environment while maintaining composure, sound judgment, and a positive attitude.
• Strong sense of ownership with a demonstrated willingness to take accountability for individual and team outcomes.
• Self-directed, proactive, and highly motivated, with a demonstrated ability to identify opportunities and take initiative without extensive direction.
• Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound decisions and navigate challenges in real time.
• Highly resourceful with exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build, cultivate, and maintain relationships across a broad network.
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Asana, Concur, Procurify, and Airtable.

Compensation Range : $120k to $140k Annually

WORK ENVIRONMENT & TRAVEL

• This position requires comfortable working in loud, crowded, and high-energy environments.
• May be required to work outdoors and in a range of weather and temperature conditions at events.
• May be required to regularly travel for work-related events, meetings, and activations.
• Evening and weekend work is frequently required based on event schedules, business priorities, and deadlines.
• This position requires a regular combination of office-based work and on-site event responsibilities.