Sr. Director, Business Development

Rakuten Kobo Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 157,464 - 293,760; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k matching

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

Job summary

Rakuten Kobo Inc. is seeking a Senior Director of Business Development in San Francisco, CA, to lead a team focused on digital advertising solutions. This strategic role involves managing a team, cultivating client relationships, and achieving revenue growth targets.

The ideal candidate has a strong background in digital marketing, proven sales success, and excellent leadership capabilities. Benefits include a competitive salary range of USD $157,464 – $293,760 annually, along with health and other employee benefits.

Qualifications

• Manage teams selling digital advertising solutions.
• Generate new revenue and exceed sales quotas.
• Sell to C-level executives in Fortune 1000 companies.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of business development managers.
• Build relationships to generate new business.
• Drive sales activity through outreach and proposals.
• Analyze competitive landscape and position Rakuten ahead.

Skills

Digital advertising solutions sales

Account management

Consultative sales

Negotiation skills

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Job description

Job Summary

The Senior Director of Business Development will lead a high‑performing team of digital advertising business development managers, with a primary focus on driving new customer acquisition and achieving revenue growth targets. This role requires a strategic leader who can cultivate client relationships, identify new business opportunities, and collaborate cross‑functionally to deliver impactful advertising solutions. The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of digital marketing trends, a proven ability to lead sales teams, and a track record of exceeding revenue goals in a competitive environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of business development managers to achieve and exceed performance targets.
• Build and maintain relationships with key industry contacts to generate new business opportunities.
• Identify, prospect, and develop new advertiser sales leads within assigned territories.
• Drive high‑volume sales activity, including outreach, presentations, and proposal development.
• Represent the organization at trade shows, conferences, and industry events.
• Develop and deliver strategic, data‑driven presentations to prospective clients.
• Analyze the competitive landscape and position Rakuten as a market leader.
• Manage and close large, complex deals while maintaining a strong sales pipeline.
• Meet and exceed revenue and performance targets consistently.
• Align team strategies with organizational goals to support long‑term growth.
• Oversee major advertising sales decisions to ensure alignment with business objectives.
• Improve operational efficiency by designing and implementing sales processes and systems.
• Ensure consistency of policies and procedures across teams and initiatives.
• Mentor team members on best practices, professional growth, and performance improvement.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing teams selling digital advertising solutions such as publisher media, affiliate marketing, display, search, social, video, or attribution.
• Demonstrated success in generating new revenue and exceeding sales quotas.
• Experience selling to C‑level executives within Fortune 1000 and IAB 250 organizations.
• Strong background in consultative sales environments.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, and closing skills.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• 5–10 years of relevant experience required; 10+ years preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in digital advertising or related industries.

Work Environment & Expectations

This role requires a strategic thinker with strong leadership capabilities, excellent communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, results‑driven environment.

Benefits

Individual compensation will vary based on job‑related factors. Base compensation for this role is within the range USD $157,464.00 – $293,760.00 annually. The successful applicant will be eligible for discretionary bonus, health, vision, dental insurance, 401k matching, PTO, Volunteer Time Off (VTO), and other employee benefits as the company implements.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Rakuten provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. Rakuten considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, provincial or local laws.