Sr Director - Business Development and Strategy - AI Connect

Verizon; Basking Ridge (NJ); Hybrid; USD 228,000 - 308,000; Full time

Job summary

Verizon is seeking a Sr. Director - Business Development and Strategy for the AI Connect program. You will shape strategy, drive BD initiatives, and partner across Legal, Sourcing, Real Estate, Regulatory, and Product to ensure growth and operational excellence.

You will lead phased evolution from Build to Scale, manage a team of about 250, and deliver multi-hundred-million run-rate revenue through strategic partnerships. This hybrid, US-based role offers broad scope and impact.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant experience.
• Executive-level experience in BD, corporate strategy, finance, and operations in a high-tech or telecommunications environment.
• Strong background in strategic program management, cross-functional governance, and driving large-scale initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the overarching program strategy and BD initiatives.
• Drive market development for core infrastructure plays (Edge Data Centers, Dark Fiber, Wave technologies, Adaptive Network Fabrics).
• Manage organizational maturity benchmarking and annual planning processes.
• Direct next-generation AI and agentic strategy innovation to identify and drive new growth opportunities.
• Lead phased evolution from Build to Scale and Optimization; ensure clear ownership across commercial and build functions.
• Lead GTM partnerships delivering up to $200M in run rate revenue.
• Lead supply chain de-risking efforts.

Skills

Seniority

Executive Leadership

Strategic Planning

Growth Mindset

Cross-functional Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance/Economics

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Job description

When you join Verizon

You want more out of a career. A place to share your ideas freely - even if they're daring or different. Where the true you can learn, grow, and thrive. At Verizon, we power and empower how people live, work and play by connecting them to what brings them joy. We do what we love - driving innovation, creativity, and impact in the world. Our V Team is a community of people who anticipate, lead, and believe that listening is where learning begins. In crisis and in celebration, we come together - lifting our communities and building trust in how we show up, everywhere & always. Want in? Join the #VTeamLife.

The Sr. Director - Business Development and Strategy is a key leadership position within the AI Connect program, responsible for driving the program's strategic direction and high-growth business development initiatives. This role reports directly to the VP of Business Development and Strategy & Growth and plays a critical role in shaping the unit's commercial viability and growth, from initial strategy definition to rigorous execution across core infrastructure plays. The Lead will be instrumental in navigating the unit through its phased evolution-from initial build-out to large-scale optimization.

What you'll be doing:

Strategic Leadership & Business Development

• Program Strategy: Define and drive the overarching program strategy and Business Development (BD) initiatives for the AI Connect unit to ensure long-term alignment with enterprise goals.
• Market Development: Facilitate and partner with cross-functional teams to drive core infrastructure plays, including Edge Data Centers, Dark Fiber, Wave technologies, and Adaptive Network Fabrics.
• Organizational Maturity: Manage organizational maturity benchmarking and annual planning processes to ensure the unit scales effectively in step with operational complexity.
• Strategic Innovation: Direct next-generation AI and agentic strategy innovation to identify and drive new growth opportunities in alignment with broader business objectives.
• Define and drive the overarching program strategy and BD initiatives.
• Manage Play 1 GTM partnerships delivering up to $200M in run rate revenue.
• Lead supply chain de-risking efforts.

Operational Excellence & Governance

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Lead the prioritization of execution across critical functions within and outside of VBG, including Legal, Sourcing, Real Estate, Regulatory, and Product.
• Performance Management: Implement and manage OKR (Objectives and Key Results) frameworks to track progress against strategic milestones and business outcomes for strategy and BD priorities, track performance, identify gaps and ensure operational integrity.
• Resource Planning: Oversee resource allocation and headcount planning for a projected organization of approximately 250 total personnel.
• Phased Evolution: Drive the phased organizational evolution from Build (Phase 1) through to Scale and Optimization (Phases 3 & 4), ensuring clear ownership across all commercial and build functions.

What we're looking for...

• Seniority: 10+ years of relevant experience
• Executive Experience: Proven executive-level experience in business development, corporate strategy, finance, and operations within a high-tech or telecommunications environment.
• Strategic Planning: Strong background in strategic program management, cross-functional governance, and driving large-scale initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Growth Mindset: Demonstrated ability to navigate a phased growth model and scale organizational capabilities in alignment with business complexity.
• Cross-functional Leadership: Proven success in leading and influencing cross-functional teams to deliver on complex, multi-disciplinary projects.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field; MBA or an equivalent advanced degree is preferred.

Work Location:

Flexible across all VZ US-based locations. Candidates residing in the Basking Ridge, NJ (NY Metro) area are highly preferred.

Travel Requirements:

50%+ travel required

Where you'll be working

In this hybrid role, you'll have a defined work location that includes working from home and a minimum of three days per week in the office, which will be set by your manager. Employees are responsible for maintaining compliance with hybrid work policies.

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Equal Employment Opportunity

Verizon is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to veteran status, disability or other legally protected characteristics.

Benefits and Compensation

Our benefits are designed to help you move forward in your career, and in areas of your life outside of Verizon. From health and wellness benefit options including: medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability, basic life insurance, supplemental life insurance, AD&D insurance, identity theft protection, pet insurance and group home & auto insurance. We also offer a matched 401(k) savings plan, up to 8 company paid holidays per year and up to 6 personal days per year, paid parental leave, adoption assistance and tuition assistance, plus other incentives, we've got you covered with our award-winning total rewards package. Depending on the role, employees have the opportunity to receive compensation in the form of premium pay such as overtime, shift differential, holiday pay, allowances, etc. Newly hired employees receive up to 15 days of vacation per year, which grows with additional service. For part-timers, your coverage will vary as you may be eligible for some of these benefits depending on your individual circumstances.

The salary will vary depending on your location and confirmed job-related skills and experience. This is an incentive based position with the potential to earn more. For part-time roles, your compensation will be adjusted to reflect your hours. The annual salary range for the location(s) listed on this job requisition based on a full-time schedule is: $183,500.00 - $352,000.00.