VP, Business Development

True Media; United States; Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule (3 days in office

401(k) with employer match

Health, dental, vision insurance

Job summary

True Media is seeking a VP, Business Development to lead outbound growth, develop C-suite relationships, and drive revenue opportunities across US markets, including multiple office locations and remote work options.

The role oversees prospecting pipelines, HubSpot data integrity, and strategic engagement from initial contact through pitch. A bachelor’s in a related field is preferred, with 15+ years in advertising or media sales and a proven senior‑level closing track.

Qualifications

• Fifteen+ years in sales, business development, or account growth within ad/marketing services.
• Strong proficiency with media planning tools and analytics platforms (GA4, Nielsen, MRI, etc.).
• Excellent presentation and MS Office skills.
• Experience building senior-level client relationships and closing deals.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive an outbound prospect pipeline across industries; build a robust book of prospects.
• Develop C-suite relationships and nurture prospects via direct outreach and meetings.
• Maintain HubSpot data, oversee pipeline tracking, and report updates to leadership.
• Attend industry events; convert networking into qualified opportunities.
• Collaborate with MTP network sales and marketing on outreach.
• Represent agency during pitches and ensure smooth handoffs to the pitch team.
• Lead and mentor the Business Development team; oversee hiring and coaching.
• Track time and travel; balance field activity with admin tasks.

Skills

Outbound prospecting

C-suite relationship building

Pipeline management

Negotiation skills

Leadership

Executive communication

Travel readiness

CRM proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in advertising/marketing/communications/business

Tools

GA4

Commspoint

Nielsen

MRI

Vivvix

MarketMate

HubSpot

Microsoft Office

Job description

Open position in all True Media office locations, including Kansas City, MO, Columbia, MO, St. Louis, MO, Dallas, TX, Portsmouth, NH, New York, Chicago, IL, and Minneapolis, MN; also open to remote

Visa Sponsorshipis not available for this position, now or in the future. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis without requiring employer sponsorship.

The VP, Business Development is the agency’s senior executive sales leader — an aggressive, relationship-driven growth executive responsible for identifying, pursuing, and opening new revenue opportunities at the highest level. The VP builds and works a robust prospect pipeline, cultivates C-suite and senior-level relationships across the marketplace, and consistently generates qualified new business opportunities that fuel the agency’s growth. This role is distinct from the Innovation & Strategy function, which owns pitch strategy and content; the VP, Business Development owns the front end of the revenue cycle — prospecting, networking, outbound outreach, and relationship development — and remains actively involved as the agency’s senior relationship holder through the pitch process. Multiple individuals may hold the VP, Business Development title simultaneously, each working an assigned prospect focus or market segment as determined by agency leadership. Approximately 70% of this role is focused on outbound prospecting, pipeline building, and lead generation; approximately 20% is dedicated to industry presence, conference attendance, and market networking; and approximately 10% is focused on internal coordination, team leadership, and pitch participation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (Other duties may be assigned)

• Own and aggressively work an outbound prospect pipeline; proactively identify, research, and pursue new business targets across industries and categories as directed by agency leadership; build and maintain a robust book of active prospects at various stages of the sales cycle; operate with urgency, persistence, and a genuine hunger for new revenue opportunities.
• Develop and cultivate C-suite and senior-level relationships with prospective clients, marketing decision-makers, procurement contacts, and agency intermediaries; invest consistently in relationship-building through direct outreach, in-person meetings, events, and ongoing follow-up; position the agency as a compelling and differentiated partner long before a formal RFP is issued.
• Maintain accurate and current prospect and pipeline data in HubSpot; oversee the team’s day-to-day management of HubSpot and pipeline tracking; ensure pipeline reporting reflects real-time status, next steps, and probability assessments; provide regular pipeline updates to the President and participate in the weekly pipeline meeting.
• Attend industry conferences, trade events, association meetings, and cultural and media activations on a consistent and strategic basis; represent the agency compellingly in those settings; identify and convert conference and networking relationships into qualified pipeline opportunities; coordinate with the President and Marketing on conference strategy and agency presence.
• Collaborate closely with the MTP network’s sales team; align on shared prospects, cross-agency opportunities, and network-wide sales initiatives; leverage the full breadth of the MTP network’s capabilities as a sales asset in prospect conversations; ensure the agency’s outbound sales efforts are coordinated with and complementary to network-level activity.
• Serve as the agency’s most senior relationship holder through the pitch process for opportunities originated in the sales function; participate actively in pitch presentations as a senior agency face and relationship anchor; ensure a clean and well-communicated handoff of prospect context, relationship history, and strategic intelligence to the pitch team at the point of pitch engagement.
• Develop and execute outbound marketing and sales initiatives in partnership with the Marketing division and agency leadership; contribute to the agency’s external visibility through targeted outreach campaigns, thought leadership distribution, event sponsorship recommendations, and other proactive sales-support activities that open doors with target prospects.
• Lead, develop, and mentor the full Business Development team; provide executive-level coaching and performance management; manage team capacity and structure; partner with HR and senior leadership on hiring, succession planning, and career development.
• Maintain current and accurate time records; travel extensively as required.

Qualifications- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Fifteen+ years of progressive experience in sales, business development, or account growth within an advertising, media, or marketing services environment, with a demonstrated track record of generating new revenue, building prospect pipelines, and closing new business at a senior level.
• Expert proficiency with media planning tools and analytics platforms, including GA4, Commspoint, Nielsen, MRI, Vivvix, and MarketMate.
• Expert proficiency with presentation software.
• Commanding knowledge of traditional and digital media planning, buying, and measurement across all channels.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite.
• Relentless and self‑motivated hunter mentality with a genuine drive to find and open new business opportunities
• Exceptionally networked within the advertising, marketing, or media industry with the ability to build relationships quickly and authentically at the C‑suite level
• Strong executive presence and the ability to represent the agency compellingly in any setting
• Excellent verbal communication and persuasion skills
• Highly organized and disciplined in pipeline management and follow‑through
• Collaborative and ego‑free in handing off to the pitch team once an opportunity enters the pitch process
• Energized by travel, conferences, and high‑activity sales environments
• Strong people management and organizational leadership skills.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university, with a degree or concentration in advertising, marketing, communications, business, or a related field preferred; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• The chance to be a part of a growing company and the next success story
• Amazing opportunities for career development
• Recognition programs
• Employee referral bonus
• Hybrid work schedule; 3 days in the office, 2 days working from home
• Fun and collaborative work environment
• Casual dress code
• Insurance Coverage (medical, dental, vision, life, and disability)
• 401(k) retirement plan, with employer 4% match
• Work/life benefits, including mental health and wellbeing support
• Flexible Time Off Policy
• Paid holidays, including agency soft closing Christmas Eve‑New Year’s Day
• Paid leave options, including sick leave, medical leave for self and family, and parental leave

Compensation

$150,000 + Commission

ExternalSalary Range

$150,000 - $150,000 USD

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