Business Development Director (Political & Advocacy)

The Trade Desk•Washington, DC

About The Position

The Trade Desk is changing the way global brands and their agencies advertise to audiences around the world. How? With a media buying platform that helps brands deliver a more insightful and relevant ad experience for consumers –– and sets a new standard for global reach, accuracy, and transparency. We are proud of the culture we have built. We value the unique experiences and perspectives that each person brings to The Trade Desk, and we are committed to fostering inclusive spaces where everyone can bring their authentic selves to work every day. So, if you are talented, driven, creative, and eager to join a dynamic, globally-connected team, then we want to talk! We are looking for a seasoned Business Development Director to lead and expand our footprint within the Political & Advocacy Sector. This is a high-impact role designed for a strategic seller who understands the unique, fast-paced nature of election cycles and the nuance of advocacy-based media buying. You will lead the full sales cycle—from high-level prospecting with major political agencies to negotiating complex deals and overseeing the strategic execution of programmatic campaigns. As a thought leader in the space, you will bridge the gap between sophisticated data strategies and cutting-edge programmatic execution across CTV, video, display, and audio.

Requirements

Industry Expertise: 7+ years of dedicated experience in Political and Advocacy advertising, with a deep understanding of the unique pressures and KPIs of Political and Advocacy organizations.
AdTech Proficiency: Strong knowledge of programmatic platforms (DSPs/DMPs), real-time bidding, and the evolving landscape of identity.
Strategic Network: An established network of decision-makers across political agencies and advocacy groups.
Communication Skills: Proven ability to present complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, from campaign managers to executive leadership.
Agility: A "campaign-ready" mindset—thriving in high-pressure, fast-changing environments where rapid response and strategic pivoting are required.

Responsibilities

Revenue Leadership: Identify, pursue, and close high-value partnerships with political agencies, national committees, and advocacy organizations. Own a significant book of business and consistently exceed seven-figure revenue targets.
Consultative Strategy: Act as a trusted advisor to clients, mapping our platform’s AI-driven capabilities to their specific campaign goals, district-level targeting needs, and voter file integrations.
Campaign Stewardship: Partner closely with Account Management and Trading teams to ensure seamless campaign activation and optimization.
Market Leadership: Represent the company as a thought leader at industry events (e.g., AAPC Pollies, MediaPost, Digiday) and contribute to industry publications regarding the future of programmatic political media.
Pipeline Management: Maintain rigorous forecasting and deal-tracking.
Product Strategy: Provide actionable feedback to the Product team to help shape our political-specific roadmap and data partnership integrations.

Benefits

All employees may be eligible to become The Trade Desk shareholders through eligibility for stock-based compensation grants, which are awarded to employees based on company and individual performance.
The Trade Desk also offers other compensation depending on the role such as variable compensation-based incentives and commissions.
Plus, expected benefits for this role include comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents, retirement benefits such as a 401k plan and company match, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, well-being benefits, reimbursement for certain tuition expenses, parental leave, sick time of 1 hour per 30 hours worked, vacation time for full-time employees up to 120 hours thru the first year and 160 hours thereafter, and around 13 paid holidays per year.
Employees can also purchase The Trade Desk stock at a discount through The Trade Desk’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

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