Business Development & Partnerships Manager

Hawke Media•Santa Monica, CA

7d•$75,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

Hawke Media is seeking a Business Development & Partnerships Manager to build and grow partnerships that generate measurable pipeline and revenue. This is a high-ownership, high-accountability role for an entrepreneurial networker who can turn relationships into business opportunities. The manager will develop relationships with founders, executives, technology companies, agencies, communities, investors, and other potential referral partners, and will create partnership opportunities rather than simply maintaining an existing partner list. The role includes building a scalable partner-sourced growth engine, sourcing and closing referral, co-selling, technology, and strategic partnerships, and activating partners through initiatives such as campaigns, events, introductions, content, and offers. The manager will represent Hawke at industry gatherings and work closely with Sales, Marketing, and Leadership to produce qualified pipeline and closed business. Performance is measured by pipeline and revenue, with targets including 60+ qualified partner conversations per month, 30+ new partner relationships per month, and $250K+ in partner-sourced pipeline within the first 90 days. During the first 90 days, the manager will learn Hawke’s services, ideal customer profile, sales process, and partner ecosystem; create a prioritized list of potential partners; develop outreach and partnership strategies; launch and activate partnerships; and establish a repeatable process for sourcing and monetizing partnerships. The position offers significant autonomy, direct work with senior leadership, and the potential to take on greater responsibility and eventually lead a major growth channel.

Requirements

At least 4 years of experience in business development, partnerships, sales, strategic alliances, agency growth, or a similar role.
Demonstrated ability to build relationships and achieve results.
A network that can be activated for business opportunities.
Exceptional communication skills and the ability to connect with people in professional settings.
Entrepreneurial approach and ability to identify opportunities independently.
Comfort with ambiguity, rejection, and aggressive goals.
Highly proactive approach to sourcing leads, introductions, and opportunities.
Strong negotiation skills and ability to create mutually beneficial partnerships.
Competitive, resourceful, and persistent approach to achieving results.
Highly organized and able to manage many relationships and opportunities simultaneously.
Interest in marketing, technology, entrepreneurship, and the growth ecosystem.
Legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire; employment visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated history of generating revenue through partnerships or business development.
Existing network of founders, executives, agencies, SaaS companies, investors, or other high-value relationships.
Experience in digital marketing, advertising, ecommerce, technology, media, or professional services.
History of exceeding aggressive goals.
Experience building something from scratch, such as a business, partnership channel, community, side hustle, or other entrepreneurial endeavor.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Identify and develop relationships with founders, executives, agencies, technology platforms, communities, investors, and other potential referral partners.
Build a system to generate consistent, predictable leads at scale through channel partners.
Proactively source partner opportunities that can generate qualified leads and new revenue for Hawke.
Pitch, negotiate, and launch referral, co-selling, technology, and strategic partnerships.
Create a repeatable pipeline of introductions, referrals, co-marketing opportunities, and strategic deals.
Activate partners through campaigns, events, introductions, content, offers, and other business-generating initiatives.
Represent Hawke at conferences, dinners, networking events, and industry gatherings to meet potential partners and create opportunities.
Identify unassigned opportunities, develop creative partnership models, and move quickly from idea to relationship to revenue.
Work with Sales, Marketing, and Leadership to turn partnerships into measurable pipeline and closed business.
Build a prioritized list of 100+ potential partners and establish an initial pipeline and partnership strategy during the first 30 days.
Generate 50+ qualified partner conversations, begin closing and activating referral partnerships, and launch initial partnership initiatives during days 31–60.
Generate $250K+ in partner-sourced pipeline within 90 days and establish a repeatable process and roadmap for scaling partner-sourced revenue.