Director, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships

Balsam Brands•Redwood City, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Director of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships to build and scale high‑impact partnerships that expand the reach of our seasonal décor brand. This role will focus on developing repeatable, revenue‑generating partnerships with national retailers, hotel groups, restaurant chains, and experiential photography destinations (e.g., immersive or seasonal photo experiences). This is a hands‑on, self‑starter role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, can open doors at the enterprise level, and enjoys building programs that scale—not one‑off deals. You will own the full partnership lifecycle, from strategy and outreach to deal execution and long‑term optimization. This role will directly shape how our brand shows up in the world—bringing our seasonal décor to life through physical spaces, experiences, and national partnerships. You’ll have the opportunity to build a partnerships engine from the ground up and make a visible impact on the company’s growth. This full-time position reports to the B2B General Manager and is expected to work in a hybrid model, which currently includes Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in-office.

Requirements

15+ years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or commercial strategy, ideally with consumer brands, retail, hospitality, or experiences
Proven track record of building and scaling partnerships with enterprise or multi‑location partners
Experience creating structured, repeatable partnership programs, not just bespoke deals
Strong negotiation skills with comfort owning complex, multi‑stakeholder agreements
Entrepreneurial mindset—you’re a self‑starter who can build from a blank slate
Excellent communication and presentation skills; comfortable pitching to senior executives
Strategic thinker with the ability to execute tactically and drive deals to completion
Highly organized with strong project management and prioritization skills
Demonstrated AI literacy, enabling effective understanding, interaction, and critical evaluation of AI technologies and applications across diverse business functions
Ability to travel for partner meetings, trade shows and off-sites as required.

Nice To Haves

Experience partnering with national retailers, hotel chains, restaurant groups, or experiential venues
Background in seasonal, décor, lifestyle, or consumer‑facing brands
Familiarity with licensing, revenue share, or co‑marketing agreements
Experience working in high‑growth or founder‑led organizations

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a partnership strategy aligned with company growth goals across retail, hospitality, food & beverage, and experiential venues
Identify, pitch, and close national and multi‑location partnerships that drive brand awareness, incremental revenue, and customer acquisition
Design scalable and repeatable partnership models (e.g., seasonal programs, licensing, co‑branded installations, revenue share frameworks)
Own partnerships end‑to-end: prospecting, negotiations, contracting, launch, performance tracking, and renewal
Build strong executive‑level relationships with partners, acting as the primary point of contact
Collaborate cross‑functionally with marketing, merchandising, creative, operations, and legal to ensure seamless execution
Create playbooks, templates, and processes to enable faster deal velocity and consistent outcomes
Track performance metrics and ROI; continuously refine partnership offerings based on data and learnings
Stay ahead of trends in seasonal décor, experiential retail, hospitality, and brand collaborations
Leads team with accountability for business outcomes, promoting solution-sharing and inspiring the broader team/function with a vision aligned with organizational values

Benefits

Competitive compensation, including a cash-based incentive plan; salary is reviewed yearly and may be adjusted as part of the normal compensation review process
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, with 100% of monthly premiums covered for team members, and 85%+ employer-paid premiums for other coverage tiers that include dependents
Up to $2,000 annual funding toward HSA accounts
Medical, transit, dependent care FSA
Infertility coverage offered on all medical plans
Generous parental leave program and flexible return options
Company-paid life and AD&D insurance
Company-paid short and long-term disability insurance
401(k) with dollar-for-dollar company match up to $4,000 per calendar year
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and other mental health and wellness perks
Paid holidays, annual shutdown week, PTO, and volunteer time-off (VTO) packages
Paid 5-week sabbatical leave after 10 years of employment
Annual continuous learning benefit up to $1,000 per person, per fiscal year
Up to $300 flexible reimbursement to support setup of new team member's work-from-home environment
Generous team member merchandise discount
Valuable extras: identity theft protection, subsidized parking, monthly wellness, pet insurance, accident & critical illness insurance