Director of Business Development, Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)
About The Position
Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) is seeking a strategic and operationally experienced executive to lead the market growth, client retention framework, and operational excellence of its global academic research data platform. WRDS serves more than 500 institutions in over 35 countries, providing centralized access to datasets across finance, accounting, and economics. The Director of Business Development has substantial institutional accountability for WRDS’ global revenue and partnership ecosystem across universities, corporations, and quantitative investment firms. The role leads high-priority business development initiatives, manages relationships with approximately 60 data vendors, expands into global markets, coordinates complex agreements across exchanges, and identifies opportunities to reposition the WRDS Marketplace for revenue growth. The Director oversees the Customer Experience, Revenue Management, and Marketing and Sales teams. The position coordinates business development, marketing, client retention, Salesforce CRM operations, and revenue collection as an integrated global operation. It also provides strategic oversight for international teams supporting WRDS in Europe and Asia-Pacific and leads six direct reports.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- At least 7 years of progressively responsible leadership experience, including oversight of multidisciplinary teams or multiple functional areas, direct people management, organizational planning, and accountability for team and operational performance.
- Demonstrated experience leading business development, commercial strategy, or comparable market-facing initiatives.
- Ability to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally.
- Ability to meet job-related background check requirements, if required after a conditional offer.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Marketing, or a related quantitative field.
- MBA, advanced degree, or comparable experience.
- Proven record of expanding into new markets, cultivating strategic partnerships, and managing complex institutional or enterprise relationships.
- Background in financial data marketing or sales and a sophisticated understanding of the higher education ecosystem, university licensing frameworks, and academic administration.
- Experience serving as the business owner of an enterprise CRM, preferably Salesforce.
- Working knowledge of subscription-based business models, data-as-a-service (DaaS) frameworks, and cloud-based data delivery.
Responsibilities
- Lead the end-to-end global sales lifecycle to expand WRDS adoption among international universities and commercial sectors, including hedge funds and asset managers.
- Negotiate complex enterprise contracts and present technical value propositions to university deans, corporate executives, and CIOs.
- Use knowledge of the academic ecosystem to inform product positioning and pricing, and work with WRDS teams to identify expansion opportunities and new features and products.
- Align Customer Experience, Marketing and Sales, and Revenue Management functions around a cohesive client-lifecycle strategy and execution.
- Provide strategic direction to international teams in Europe and Asia-Pacific, aligning local relationships and engagement with WRDS’ broader commercial priorities.
- Integrate brand positioning, client onboarding, regional market engagement, and client usage insights to support retention and global subscription renewals.
- Coach and support six direct reports through feedback, goal-setting, day-to-day guidance, and accountability, while fostering a positive, inclusive, high-performing environment.
- Oversee end-to-end revenue management, monitor institutional account aging reports, and intervene to resolve complex procurement, legal, or administrative bottlenecks.
- Cultivate strategic relationships with global data providers and negotiate joint-licensing frameworks.
- Develop institution-wide licensing opportunities that position WRDS as a research data provider across academic disciplines while protecting and expanding its data ecosystem.
- Own the Salesforce CRM platform strategically, ensuring data integrity, pipeline visibility, and predictable revenue forecasting for senior leadership.
- Travel domestically and internationally to represent WRDS at academic conferences, vendor symposiums, and high-value client renewals.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
- Flexible spending accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses.
- Tuition assistance for employees, spouses, and dependent children at Penn; dependent children may also receive assistance at other institutions.
- Basic, matching, and supplemental retirement plans, with pre-tax or Roth savings options and investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
- Substantial time away from work during the year.
- Long-term care insurance.
- Wellness and work-life programs and resources.
- Professional and personal development resources.
- Access to University libraries, athletic facilities, cultural and recreational activities, and events.
- Discounts and special services, including arts, entertainment, transportation, and other goods and services.
- Flexible work options and hours.
- Forgivable homeownership loan for eligible employees purchasing a home or residing in West Philadelphia, usable for closing costs or home improvements.
- Adoption expense reimbursement for eligible employees, for up to two adoptions in the household.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
