Director of Strategic Content Partnerships

Shutterstock • New York, NY

28d • $175,000 - $205,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Shutterstock’s Data Licensing and AI Services division is driving the company’s next era of growth, powering AI model training, creative automation, and data-driven innovation for many of the world’s leading technology companies. We provide high-quality, large-scale datasets and Model Services across the full training lifecycle, enabling partners to build, train, and fine-tune the next generation of AI models.
We are seeking a Director of Strategic Content Partnerships to play a pivotal role in expanding content supply for our Data Licensing business and unlocking new customer opportunities. This role is responsible for identifying, structuring, negotiating, and managing innovative content partnerships that meet evolving customer demand and anticipates what is next for GenAI training data.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on operator and experienced negotiator with a deep understanding of licensing models, intellectual property, and the creative content ecosystem. This role requires a blend of strategic vision and executional rigor to deliver differentiated data assets, close complex partnership deals, and cultivate long-term relationships with key content partners.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, licensing, or strategic deal-making within content, media, data, technology, or AI-adjacent industries
• A proven track record of closing complex, high-value licensing or data partnership agreements
• Deep knowledge of intellectual property, content licensing models, and rights management, particularly as they relate to AI and machine learning use cases
• Strong commercial judgment with the ability to balance partner value, customer requirements, and revenue impact
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with Sales, Legal, Product, and Operations in fast-paced environments
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and shaping new deal constructs in a rapidly evolving regulatory and AI landscape
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, and executive-level stakeholder management skills
• A genuine passion for AI, data, and the future of creative and generative technologies

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end strategy and execution for sourcing and scaling content partnerships in support of Shutterstock’s Data Licensing and AI Services revenue objectives
• Identify, evaluate, and pursue partnership opportunities across creators, publishers, platforms, enterprises, and emerging data sources
• Lead complex commercial negotiations, including revenue shares, exclusivity, term length, indemnification, and AI-specific licensing provisions
• Partner closely with Sales, Product, Legal, and Operations to ensure agreements are commercially compelling, legally sound, and operationally scalable
• Translate customer demand signals and sales pipeline insights into clear content supply requirements and partnership priorities
• Design creative deal structures and licensing models that enable differentiated customer offerings and unlock new buyer segments
• Manage and grow ongoing partner relationships, ensuring performance, compliance, and long-term strategic alignment
• Track market dynamics, competitive activity, and emerging AI training needs to proactively identify new data opportunities
• Build repeatable frameworks and processes for evaluating, onboarding, and scaling data partnerships over time

Benefits

• You have a direct impact on the success of the company. Your work matters and is essential to the evolution of our growing AI Business
• Executive leadership cares personally. They prioritize growth and planning your career path with your goals and passions in mind.
• Flexibility to work between home and office with everything you need to be successful in both
• A generous and competitive benefits package.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed