Director, Partnerships

Hawke Media•Santa Monica, CA

1d•$100,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly entrepreneurial, strategic, and relationship-driven Director of Partnerships to lead the growth and development of Hawke’s strategic alliances, media, technology, and non-endemic partnerships, and co-marketing initiatives. This individual will play a critical role in expanding our agency’s growth and creating mutually beneficial relationships that drive innovation, new client acquisition, and revenue growth.

Requirements

5-10 years of experience in partnerships, business development, or strategic alliances
1+ years of experience leading a partnerships or growth team.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required.
Strong understanding of the advertising and marketing ecosystem (digital, media, platforms, data, and emerging tech).
Proven track record of sourcing and closing high-value partnerships.
Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
Strategic thinker with a passion for innovation and collaboration.
Strong project management skills and attention to detail.
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field.
Proven track record of monetizing personal and professional network, partners, and strategic alliances.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a Partnerships strategy aligned with Hawke’s agency goals, with a focus on generating leads, driving revenue growth, and creating partner and client value.
Act as a player-coach in the Partnerships department and identify, negotiate, and manage strategic partnerships with technology platforms, media partners, non-endemic partners, and complementary services agencies.
Operate like a founder — proactively identify, pitch, and close new referral and technology partnerships without waiting for direction or inbound opportunities.
Manage and optimize current partner relationships, including onboarding, negotiation, co-marketing, lead generation, co-selling, and performance tracking.
Represent Hawke Media at industry events, conferences, and networking events to build new relationships, stay ahead of market trends, generate leads, and sign new partners.
Evaluate partnerships not on vanity metrics, but on pipeline generated, deals influenced, and revenue closed.
Structure innovative partnership models (rev share, bundled services, co-branded offers, events, content collaborations) to create win-win growth engines.
Build trust with executives at tech platforms (e.g., Shopify ecosystem partners, lifecycle marketing platforms, etc.) and turn relationships into revenue-producing channels.
Consistently source and sign high-value referral partners with strong networks that can drive measurable new business revenue.
Lead partnership marketing initiatives, including co-branded campaigns, webinars, joint thought leadership, case studies, whitepapers, etc.
Monitor competitive landscape and emerging trends to identify new opportunities for innovation and collaboration with agency partners.
Report on partnership KPIs and deliver insights to leadership to inform strategy and investment.
Develop partnership education materials in collaboration with our in-house marketing team.
Engage directly as needed with senior stakeholders from both Hawke Media and our partners; embody Hawke’s brand values and culture as an ambassador.