Senior Sponsorships Manager

Ground News•Kitchener, ON

1d•CA$90,000 - CA$120,000•Remote

About The Position

Ground News is a news comparison platform dedicated to helping users compare news sources, understand media bias, and critically engage with information. Unlike platforms that rely on algorithms for ad revenue, Ground News is supported by its readers through subscriptions, fostering a more nuanced understanding of the world. The company has received numerous accolades, including being #1 on Product Hunt and a finalist for the Apple Design Awards in Social Impact. This role is an opportunity to lead the expansion into new platforms by driving the creator sponsorship strategy across emerging channels. It's a player-coach position where the successful candidate will develop strategy, close deals, manage revenue targets, and lead a small team. The role requires a performance-driven strategic operator adept at navigating ambiguity, managing budgets, and building presence on platforms where established playbooks may not exist.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in influencer marketing, in-house marketing, creator partnerships, or media buying with a track record of building and managing creator relationships at scale.
Deep understanding of creator ecosystems across platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Substack, and other emerging platforms).
Strong commercial instincts, thinking in terms of ROAS, CAC, and CPM.
Proven ability to close deals and hit revenue targets.
Proven experience leading or coaching a small team with the ability to set goals and drive accountability without micromanaging.
Self-starter who thrives in ambiguous, fast-paced environments where the playbook doesn't fully exist yet.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in-house at a direct-to-consumer brand running creator or influencer sponsorship programs at scale.
Experience with quota-carrying roles or performance-based compensation.
Background in performance marketing, subscription products, or audience growth.
Familiarity with how TikTok, podcasts, YouTube, Instagram, and other emerging platforms work from a creator and audience perspective.
Interest in media, politics, or media literacy.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain a clear point of view on what makes a creator sponsorship convert, considering audience intent, content format, and platform context.
Use performance data to build institutional knowledge about content formats, creator profiles, and audience segments that drive conversions, and feed these insights back into discovery and strategy.
Stay informed about platform trends, creator dynamics, and audience behavior to ensure strategies reflect current content consumption patterns.
Own sponsored creator campaigns on emerging platforms from concept to optimization, ensuring they meet performance goals with minimal oversight.
Develop and scale platform entry strategies as the business evolves.
Lead high-value creator deals to close.
Lead and coach a small team responsible for vetting creators, cultivating relationships, and executing campaigns across new platforms.
Set clear goals, drive accountability, and proactively remove blockers, modeling ownership and follow-through.
Build and refine processes as the team expands into new platforms and creator ecosystems.
Partner with Discovery, Content, and Analytics teams to align on goals and optimize the creator funnel.
Develop weekly and quarterly forecasting reports and performance updates for leadership.
Identify and build relationships with top creators across new and emerging platforms.
Adapt strategies quickly to capitalize on early-mover advantages by staying ahead of platform trends, creator dynamics, and audience behavior.
Evaluate creator quality using performance data, understanding the difference between reach and conversion.
Make data-driven decisions using metrics like ROAS, CAC, and CPM.
Build and work with cost projection models to forecast campaign performance before committing budget.
Diagnose underperforming campaigns by analyzing the funnel before prescribing solutions.