Director of Business Development, AI Licensing

This is a Full Time Job

Location: New York, New York, United States of America

As Director of Business Development, AI Licensing, you are a leader in CNN's commercial organization who helps drive revenue growth through innovative deal-making. You are a seasoned business development professional with a deep understanding of and strong network in the media, technology, and AI landscapes. You will build a 0-to-1 pipeline of deals through strategic prospecting, lead partner relationships, and close complex negotiations.

You will report to the Director of New Business Development and Emerging Formats and will partner closely with senior leaders across CNN to develop, structure, and execute new licensing opportunities that complement and propel CNN's commercial growth.

Responsibilities
• Market Analysis & Intelligence
• Conduct market research to identify, assess, and refine a strategic target list of business opportunities across the AI ecosystem, with particular focus on ''middleware'' and application AI data licensees
• Translate market research into structured business development strategy, e.g. by market segment or industry vertical, and build fluency in each segment's specific needs
• Provide continuous feedback to CNN product and IT teams to refine licensing offerings and business model
• Identify new market opportunities, trends, partnerships, and product opportunities to expand CNN's reach and revenue streams ?
• Deal Sourcing & Negotiation
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including potential partners, clients, and investors, towards an Ideal Customer Profile target list
• Source, evaluate, and negotiate high-impact deals across AI ecosystem
• Oversee the entire deal lifecycle from initial contact through negotiation to post-deal integration

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• Leadership & Collaboration
• Collaborate closely with internal departments, including editorial, legal, finance, and IT/product, to ensure alignment and seamless execution of licensing deals and other revenue opportunities
• Represent CNN at industry conferences, events, and meetings to enhance the company's profile and network

Qualifications & Experience…
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA preferred.
• 7-10 years of progressive experience in business development and/or sales
• Strong, existing business relationships with AI ecosystem, from major foundational LLMs to ''middleware'' companies to application AI layer startups
• Demonstrated ability to generate net-new pipeline through proactive outbound prospecting and to convert outreach into deal flow
• Disciplined manager of business development pipeline (e.g. consistent tracking, proactive reporting, and turning insights into optimization)
• Exceptional written and verbal communication, presentation and interpersonal skills
• Willingness to travel
• Open to candidates in NY or SF