Account Executive, Trade Strategy, WBUR Business Partnerships

Account Executive, Trade Strategy, WBUR Business Partnerships

WBUR is seeking a creative, solutions-oriented business development executive to join our team. You will be responsible for creating WBUR's trade strategy by collaborating with organizational leadership to identify business-related expenses that can be offset through building conceptual, cross platform in-kind sponsorship programs with vendors.

You will work with both internal stakeholders and external clients and will manage these partnerships end-to-end. Internally you will form strong relationships with organizational budget holders and work collaboratively to identify where expenses can be offset. Externally, you will identify appropriate partners/vendors and create compelling, conceptual cross platform sponsorship opportunities that meet their strategic initiatives.

The ideal candidate combines strong sales, operations and project-management skills with a proactive, collaborative, solutions-oriented approach.

Key Responsibilities:

• End-to-End Trade Operations
  • Manage the operational lifecycle of trade deals: outreach, contract review, ad inventory reservation, copywriting and acquiring receipts.
  • Track, collect, and process receipts and in-kind goods/services according to WBUR policies and audit requirements.
  • Maintain accurate trade records in revenue/sales systems and ensure timely reconciliation with finance.
  • Coordinate with sales, programming, membership, CitySpace and Festival events teams, and finance to guarantee fulfillment and proper crediting.
• Sales Support & Execution
  • Responsible for reaching the annual trade revenue budget.
  • Provide pricing guidance and standardized trade templates to streamline deal flow.
  • Ensure trade offers are compliant with organizational policy and donor/sponsor guidelines.
  • Support fundraising efforts by aligning appropriate trade sponsorships.
• Strategic Planning & Growth
  • Build and maintain a multi-year trade strategy and playbook to increase trade savings and expand trade-based client relationships.
  • Identify high-impact categories for in-kind partnerships (e.g., production, event services, media swaps, cross-promotions) and develop go-to-market approaches.
  • Analyze trade performance metrics and recommend initiatives to increase value capture (e.g., bundling, exclusivity, annual commitments).
  • Develop processes to convert trade relationships into paid business where appropriate.
• Relationship Management
  • Serve as internal liaison across sales, events, membership, and finance to resolve trade issues and improve workflows.
  • Build and maintain vendor/partner relationships for in-kind services and products, ensuring quality and delivery.
• Reporting, Controls & Compliance
  • Produce regular reporting on trade activity: savings realized, inventory allocation, client trade history, and performance vs. targets.
  • Implement internal controls and documentation standards to support audits and ensure transparency.
  • Ensure compliance with FCC, nonprofit, and underwriting rules as they apply to trade arrangements.
• Process Improvement & Training
  • Document and maintain trade policies, standard operating procedures, approval matrices, and templates.
  • Train sales and operational teams on trade best practices, receipt requirements, and system usage.
  • Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce cycle time and errors.

Required Skills

• 35+ years experience in media sales, sales operations, revenue/partnership operations, or related roles; nonprofit/media experience a plus.
• Strong knowledge of advertising inventory, sponsorships, and in-kind partnership mechanics.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder processes and close the loop from sale to fulfillment and reconciliation.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with internal teams and external partners.
• Analytical skills and comfort using data to drive decisions. Proficiency with Salesforce CRM.
• Proactive, problem-solving orientation and willingness to create scalable processes.

Preferred:

• Experience working at a public media organization, nonprofit, or with sponsorship/ad sales.
• Experience negotiating and valuing in-kind services and goods.
• Familiarity with compliance and audit documentation practices.
• Project management certification or demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects.

Measures of Success:

• Percent increase in realized trade savings year-over-year.
• Reduction in trade receipting/reconciliation cycle time.
• Accuracy and timeliness of documentation, receipting, and financial reconciliations.
• Number of trade relationships converted to paid business or long-term partnerships.
• Establishment of strong, productive internal and stakeholder relationships.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.