Director of Business Development

About Our Organization: Punchbowl News is a news content company focused on power, people, and politics in Washington. We are seeking a Director of Business Development to join our growing team.

Punchbowl News is a news content company focused on power, people and politics in Washington. Punchbowl News’ primary focus is breaking news about power, the nation’s political leadership and explaining to our audience of political junkies how Washington works. We produce (at least) three newsletters each day, a daily podcast, dozens of events and more across our growing product suite.

Punchbowl News’ theory is that power in Washington emanates from the Capitol – and that’s the center of our focus. Our audience includes members of Congress, high-ranking members of the Trump administration, lobbyists, top-level reporters, media executives, Wall Streeters, tech and Hollywood executives and everyday political fans.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Employment Status: Full-time Regular

Primary Location: Washington, DC

Job Summary: Punchbowl News is hiring a Director of Business Development to drive subscription revenue growth. This senior individual contributor role focuses on consultative selling to policy professionals across corporations, trade associations, law firms, and government offices.

You'll engage prospective subscribers daily: generating interest, running product evaluations, and converting prospects into Punchbowl News customers. Strong communication and relationship-building skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Subscription Revenue Growth: Cultivate and sustain a vibrant sales pipeline within the professional policy market, driving consistent and impressive revenue growth.
• Congressional Savvy: Use your deep knowledge of Congress and policy to craft personalized sales pitches that close deals and win over clients.
• Enterprise Deal Leadership: Navigate complex, multi-stakeholder deals with corporations, trade associations, law firms, and government offices.
• Relationship Architect: Build and maintain long-lasting relationships with clients and key stakeholders, becoming a trusted advisor in their policy needs.
• Internal Collaborator: Uncover feedback about our various subscriptions products and share this with our product team. Work with Customer Success, Marketing and other teams to support lead routing/generation through upsell opportunities
• Pipeline Discipline: Maintain accurate forecasts and rigorous CRM hygiene.
• Territory and Account Prioritization: Own a territory and strategically plan to drive pipeline through outbound activity and strong collaboration with Business Development Associates
• In-Person Engagement: Spend significant time in the field, meeting with clients and prospects in person, visiting Capitol Hill, and representing Punchbowl News at our signature events and relevant industry gatherings. This is a highly visible, relationship-driven role, and regular in-person presence is a core expectation.

Qualifications

• 3-6+ years of experience in quota-carrying sales roles, preferably selling SaaS or subscription-based services.
• Proven success meeting or exceeding revenue targets, including closing complex, high-value deals.
• Strong self-sourcing skills and a track record of building your own pipeline.
• Familiarity with sales technologies such as HubSpot, ZoomInfo, and similar tools.
• Experience working on the Hill or with legislative intelligence services preferred.
• An avid consumer of nonpartisan political journalism who believes deeply in its crucial role in democracy.

Compensation & Benefits:

The starting salary for this role is in the range of $100,000-$120,000 base plus commission. Final compensation will be based on scope, work experience and relevant skills. In addition to salary, Punchbowl News is pleased to offer other benefits:

In addition to salary, Punchbowl News is pleased to offer other benefits:

• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with 100% of premiums covered by Punchbowl News for employees and eligible family members.
• Retirement Plan: 401(k) with employer-matching contributions, available after six months of employment.
• Paid Time Off: 20 days of paid vacation annually, in addition to most federal holidays.
• Office-Wide Breaks: Two additional weeks of paid company-wide time off—end of August and end of December.
• Parental Leave: Up to 20 weeks of fully paid leave for birth parents. Non-birth parents or partners are eligible for 12 weeks of paid leave.
• Professional Development: Ongoing learning opportunities through internal training, programs, and external classes.

This is an in-person role based in Washington, DC, with required on-site attendance Monday through Thursday, and remote work on Fridays.

Employment Eligibility & Equal Opportunity Statement

Punchbowl News celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

In accordance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required Form I-9 upon hire.