Strategic Partnerships / Business Development

Strategic Partnerships / Business Development hi5.agency is a Los Angeles born + raised creative agency. We take a social-first approach at the intersection of experience and culture. An ego-free and inclusive environment that offers award-winning services across Strategy, Social, Creative, Experiential, and Production. We take the work seriously, not ourselves. This role is a dedicated new business hunter with a relentless desire to expand our client roster and drive net-new revenue for the agency. The Strategic Partnerships role focuses exclusively on sourcing and securing New Business—bringing world class global brands and entertainment clients into the agency through leveraging existing relationships, outbound prospecting, and facilitating winning RFP responses. The ideal candidate will have strong current client relationships and managing existing lines of business. This role partners closely with our Strategy, Social, Creative, and Production vertical leadership to unlock net-new opportunities, facilitate capabilities presentations, and convert prospects into active agency partners. There is an opportunity for this role to work with or alongside our execution teams where appropriate. Reports to the Founder Remote Position ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Net-New Business Development: Leverage existing lines of business and relationships. Actively prospect, pipeline, and secure net-new brand clients for the agency to meet and exceed the annual gross revenue threshold. Capes & RFP: Continuously find new opportunities for our leadership team to respond to RFP’s and present capabilities Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with all agency vertical leadership (social, strategy, creative, production, experiential) to translate hi5.agency’s capabilities into compelling, high-converting proposals. Strategic Sourcing: Research and propose innovative new business concepts to prospective clients, demonstrating how creative ideas translate into practical budgets and planning. Brand Ambassadorship: Masterfully present hi5.agency’s unique positioning at the intersection of experience and culture, maintaining an expert-level understanding of marketing and social media trends. Pipeline Management: Maintain an organized, transparent outbound pipeline, communicating proactively regarding timelines, deliverables, and deal stages. Ego-Free Integration: Promote a culture of innovation and inclusiveness, championing your perspective while successfully collaborating with other points of view. Always Be Punctual: Effectively manage your time and deadlines while thriving in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Culture & Kindness: Actively foster a kind, respectful, and highly motivated environment. Turn up responsibly. REQUIREMENTS: Agency Hunting Experience: 5 years of proven experience in agency business development or new business growth Connected: Must be local to LA and deeply connected to the city’s culture, brand landscape, and industry vendor networks. Proposal Mastery: Exceptional communication, storytelling, and presentation skills—both in-person and as an expert collaborator in multi-participant video meeting pitch environments. Digital Literacy: Proficiency with agency workflows and collaboration platforms (Basecamp, Google Workspace, Slack or similiar). Adaptability: Significant experience navigating varied project scales, scaling proposals from boutique activations to massive 360 campaigns. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS: An eagerness to learn, accept constructive feedback, and embrace growth opportunities. Willingness to support the success of fellow team members and the agency as needed, with a clear focus on driving top-line growth. Flexibility in working hours to accommodate pitch timelines, networking events, and travel as required. A diverse portfolio of successfully closed or generated proposals, showcasing your ability to sell across a range of budgets and scales. We take the work seriously, not ourselves. hi5.agency is an equal opportunity employer and strives to go above and beyond what the law requires to ensure all are welcome and our teams are diverse. Our production studio and office is in Pasadena, CA, and 99% of our team members work from home.