Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery... the stuff dreams are made of.
Who We Are...
When we say, "the stuff dreams are made of," we're not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD's vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what's next...
From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.
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The Senior Vice President, CNN Ad Sales & Brand Partnerships is responsible for developing and executing high-impact advertising strategies that drive predictable, repeatable, and reliable direct revenue growth across premium brand partnerships. This executive will lead CNN's national ad sales organization, collaborating closely with CNN's editorial, product, and executive leadership teams to craft innovative, brand-aligned advertising solutions across all platforms.
Additionally, this role will work in tight coordination with Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) broader ad sales organization to integrate CNN's premium news offerings into WBD's portfolio, unlocking new revenue opportunities and maximizing client partnerships.
This position requires a visionary, external-facing sales leader who can navigate the evolving media landscape, develop distinctive sales propositions, and forge deep relationships with major brands and agencies.
Key Responsibilities:
- Strategic Business Development:
- Expand CNN's direct client base by identifying new revenue opportunities across linear, digital, streaming, audio, and emerging platforms.
- Partner with WBD ad sales leadership to align CNN's ad offerings with broader cross-network, multi-platform solutions.
- Editorial & Product Collaboration:
- Work hand-in-hand with CNN's editorial, digital, and product teams to create custom, premium advertising solutions that resonate with CNN's audience while upholding journalistic integrity.
- Influence product development to drive innovative data-driven and programmatic ad solutions, leveraging CNN's first-party data and audience insights.
- Executive & Cross-Division Collaboration:
- Serve as the key bridge between CNN's ad sales team and WBD's sales organization, ensuring CNN is fully leveraged in multi-network, global advertising opportunities.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders-including CNN leadership, WBD sales, marketing, research, and legal-to drive cohesive, integrated sales initiatives.
- Revenue Growth & High-Value Partnerships:
- Build and nurture deep relationships with CMOs, agency leaders, and Fortune 500 brands, developing high-value partnerships that position CNN as a must-buy in the premium news category.
- Set ambitious sales goals, ensuring the team consistently exceeds revenue targets.
- Sales Innovation & Emerging Revenue Models:
- Spearhead new digital ad product development in partnership with CNN's product and engineering teams, focusing on premium video, branded content, first-party data solutions, and emerging ad formats.
- Assess and drive CNN's participation in industry events and trade marketing opportunities to solidify its leadership position in the market.
- Team Leadership & Organizational Growth:
- Lead and mentor CNN's national ad sales team, ensuring they are empowered with the best tools, training, and strategic vision to succeed.
- Foster a high-performance, growth-oriented culture that balances revenue execution with long-term strategic development.
Qualifications:
- Experience:
- 10-15+ years of executive sales leadership experience, preferably in premium news, digital media, or multi-platform advertising.
- Proven track record of closing high-value, multi-million-dollar ad deals, managing senior-level client and agency relationships.
- Deep expertise in both direct and programmatic sales, with a strong grasp of first-party data strategies and evolving ad tech trends.
- Leadership & Collaboration Skills:
- A natural connector who can align sales strategy with CNN editorial and product leadership, ensuring revenue goals support content integrity.
- Strong ability to partner across divisions within Warner Bros. Discovery, integrating CNN into broader WBD sales initiatives.
- Strategic Vision & Industry Expertise:
- A deep understanding of the news industry's business dynamics, premium video monetization, and the evolving digital advertising landscape.
- Familiarity with data-driven, performance-based advertising solutions and emerging monetization models (e.g., streaming, CTV, newsletters, podcasts).
Desired Attributes:
- Client-Centric: Passionate about delivering best-in-class advertising experiences, ensuring top-tier client retention and satisfaction.
- Strategic Thinker: Capable of balancing short-term revenue execution with long-term innovation.
- Collaborative Leader: A true team player who excels at working across organizations and fostering alignment between sales, content, and product.
- Industry Presence: A visible industry executive who can represent CNN at key advertising events and confidently engage C-suite partners.
How We Get Things Done...
This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.
Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.
If you're a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.
In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, skill set, experience, and/or performance. Base pay is just one component of Warner Bros. Discovery's total compensation package for employees. Pay Range: $245,000.00 - $455,000.00 salary per year. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, an employee wellness program, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and sick time and vacation.