Associate Director, Business Development

The Role

We’re looking for an Associate Director of Business Development who operates like a founder, thinks like a consultant, and sells like a closer. This isn’t a role where you push decks and hope for callbacks. You’ll be the tip of the spear—identifying high-value growth opportunities, architecting custom solutions across AI powered media, creative, and analytics and earning long-term partnerships with C-suite decision-makers. You are a face of the company, our brand, and our work.

What You’ll Build & Own

• Run the full deal cycle from sourcing and qualification through pitch, proposal, negotiation, and close—with C-suite buyers (CMOs, CFOs, Chief Growth Officers), not just marketing managers.
• Architect growth solutions that fuse paid media, AI-powered optimization (Kanopy AI), creative strategy, and emerging platforms like Reddit and GEO into integrated proposals that solve real business problems.
• Sell outcomes, not line items. Every proposal you craft will include clear revenue roadmaps, KPIs, and measurable milestones—because we don’t sell impressions, we sell growth.
• Balance velocity with value —managing quick-turn project pitches alongside longer-lead, higher-ACV partnership opportunities across our core verticals: B2B Technology & SaaS, Media & Entertainment, and Ecommerce.
• Collaborate with specialist operators across media, data science, creative, and AI engineering to build solutions that are consultative, differentiated, and built to last.
• Shape our market position by contributing to thought leadership, conference presence, and industry conversations that establish Direct Agents as the go-to growth partner for ambitious brands.

Who You Are

• 5–7+ years in digital media business development, strategic sales, or client growth leadership—ideally within an agency, consultancy, or high-growth tech environment.
• A proven closer with a track record of winning six- and seven-figure engagements in paid media, performance marketing, or integrated digital solutions.
• Deep fluency in the modern growth stack: paid social, SEM, programmatic, retail media, CTV, influencer, creative versioning, and AI-driven optimization.
• A consultative operator who can diagnose a client’s growth challenge, translate it into a strategic framework, and own the room in a pitch—not just present slides, but build conviction.
• Entrepreneurial and self-directed—you don’t wait to be told what to do. You identify whitespace, collaborate and build the plan, and execute.
• Comfortable engaging at the C-suite level, speaking the language of revenue, LTV, market share, and business transformation—not just marketing metrics.

Who We Are

Direct Agents is not a traditional agency. We are an elite team of builders and operators—growth strategists,media architects, and creative thinkers—who partner with ambitious brands to drive measurable revenue growth. Backed by Kanopy AI , our proprietary intelligence platform, and exclusive partnerships with tech and media platforms, we deliver the kind of unfair advantage that helps clients dominate, not just compete.

We operate at the intersection of technology, media, and strategy—where AI meets human expertise to produce outcomes that neither can achieve alone. Our client roster includes brands like Tennis Channel, Marvel, NYSE, Morgan Stanley, Prologis, and DistroKid.

What Sets Us Apart

Direct Agents isn’t for everyone—and that’s by design. We’re building something different.

• Proprietary AI That Actually Works: Kanopy AI is our custom-built intelligence platform—real-time campaign optimization, media mix modeling, natural language analytics, and algorithm enrichment that gives our clients (and our sellers) a genuine edge. This isn’t a buzzword; it’s operational.
• Exclusive Platform Access: Direct partnerships across Google AI Search, Meta, TikTok, Amazon, Freewheel, Teads, Stackadapt and best in class tech and media partners.
• An Elite, Not Bloated, Team: 100+ operators who move fast, think deeply, and ship work that matters. No layers of bureaucracy. Direct access to senior leadership and the executives building the strategy.
• AI Integration Across Everything: Claude, ChatGPT, and proprietary AI tools are embedded in our workflows—from data analysis and creative versioning to strategic planning and client intelligence.
• 7x Crain’s Best Places to Work: A people-first culture with a 12-month average time to promotion, a 4-day workweek, and genuine investment in career development.
• Certified Minority-Owned Business: 48% BIPOC representation across the agency, 60% female representation—a team that reflects the diverse markets we serve.
• Compensation & Benefits
• Competitive salary of $130,000 - $150,000 depending on experience, plus performance-based bonus structure
• Regular performance reviews with quarterly growth path check-ins
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and mental health benefits (One Medical, Talkspace, KindBody, Health Advocate)
• 15–24 days PTO/year depending on seniority, plus birthday off, 7 sick/safe days, and up to 12 weeks paid parental leave
• New MacBook Pro and access to cutting-edge AI tools across the agency
• Sun-drenched penthouse Acceleration Hub on 5th Avenue in Flatiron—with commuter benefits and Citibike membership
• Dog-friendly office, regular team events (Field Day, Ski Club, Golf League, holiday celebrations), and a culture built around ownership and ambition

Location: This role is based at our NYC headquarters. You must reside or be willing to relocate within commuting distance.

Please be aware of fraudulent recruiters and scams. If you move forward in our recruitment process, you will only be contacted by the Direct Agents HR team. Questions? Email [email protected]