About Essence Ventures
Essence Ventures was established with the goal to articulate through experiences, media, technology, and commerce, that Black is not a monolith. Essence exists to serve Black Women deeply through culture, equity and celebration — encouraging and equipping them to embrace the power of their roles standing at the forefront of their lives, homes, and communities. We accomplish this mission and vision through our incredible and distinct brands: ESSENCE Communications, Inc. (ESSENCE, Girls’ United, Naturallycurly.com), AFROPUNK and ESSENCE Studios. Reporting to the CRO, the VP Enterprise Sales- Eastern Region holds the primary responsibility of driving the success of overall revenue growth and the effectiveness of our sponsorship and media revenue strategy from our Enterprise accounts.
Expectations on this senior manager are that they will be a co-developer of the Essence Ventures strategy that differentiates and elevates our partnership with brands and agencies and establishes Essence Ventures as a share of market leader among these partnerships.We are searching for an outstanding Vice President Sales Partnerships, who will be responsible for overseeing revenue generation in the Eastern territories. This VP is an experienced Sales manager with a minimum 7+ years of management experience and existing deep-rooted relationships in the East territories and comes with an owned book of business in those territories with key contacts in the Tech, e commerce, entertainment and automotive categories. The ideal candidate will be an inclusive leader that aims to create an environment where all team members feel valued, included, and respected and has a keen ability to build and nurture relationships with brand clients and ad agencies.Successful candidates for this position will apply expertise in revenue growth, integrated media planning, and seasoned experience in team and account development. The position equally holds the responsibility for collaboration and partnership with relevant stakeholders across the entire organization to ensure that corporate strategy cascades down to in field execution. They will bring a discipline of sales operational excellence and have a demonstrated track record of creating and managing a performance revenue team. They will lead the media strategy to drive revenue operations and achievement within this group.
Understanding and anticipating key market trends, derived from research analysis and feedback from a well-connected in-market network are critical to the overall success. As a senior member of the Essence Ventures leadership teams, the VP Enterprise Sales, will also have the responsibility for consistent feedback and input on new category or content direction and development.It is imperative that the chosen leader have existing deep Client/Agency relationships at the most senior levels. They will have demonstrated a record of progressive responsibility and accomplishments in sponsorship sales, integrated media strategy, digital media technology, data and will have sophisticated understanding of media optimization and programmatic.
Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy that aligns with Essence Ventures' overall revenue goals and business objectives.
- Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of sales professionals, ensuring they have the skills, knowledge, and resources to achieve and surpass sales targets.
- Collaborate with the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and other senior leaders to identify and prioritize key revenue opportunities, including new markets, products, and partnerships.
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with key clients, agencies, and industry partners, leveraging these relationships to drive revenue growth and market share.
- Work closely with the marketing team to develop compelling sales collateral, presentations, and proposals that effectively communicate Essence Ventures' value proposition and differentiation.
- Monitor and analyze sales performance metrics, providing regular reports and insights to senior management and identifying opportunities for improvement and optimization.
- Develop and manage sales budgets and forecasts, ensuring accurate projections and effective resource allocation.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, content, experiential and finance, to ensure alignment and support for sales initiatives.
- Stay abreast of industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging technologies, leveraging insights to inform sales strategy and identify new revenue opportunities.
- Stay abreast of industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging best practices in customer success, leveraging insights to continuously improve our approach.
- Represent Essence Ventures at industry events, conferences, and customer meetings, showcasing our commitment to customer success and thought leadership.
Qualifications/Experiences:
- Proven experience as a VP of Sales, or similar senior sales leadership role within the media industry.
- Demonstrated success in building, leading, and scaling high-performing sales teams, with a track record of consistently exceeding revenue targets.
- Deep understanding of the media landscape, including advertising trends, digital platforms, and emerging technologies.
- Exceptional sales acumen, with the ability to develop and execute effective sales strategies that drive revenue growth and market share.
- Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and develop team members to reach their full potential.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas and solutions clearly and persuasively.
- Analytical and data-driven mindset, with the ability to leverage sales metrics and insights to inform decision-making and strategy.
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Marketing, Communications); advanced degree (e.g., MBA) preferred.
Requirements
- East Coast based (This position does not offer relocation assistance. Candidates must be local)
- Experience selling live events
- Hybrid role (3 min. days in office required)
- Advanced knowledge of digital media sales
- Strong existing agency and client direct relationships
- Experience managing the utilization of Salesforce
- 7+ years of sales management experience
- 10+ years sales and/or marketing experience
- Must be able to lift and carry items weighing up to 25 lbs
- Requires prolonged periods of sitting, standing and walking throughout the workday, including during meetings, site visits (if applicable), or operational tasks.
- May involve occasional travel to which could include extended periods away from the primary workplace (if applicable and approved).
Salary: 215k-225kMedical, Dental, Vision, 401k, EAP, Annual Bonus eligibility, Sales Bonus eligibility
