Director, Business Development

About this role

The Trade Desk is a global technology company and the world’s leading independent platform for digital advertising, with nearly 4,000 employees across more than 30 offices. Our technology helps advertisers reach the right audiences across the open internet — from streaming TV and podcasts to mobile apps, news, and more.

Advertising powers the content people love. By making it more transparent, effective, and responsible, we help support trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and creators worldwide. The world’s brands and agencies rely on us to reach their customers and grow their businesses responsibly.

The scale of our platform brings unique technical challenges — from processing massive datasets in real time to building systems that operate reliably on a global scale. When you work here, your impact is worldwide. We welcome diverse perspectives, encourage curiosity, and build teams that learn from one another. If you’re driven to solve meaningful challenges, we’d love to meet you.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Director, Business Development – to lead our Accelerate function across the Midwest region. This role is designed for a senior sales leader who excels as a player coach - someone who drives portfolio growth by developing talent and shaping strategy.

You will be accountable for the performance, growth, and scalability of the central growth portfolio, guiding your team through complex sales environments while building repeatable frameworks that drive sustainable net-new revenue.

What You’ll Do:

Lead & Coach High Performing Sales Team

• Take ownership of representing some of our most strategic relationships with The Trade Desk’s clients in the central growth category

• Lead, develop, and inspire an existing team of high-performing and experienced sellers

• Establish a culture of accountability, performance excellence, and disciplined execution

• Set clear expectations for activity standards, pipeline management, forecasting accuracy, and portfolio health

• Coach consistently on outbound strategy, deal prioritization, objection handling, and closing effectiveness

• Act as a strategic escalation point for complex opportunities, executive conversations, and high-impact negotiations

Drive Portfolio & Net-New Growth (Player Coach Model)

• Guide and influence portfolio growth strategies across agencies and brands segments

• Partner with sellers on deal strategy, account planning, and opportunity progression

• Support team engagement with senior brand and agency decision-makers when strategic or executive alignment is needed

• Lead value-based, measurement-driven commercial conversations that strengthen win rates and deal quality

Build the Blueprint for Scale

• Operate effectively in ambiguity - bringing structure, clarity, and repeatability to a growing business

• Design and evolve scalable outbound processes, sales playbooks, and pipeline frameworks

• Identify patterns and insights across the portfolio to improve conversion, deal size, and velocity

• Build lasting internal connections across The Trade Desk to ensure comprehensive client support and seamless cross-functional collaboration.

Who You Are:

Experience & Background

• Proven experience managing and developing sales talent; prior leadership of multi-person teams required

• Strong track record in high-volume outbound sales within online advertising or digital media environments

• Experience at an online publisher, ad network, ad exchange, ad server, DSP, SEM platform, or similar organization

• Established relationships with senior decision-makers at major agencies and advertisers

Skills & Capabilities

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain long-standing, consultative client relationships

• Strong quantitative and analytical skills; comfort guiding teams through complex commercial and legal considerations

• Executive-level communication skills with the ability to influence C-level clients and internal senior stakeholders

• Passion for coaching sellers, shaping strategy, and solving clients’ media investment challenges

• Proven success driving team-level revenue growth and exceeding portfolio expectations

• Strong cross-functional collaborator

The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole…