Vice President, Distribution Partnerships & DTC

Company Description

As one of the world’s premier entertainment portfolios, NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer delivers quality content and compelling brands to over 160 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific. Delivering a full range of entertainment experiences to local audiences across the globe, the unique brands include UNIVERSAL TV, SYFY, E! Entertainment Television, 13TH STREET, DIVA, Studio Universal, Telemundo, Bravo and DreamWorks. Universal+ (a hybrid linear and non-linear service) aggregates the group’s brands on affiliate platforms, offering subscribers both live programming and an extensive range of compelling VOD content, including territory premieres and full boxsets, available all in one place. NBCU’s direct-to-consumer activity outside the US includes hayu, the all-reality SVOD service available in 27 territories – including the UK, Canada and across Europe and Asia Pacific – as well as the upcoming launch of Peacock on Sky in late 2021.

NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a premium ad-supported streaming service. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Job Description

As the Vice President of Distribution Partnerships & DTC, you’ll be instrumental in expanding Universal+ in Latin America by forging partnerships with non-Pay TV entities and driving subscription growth through monetization opportunities. This role offers a chance to lead strategic initiatives that will shape our industry leadership.

Reporting to the SVP of Distribution, Marketing & Creative for NBCUniversal International Networks and Direct to Consumer division, you will negotiate distribution partnerships, enhance subscriber reach, execute partner campaigns, and optimize performance across various touchpoints within NBCUniversal. 

Job Duties:

• Strategic Partner Development: Identify and cultivate relationships with non-Pay TV distribution partners, such as OTT platforms, telecom providers, digital media firms, retail, gaming, and hospitality, to expand Universal+’s reach. 
• Negotiation and Contract Management: Lead negotiations to secure favorable agreements aligning with Universal+’s objectives. Ensure compliance and performance optimization in ongoing partnerships. 
• Monetization Strategy: Develop innovative strategies, including revenue-sharing models and co-marketing initiatives, to drive new subscriber acquisition. 
• Market Analysis: Collaborate with Insights to conduct market research, identify trends, and inform growth strategies. 
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with internal teams, including Affiliate Relations, Content Acquisition, Marketing, Legal, Product Development, and Finance, to execute partnership agreements and meet objectives. 
• Performance Tracking and Reporting: Define KPIs, implement tracking mechanisms, and provide insights to inform decision-making. 
• Industry Thought Leadership: Stay abreast of industry trends and serve as an expert on distribution partnerships, sharing insights internally and externally. 

This is a high profile, cross-functional role with touch points across the division and the wider NBCU business including Marketing, Affiliate Sales, Advertising Sales, Product, Legal, Content, Insights, Technology, Finance and Operations.   

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Collaboration

• Collaborate with marketing, affiliate sales and advertising sales to build the partnership pipeline by pitching and negotiating commercial and marketing terms with partners and internal stakeholders.
• Understand the Universal+ product set, the value Universal+ can offer partners and vice versa.
• Sell-in business cases and gain internal teams’ buy-in for partnerships.
• Develop bespoke propositions/offers, commercial and legal terms, product and customer journey requirements, and marketing plans for campaigns.
• Lead in building external relationships and resolving commercial/operational issues.
• Select and work with external agencies to support partnerships where required.
• Engage NBCUteams – PR, Brand Marketing, Strategy, Product, Content, Technology Finance, Legal, Operations – to communicate and implement partnerships.
• Be responsible for governing implementation to ensure successful launches.
• Ensure that the pipeline and set of existing partners allows the team to respond to near-term churn challenges alongside driving long-term growth.

Performance Analysis

• Drive insight and understanding of partnerships to accelerate growth.
• Work with Insights and Price & promotions teams in tracking, forecasting and communicating performance of partnerships.
• Develop performance analysis (tools, reports, team) on indicators such as conversion rate, cost, new customer volume, lifetime value, and share learnings to drive improvement and recommend renewals.
• Ensure previous campaign learnings are fed into future strategy and campaign planning.
• Continuously challenge and support team to optimize partnerships with changes to customer journeys, marketing, operations.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years’ experience in partnership management 
• 5+ years’ experience managing a team of significant size across a matrixed organization 
• Must be fully fluent in English; Spanish and/or Portuguese proficiency desired 

Desired Characteristics:

• Excellent communication skills, confident in managing, influencing and growing relationships with senior stakeholders internally and externally 
• Analytical skills, with the ability to build business cases, analyze data, and debate financial models with senior stakeholders  
• Commercial, strategic, and technical mind-set with strong attention to detail 
• Understanding of customer journeys and experience of driving conversion to sale 
• A good understanding of the OTT or ecommerce market 
• Strong knowledge of elements in a sales campaign: proposition development, marketing channels, commercial models, operational mechanics 
• Comfortable with yearly meeting the challenges of tight deadlines and juggling multiple projects at once 
• Organized and structured, ability to reliably deliver on plans and forecasts is critical 
• Highly motivated and independent 
• Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills 

Additional Requirements:

• This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of three days per week.
• Must be willing to work in Miami, FL
• Willingness to travel and work overtime, and on weekends if needed
• Must be 18 years or older
• Must have unrestricted work authorization to work in the United States
• Must be covered by Solutions, NBCU’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program

Additional Information

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision.

NBCUniversal’s policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. 

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