VP, Partnerships + Investments

MissionOne Media is a brand within BarkleyOKRP that combines full-funnel media planning and buying services, CRM, data, analytics, retail media, SEO, and digital experiences. We’re an independent media partner offering transparency, integration, and a relentless focus on business impact.

As the VP, Partnerships, you are a leader within MissionOne Media’s Activation team, driving BarkleyOKRP's growth and competitive advantage through high-impact ad platform, media, and technology partnerships. Building upon the foundation of existing partnership programs, s/he will be responsible for envisioning, developing, and executing a comprehensive partnership strategy that aligns with the agency's overarching business objectives and maximizes value for clients, partners, and BarkleyOKRP.

You will lead and mentor a team of partnership professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and strategic thinking. With a deep understanding of the digital marketing landscape, coupled with exceptional relationship-building and negotiation skills, you will be critical in forging and nurturing relationships with key platform partners (Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and emerging platforms) and strategic media and technology providers as needed.

This role demands a leader who can anticipate future industry trends, identify strategic opportunities, and translate them into actionable partnership initiatives that drive revenue growth, enhance service offerings, elevate subject matter expertise, and solidify BarkleyOKRP's position as the leading independent agency. You will be a key voice in strategic decision-making, providing insights and recommendations on platform trial and adoption, investment strategies, and collaborative opportunities that propel the agency forward.

The Role:

• Strategic Vision & Leadership: Develop and articulate a long-term vision and strategy for BarkleyOKRP's platform partnerships, aligning with the agency's overall growth objectives and client needs.

• Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain strong, executive-level relationships with key platform partners (Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and more), acting as a primary point of contact and advocate for BarkleyOKRP.

• Partnership Development & Execution: Identify, evaluate, and prioritize potential partnership opportunities that drive significant value for BarkleyOKRP and its clients, leading the negotiation and execution of commercial partnership agreements.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate closely with senior leadership across all BarkleyOKRP departments (including MissionOne Media, Growth, Marketing, Strategy, CX, FUEL, and Creative) to ensure partnership initiatives are integrated into agency operations and deliver tangible results.

• Revenue Generation & Business Development: Identify and drive revenue-generating partnership opportunities, working with account teams to expand the scope of client engagements and pursue new business through strategic collaborations.

• Innovation & Technology Adoption: Stay at the forefront of industry trends and emerging technologies, proactively identifying opportunities for BarkleyOKRP to leverage new platforms and solutions to enhance client outcomes and agency capabilities.

• Team Leadership & Development: Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing partnerships team, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented environment.

• Performance Monitoring & Optimization: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the effectiveness of partnership initiatives, regularly reporting on progress to senior leadership and implementing strategies for continuous improvement.

• Advocacy & Influence: Champion BarkleyOKRP's interests with platform partners, positioning the agency favorably for strategic opportunities, early access to new products, and enhanced support.

• Internal Education & Communication: Oversee the development and delivery of educational programs to keep BarkleyOKRP teams informed about key platform updates, partnership opportunities, and best practices.

• Co-Marketing & Thought Leadership: Drive collaborative marketing efforts with partners, including joint events, case studies, and thought leadership initiatives, to enhance BarkleyOKRP's market visibility and reputation.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in digital marketing, with a significant focus on building and managing strategic partnerships with major technology platforms.

• Proven track record of successfully developing and executing high-impact partnership strategies that have driven measurable revenue growth and business outcomes.

• Established network of senior-level contacts within key platform organizations.

• Deep understanding of the digital advertising ecosystem, including search, social, programmatic, retail media, and emerging channels.

• Exceptional communication (written and verbal), and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively influence and build consensus at all levels.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire cross-functional teams and develop talent.

• Strategic and analytical thinker with the ability to identify opportunities, solve complex problems, and make data-driven decisions.

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and working in a fast-paced, evolving industry.