Director, Business Development

thetradedesk

Chicago

Posted Jun 24, 2026

Full-time
Direct Sales

Job description

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 property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

In accordance with various US state laws, the range provided is the Trade Desk's reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non-discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, and location. All employees may be eligible to become The Trade Desk shareholders through eligibility for stock-based compensation grants, which are awarded to employees based on company and individual performance. The Trade Desk also offers other compensation depending on the role such as variable compensation-based incentives and commissions. Plus, expected benefits for this role include comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents, retirement benefits such as a 401k plan and company match, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, well-being benefits, reimbursement for certain tuition expenses, parental leave, sick time of 1 hour per 30 hours worked, vacation time for full-time employees up to 120 hours thru the first year and 160 hours thereafter, and around 13 paid holidays per year. Employees can also purchase The Trade Desk stock at a discount through The Trade Desk’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

The Trade Desk also offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn more.

Note: Interns are not eligible for variable incentive awards such as stock-based compensation, retirement plan, vacation, tuition reimbursement or parental leave

At the Trade Desk, Base Salary is one part of our competitive total compensation and benefits package and is determined using a salary range. The base salary range for this role is

$146,000—$267,700 USD

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, The Trade Desk is committed to creating an inclusive hiring experience where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Please reach out to us at accommodations@thetradedesk.com to request an accommodation or discuss any accessibility needs you may require to access our Company Website or navigate any part of the hiring process.

When you contact us, please include your preferred contact details and specify the nature of your accommodation request or questions. Any information you share will be handled confidentially and will not impact our hiring decisions.