Vice President, Agency Partnerships

About the role

Smartly is seeking a Vice President of Agency Partnerships to lead and grow its network of agency relationships from its New York office. This senior leadership position is responsible for shaping the company's partner strategy and driving meaningful collaboration with advertising agencies across all verticals. The VP will manage a dedicated team focused on onboarding, retaining, and expanding agency partnerships across multiple domestic and international markets. This role reports directly to the executive leadership team and plays a central part in Smartly's growth trajectory and market reach.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead the agency partnerships team and set the strategic direction for all agency-facing initiatives across the company
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key agency partners to drive mutual growth and long-term collaboration
• Oversee the onboarding process for new agency partners, ensuring a smooth integration and clear communication of platform value
• Develop and execute partnership programs that increase agency adoption of Smartly's advertising and marketing platform
• Collaborate with product and engineering teams to relay agency feedback and inform platform development priorities
• Monitor partnership performance metrics and prepare regular reports for senior leadership and executive stakeholders
• Represent Smartly at industry events, conferences, and agency meetings to strengthen brand presence and partnership pipeline
• Negotiate partnership terms and agreements in coordination with legal and finance teams to ensure favorable outcomes
• Identify new agency prospects and work with the sales team to expand the partner ecosystem into untapped markets
• Champion internal alignment across departments to ensure agency partners receive consistent support and messaging
• Establish key performance indicators and service level agreements for each agency partner to ensure accountability and mutual success
• Drive quarterly business reviews with agency partners to assess performance, address challenges, and identify opportunities for deeper collaboration

Requirements

• Minimum of ten years of experience in agency partnerships, business development, or a related field within advertising technology
• Proven track record of building and managing high-performing teams with a focus on partnership growth and retention
• Deep understanding of the digital advertising ecosystem, including agency workflows, media buying, and campaign management
• Strong executive presence with the ability to communicate effectively with C-suite leaders and external partners
• Demonstrated success in negotiating and closing complex partnership agreements across multiple stakeholders
• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or equivalent advanced degree is preferred
• Extensive experience working with advertising agencies, media companies, or similar organizations in a leadership capacity
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence and drive consensus across organizations
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple partnership initiatives simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and strategic priorities

Nice to have

• Prior experience working at or with a major advertising technology platform or demand-side platform
• Familiarity with programmatic advertising, real-time bidding, or related ad tech infrastructure and data platforms
• International market experience with agency partnerships across multiple regions or continents
• Background in SaaS or platform businesses with recurring revenue models and partner-driven growth strategies
• Experience with data-driven marketing platforms or advertising analytics tools is a strong advantage

Skills & tools

• Proficiency in partnership management platforms and CRM systems for tracking agency relationships and deal pipelines
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret partnership data, conversion metrics, and performance dashboards
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for crafting partnership proposals, presentations, and internal documentation
• Experience with project management tools to coordinate cross-functional initiatives and track partnership milestones
• Familiarity with advertising technology standards, APIs, and integration workflows used by agency partners
• Ability to use data visualization tools to present partnership performance insights to leadership and external stakeholders

Practical notes

• This role is based in Smartly's New York office and requires regular in-person attendance during business hours
• The Vice President will report directly to the executive leadership team and participate in weekly leadership meetings
• Candidates should expect to travel occasionally for industry events, partner meetings, and agency site visits
• The hiring process includes multiple rounds of interviews with cross-functional leaders and a final decision from the executive team
• This is a full-time position with the opportunity to shape the agency partnerships function at a growing advertising technology company