VP of Publisher Partnerships

ABOUT THE ROLE We’re looking for an entrepreneurial VP of Publisher Partnerships to lead and grow Stacker’s publisher ecosystem—owning the growth, health, and long-term strategic direction of a network that already spans 3,000+ publishers and news outlets. This is a senior, player-coach leadership role reporting to the SVP of Product & Distribution, sitting at the intersection of media innovation and audience strategy. You’ll set a multi-year ecosystem roadmap that both strengthens today’s partner base and anticipates where publishing is going across local and national newsrooms, media groups, aggregators, emerging creator ecosystems, and new distribution surfaces shaped by AI. You will design and execute the strategy, build the operating system, and lead the team that expands Stacker beyond its traditional partner mix. All while ensuring partners see measurable, durable value from adopting Stacker content and workflow integrations. ABOUT STACKER Stacker is revolutionizing how brands connect with audiences through earned media. Our platform helps marketers extend the reach of their content by seamlessly integrating with a network of thousands of trusted news publishers. By combining data-driven storytelling with a newsroom of expert journalists, we ensure that brand stories aren’t just seen—they make an impact. At our core, Stacker solves one of content marketing’s biggest challenges: distribution. Unlike traditional PR and paid syndication, we offer a scalable way for brands to earn media placements by creating newsroom-ready content that publishers want to run. This model empowers brands to engage audiences organically while giving publishers access to quality stories that drive engagement. As a bootstrapped, fast-growing company, we’re resourceful, innovative, and committed to building an inclusive, equitable culture. We’re a remote-first team that values ownership, integrity, and collaboration—offering flexible schedules, unlimited vacation, an employee equity program, and full health & dental coverage. WHAT YOU’LL DO - Serve as the executive owner of the growth, health, and strategic direction of Stacker’s publisher ecosystem - Lead a comprehensive review of the function - evaluating and strengthening its strategy, structure, team, processes, positioning, and performance - Define the future of distribution by expanding Stacker’s strategy into emerging channels like email newsletters, creator platforms, AI search integrations, and new partner ecosystems Publisher business development - Lead the strategy - and individually contribute to - identifying, recruiting, and activating new publisher partners - Develop a disciplined business development process, including target segmentation, outreach, pipeline management, relationship development, and activation - Source, qualify, and close new publisher partnerships—from prospecting and discovery through negotiation, onboarding coordination, and long-term expansion - Own the publisher playbook: refine and optimize our strategy for engaging, onboarding, and nurturing media partners—ensuring our content meets their editorial needs and earns continued trust - Develop and execute a publisher go-to-market plan across key segments (local/regional, digital-native, broadcast, nonprofit newsrooms, and multi-property media groups) - Build relationships with senior executives, editorial leaders, audience leaders, product executives, and other decision-makers across the publishing industry - Represent Stacker at relevant conferences, industry events, and partner forums - Improve the messaging, materials, and value proposition used to recruit publishers Partner success - Lead a team toward growth: manage the team focused on helping publishing partners achieve their content and business goals through their use of Stacker - Set the strategy and operating cadence for partner success, including onboarding, activation, integrations/CMS enablement, and ongoing partner communications - Define and track ecosystem health metrics - Create and maintain scalable playbooks for partner onboarding and success MILESTONES - Within 3 months: Create a prioritized business development plan that identifies a clear pipeline and path to closing new deals - Within 6 months: Deliver a noticeable improvement in the number of publisher partnerships Stacker is signing - Within 9 months: Expand beyond our traditional partner base and launch a secondary publisher network ABOUT YOU - You’re a creative dealmaker: You believe the best partnerships are the ones that benefit both sides—and you’re discerning about where you invest time because you’re optimizing for true, durable impact - You have high emotional intelligence: You empathize with journalists and the publishing industry, and you know there are no one-size-fits-all approaches to partner management - You have a bias for action: You believe the best results come from testing early, learning fast, and adapting quickly WHAT YOU’LL BRING - 10+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or publisher strategy - Proven track record of building and scaling partner ecosystems (ideally publishers, platforms, marketplaces, or two-sided networks) - Experience managing and developing teams - Strong understanding of publisher business models and workflows - Experience negotiating partnership terms and navigating legal/compliance reviews (e.g., MSAs, data/privacy, content usage, and platform policies) - Strong business judgment and comfort operating as both a leader and an individual contributor when needed - Analytical, data-informed approach to prioritization and ecosystem health - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence presenting to senior stakeholders WHY JOIN US? We're a diverse team of storytellers committed to building a more exciting, innovative future for media and marketing. As a bootstrapped company, we're resourceful, fast-moving, and focused on sustainable growth. Our virtual-first culture is rooted in trust, ownership, and collaboration, with a deep respect for each team member's voice and value. You'll be joining a company that's serious about impact—and intentional about how we scale it. PERKS & BENEFITS 💸 Equity Program 🏖 Unlimited PTO 🏡 100% Remote 👶 3 Months Paid Parental Leave 💰 401(k) Match 🏥 Full Health & Dental Coverage 🛡️ Life Insurance & Short-Term Disability 🎉 Awesome Team Culture, Events & Retreats We strongly encourage women, people of color, veterans, people with disabilities, and gender-nonconforming candidates to apply.