Account Executive, Trade Strategy, WBUR Business Partnerships

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the operational lifecycle of trade deals: outreach, contract review, ad inventory reservation, copywriting and acquiring receipts.
• Track, collect, and process receipts and in-kind goods/services according to WBUR policies and audit requirements.
• Maintain accurate trade records in revenue/sales systems and ensure timely reconciliation with finance.
• Cook up coordination with sales, programming, membership, CitySpace and Festival events teams, and finance to guarantee fulfillment and proper crediting.
• Provide pricing guidance and standardized trade templates to streamline deal flow.
• Ensure trade offers are compliant with organizational policy and donor/sponsor guidelines.
• Support fundraising efforts by aligning appropriate trade sponsorships.
• Build and maintain a multi-year trade strategy and playbook to increase trade savings and expand trade-based client relationships.
• Identify high-impact categories for in-kind partnerships (e.g., production, event services, media swaps, cross-promotions) and develop go-to-market approaches.
• Analyze trade performance metrics and recommend initiatives to increase value capture (e.g., bundling, exclusivity, annual commitments).
• Develop processes to convert trade relationships into paid business where appropriate.
• Serve as internal liaison across sales, events, membership, and finance to resolve trade issues and improve workflows.
• Build and maintain vendor/partner relationships for in-kind services and products, ensuring quality and delivery.
• Produce regular reporting on trade activity: savings realized, inventory allocation, client trade history, and performance vs. targets.
• Implement internal controls and documentation standards to support audits and ensure transparency.
• Ensure compliance with FCC, nonprofit, and underwriting rules as they apply to trade arrangements.
• Document and maintain trade policies, standard operating procedures, approval matrices, and templates.
• Train sales and operational teams on trade best practices, receipt requirements, and system usage.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce cycle time and errors.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years experience in media sales, sales operations, revenue/partnership operations, or related roles; nonprofit/media experience a plus.
• Strong knowledge of advertising inventory, sponsorships, and in-kind partnership mechanics.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder processes and close the loop from sale to fulfillment and reconciliation.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with internal teams and external partners.
• Analytical skills and comfort using data to drive decisions.
• Proficiency with Salesforce CRM.
• Proactive, problem-solving orientation and willingness to create scalable processes.
• Preferred: working at a public media organization, nonprofit, or with sponsorship/ad sales; experience negotiating and valuing in-kind services and goods; familiarity with compliance and audit documentation practices; project management certification or demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects.