Associate Director, Client Partnerships (Local Advocacy & Public Affairs)

The role

This person will drive new revenue by building partnerships with advocacy organizations, political agencies, and other policy-driven entities. They will expand Axios' presence in the state and local advocacy advertising market using various media and event solutions.

What you will do

• Identify, prospect, and secure new advertising partnerships with organizations investing in state-level public affairs and legislative campaigns.
• Develop and maintain relationships with political agencies, trade associations, and advocacy organizations.
• Identify priority markets, legislative calendars, and emerging policy issues.
• Build strategic advertising programs leveraging newsletters, digital advertising, custom content, and experiential opportunities.
• Represent Axios at industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities.
• Lead prospecting, discovery, proposals, negotiations, and closing.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to execute client campaigns.
• Build and maintain a sales pipeline to achieve individual revenue targets.

Required qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in advertising sales, digital media, campaigns, political advertising, public affairs, or agency business development at the state level.
• Existing relationships with state-level political and public affairs agencies, advocacy organizations, or trade associations.
• Strong understanding of the state legislative landscape, ballot initiative campaigns, and state and local advocacy advertising.
• Proven experience in outbound sales, new business development, and managing the full sales cycle.
• Experience developing multi-market advertising campaigns or selling local and regional media.
• Familiarity with digital advertising, media planning, audience targeting, and integrated marketing solutions.
• Ability to identify business opportunities around legislative sessions, elections, and ballot measures.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and manage multiple priorities.
• Willingness to travel to priority markets and attend relevant industry events.
• Track record of successfully meeting or exceeding revenue targets.

Nice to have

• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Growth mindset

Benefits

• 401(k) with employer match
• PPO and High Deductible health insurance options on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network
• Employer Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution
• Dental and vision coverage
• Primary caregiver 12-week paid leave
• Generous vacation policy, plus holidays
• One mental health day per quarter
• Annual learning and development stipend
• $100 monthly work-from-home stipend
• Tele-mental health services through Headspace
• OneMedical membership, including tele-health services
• Personal health advocacy resources through HealthAdvocate

About the company

Axios is a media company dedicated to providing trustworthy, award-winning news content in an audience-first format.