What are the responsibilities and job description for the VP, Brand Partnerships & Strategic Growth position at Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.?
Education - It's in Our DNA
At Barnes & Noble Education (“BNED”) we are dedicated to making tomorrow a better, more inclusive, and smarter world by servicing all who work in education. As a leading solutions provider for the education industry, we are committed to driving affordability, accessibility, and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide by ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Together, our teams work to elevate lives through education.
To support this mission, we are seeking a Vice President of Brand Partnerships & Strategic Growth to shape and accelerate the next phase of growth for BNED’s Brand Partnerships business. Building on BNED’s national brand relationships, expansive college and university reach, and unique access to Gen Z consumers across in-store, digital, ecommerce, and experiential channels, this leader will define and execute the strategic growth agenda. The VP will identify new revenue streams, unlock underleveraged assets and monetization opportunities, and develop innovative partnership models that expand the value of BNED’s platform. Working closely with sales and operational leadership, this leader will translate market opportunities into scalable commercial strategies, strengthen BNED’s position as a differentiated media and partnership platform, and drive meaningful long-term revenue and EBITDA growth.
How You'll Make An Impact
How We Elevate Our Employees
We believe your success is our success, so our benefits package is designed specifically to support you in every aspect of your life. At BNED, we offer a variety of programs and resources to support the physical, mental, and financial well-being of our employees by offering a competitive total rewards package for full-time employees, which includes medical, dental, and vision plans, 401k with an annual discretionary match, life insurance, commuter benefits, paid time off with paid holidays, and a broad range of other benefits.
The hiring range for this position is $200,000 - 225,000 per year. This range represents the base salary only, in good faith at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. This position is bonus-eligible, with bonus amounts determined at the company’s discretion based on individual qualifications and applicable program terms.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
At Barnes & Noble Education, we empower everyone. Our mission is to support students, faculty, and schools, serving as a catalyst to meet the evolving needs of the education system and a new generation of students. That starts with fostering an environment for our employees where diversity and individuality is celebrated.
Barnes & Noble Education is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Barnes & Noble Education provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete an application or participate in the interview process, please contact fieldhr@bncollege.com .
At Barnes & Noble Education (“BNED”) we are dedicated to making tomorrow a better, more inclusive, and smarter world by servicing all who work in education. As a leading solutions provider for the education industry, we are committed to driving affordability, accessibility, and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide by ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Together, our teams work to elevate lives through education.
To support this mission, we are seeking a Vice President of Brand Partnerships & Strategic Growth to shape and accelerate the next phase of growth for BNED’s Brand Partnerships business. Building on BNED’s national brand relationships, expansive college and university reach, and unique access to Gen Z consumers across in-store, digital, ecommerce, and experiential channels, this leader will define and execute the strategic growth agenda. The VP will identify new revenue streams, unlock underleveraged assets and monetization opportunities, and develop innovative partnership models that expand the value of BNED’s platform. Working closely with sales and operational leadership, this leader will translate market opportunities into scalable commercial strategies, strengthen BNED’s position as a differentiated media and partnership platform, and drive meaningful long-term revenue and EBITDA growth.
How You'll Make An Impact
- Develop and execute a long-term strategic growth plan for the Brand Partnerships business.
- Identify new revenue streams, partnership models, and underleveraged assets across media, experiential, ecommerce, and student engagement channels.
- Evaluate monetization strategy, inventory utilization, impressions, sell-through opportunities, and commercial performance to maximize growth and EBITDA impact.
- Analyze media, advertising, retail media, and consumer trends to inform investment priorities and business strategy.
- Identify opportunities to leverage technology, automation, data, and operational scalability across the business.
- Partner cross-functionally to drive strategic growth initiatives.
- Additional responsibilities as required.
- 15 years of experience across media, advertising, retail media, partnerships, sponsorships, business development, ecommerce, integrated marketing, or related revenue-driving commercial functions.
- Strong expertise in strategic planning, revenue growth, and media/advertising business models, including audience monetization, inventory management, sell-through, and partnership strategy.
- Proven track record of identifying new revenue opportunities, building enterprise partnerships, and scaling emerging or stagnant business lines into meaningful growth channels.
- Experience evaluating market opportunities and driving transformational, long-term commercial growth, ideally within media networks, audience monetization platforms, or omnichannel consumer engagement businesses.
- Executive presence with strong communication, influencing, and cross-functional leadership capabilities.
- Familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM platforms, with the ability to leverage sales and market data for forecasting, pipeline visibility, and commercial decision-making.
How We Elevate Our Employees
We believe your success is our success, so our benefits package is designed specifically to support you in every aspect of your life. At BNED, we offer a variety of programs and resources to support the physical, mental, and financial well-being of our employees by offering a competitive total rewards package for full-time employees, which includes medical, dental, and vision plans, 401k with an annual discretionary match, life insurance, commuter benefits, paid time off with paid holidays, and a broad range of other benefits.
The hiring range for this position is $200,000 - 225,000 per year. This range represents the base salary only, in good faith at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. This position is bonus-eligible, with bonus amounts determined at the company’s discretion based on individual qualifications and applicable program terms.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
At Barnes & Noble Education, we empower everyone. Our mission is to support students, faculty, and schools, serving as a catalyst to meet the evolving needs of the education system and a new generation of students. That starts with fostering an environment for our employees where diversity and individuality is celebrated.
Barnes & Noble Education is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Barnes & Noble Education provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete an application or participate in the interview process, please contact fieldhr@bncollege.com .
Salary : $200,000 - $225,000