Senior Director, Inventory Partnerships

Senior Director, Inventory Partnerships

Position Description

We are seeking a Senior Director, Inventory Partnerships to strengthen and expand ICON's supply partnerships, deepen publisher and platform relationships, and build a best-in-class programmatic supply ecosystem. This senior leader will combine deep programmatic expertise with strong relationship-building instincts to cultivate durable supply alliances that unlock differentiated inventory access and long-term value for our clients. Think of this role as owning the "pipe system" that connects our clients to a vast ecosystem of publishers, networks, and platforms — and being accountable for how well it performs. The ideal candidate brings technical depth (deal ID troubleshooting, SPO strategy, rate negotiation), strong publisher relationships, and the commercial acumen to adapt supply-side solutions to ICON's principal-based buying model — ensuring every partnership drives maximum scale, quality, and profitability.

Responsibilities

Supply Partnership Development & Publisher Relations

• Own and expand ICON's direct publisher relationships, cultivating preferred buyer status with key media owners and developing co-investment frameworks that unlock first-look and exclusive inventory opportunities.
• Identify, negotiate, and onboard new supply partners — including emerging publishers, niche SSPs, CTV/streaming platforms, and data-enriched inventory sources — that expand ICON's programmatic footprint and competitive differentiation.
• Manage and grow strategic supply agreements with SSPs and platform partners, ensuring ICON maintains preferred access to premium, brand-safe inventory across formats and channels.
• Serve as ICON's senior point of contact for supply-side relationships, representing the company at publisher summits, SSP partner days, and industry forums to strengthen partnerships and stay ahead of ecosystem developments.

Supply Operations & Performance

• Lead supply path optimization (SPO) strategy, evaluating and rationalizing supply partners based on quality, commercial arrangements, and performance to ensure efficient, profitable and accountable inventory access.
• Build and maintain a rigorous partner evaluation framework — tracking inventory quality, scale, efficiency and overall profitability
• Serve as the internal technical expert on deal structures, troubleshooting deal ID issues, PMP/PG execution, and header bidding configurations in close collaboration with trading and ad ops teams.
• Develop data-driven frameworks to assess supply path quality, working directly with partners to improve targeting precision and reduce supply chain inefficiency.

Principal-Based Buying & Commercial Strategy

• Adapt supply-side strategies to support ICON's principal-based buying model, structuring supply agreements and commercial terms that maximize margin, scale, and inventory differentiation within this framework.
• Identify opportunities to deepen commercial relationships with supply partners that create durable competitive advantages for ICON.
• Partner with internal stakeholders (trading, client media directors, finance) to align supply strategy with client campaign needs and broader business objectives.

Revenue Generation & Business Growth

• Lead commercial development of ICON’s programmatic offering, positioning the capability as a core revenue driver across existing and prospective clients.
• Contribute to company-wide programmatic strategy by advising on supply ecosystem developments, shaping ICON's publisher roadmap, and ensuring supply infrastructure scales to meet growing client demand.

Skills and Qualifications

Technical & Expertise

• Deep expertise across the programmatic supply ecosystem — SSPs, publisher ad servers, PMPs, PG deals, and header bidding — with the ability to evaluate partner capabilities and structure deals that maximize inventory quality, access, and efficiency.
• Familiarity with emerging direct supply paths (retail media, CTV/streaming, curated marketplaces) and the ability to assess and integrate new inventory sources as the ecosystem evolves.
• Commercial mindset with experience structuring supply agreements within a principal-based buying model, including volume deals, data-sharing arrangements, and margin-aware inventory strategies.

Professional Experience

• 7-10 years of experience in digital advertising, with meaningful time spent on the supply side — at a publisher, SSP, ad network, or in a publisher/platform partnership role.
• Proven track record of building and managing supply partnerships, negotiating programmatic deals, and delivering measurable improvements in inventory quality, access, and performance.
• Experience in a senior leadership or management role.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• Must have the legal right to work in the United States.

Core Skills

• Strong management and leadership capabilities with experience building and developing teams
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship management skills, with experience building trust across publisher, platform and internal stakeholder interactions
• Strategic thinking with ability to balance tactical execution and long-term planning
• Strong analytical skills and data-driven decision-making approach
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving industry environment, managing multiple projects simultaneously

Additional Information

This position is based in ICON’s corporate office. The work environment is dynamic and collaborative, providing opportunities for growth and professional development.

The strength of our business comes from our people, our financial resources and the great relationships we’ve built with clients and other business partners. ICON brings them together to solve problems and to create innovative business opportunities. We’ve developed trading strategies that maximize asset value and improve business outcomes.

Award-Winning Culture: Recognized as one of the 25 Best Places to Work in Connecticut and a Top Workplace in Fairfield County

Competitive Compensation: We offer a robust base salary paired with an attractive benefits package including generous PTO, medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) with match.

Apply now and become an integral part of a Company that’s reshaping the landscape of Corporate Finance and Barter.