Senior Director, Advertising Sales – Independent & Brand Direct

What does the team work on? 

The Independent & Brand Direct team is a major growth engine for Roku's advertising business, focused on net new advertiser acquisition across independent agencies and client-direct advertisers. This segment helps diversify Roku's advertiser base, maximize yield in an underpenetrated market, and build the next generation of Roku's advertising business. 

What is the role? 

Roku is seeking a Senior Director, Advertising Sales to lead and scale the Independent & Brand Direct team, a newly created vertical reporting directly to the VP of Ad Sales. This leader will set the strategic vision for a high-performing organization, drive meaningful revenue growth, and shape the go-to-market strategy for one of Roku's highest-growth opportunities. 

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise across CTV/streaming, performance, and digital-first advertising, along with a strong network in the independent agency and emerging brand ecosystem. They have a proven track record of leading organizations that include both managers and individual contributors, standing up new revenue streams in high-growth markets, and building, coaching, and inspiring high-performing teams in fast-paced environments. They also bring meaningful experience across ad tech, data, and programmatic marketplaces, with the ability to build strategic, integrated partnerships with agencies and brands through interoperable solutions. 

For New York Only - The estimated annual base salary for this position is between $428,000 - $533,000. 

Compensation packages are based on factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, certifications, and specific geographical location. 

This role is eligible for incentive compensation/commissions, health insurance, equity awards, life insurance, disability benefits, parental leave, wellness benefits, and paid time off. 

How will I use AI at Roku? 

At Roku, we don’t just use AI, we work with it. AI agents and smart tools help power drafts, analysis, and repetitive workflows, while our people bring direction, judgment, and accountability.  
We value curious, adaptable builders, who can show how they’ve used AI, agents, or automation to move faster, improve quality, and scale their impact. Strong candidates know how to frame problems, guide AI-assisted work, check the output, and learn quickly. Above all, they bring curiosity, adaptability, and sound judgment. 

What are the responsibilities of the role? 

Strategic Leadership 

• Own Roku's advertising sales strategy and performance for the Independent & Brand Direct vertical, including go-to-market planning, forecasting and delivery against revenue targets. 
• Build, lead, and develop a team of Directors, Managers, and Account Executives while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and growth. 
• Set goals, conduct quarterly business reviews, and provide executive-level coaching to drive consistent performance across the organization. 
• Identify emerging market trends and competitive threats, then translate those insights into strategies that accelerate Roku's advertising business. 

Revenue & Go-to-Market 

• Lead net new advertiser acquisition by expanding Roku's business into independent agencies, brands with direct/in-house buying teams, performance-first, and digital-native brands. 
• Grow relationships across independent agencies and client-direct advertisers while expanding Roku's footprint with emerging advertisers. 
• Build and evolve full-funnel sales and go-to-market strategies that connect audiences with the brands they love while driving both reach and measurable business outcomes. 
• Lead solutions-oriented selling across the full spectrum of Roku opportunities, from home screen native sponsorships and premium video to programmatic, Ads Manager, and automated buying strategies and tactics. 
• Drive new broadcast and calendar-year commitments through upfront and strategic partnership planning in collaboration with Roku's Global Agency Partnership team. 
• Develop insights, case studies, and packaging strategies that clearly demonstrate Roku's value for Independent and emerging brands. 

Cross-Functional Leadership 

• Partner with Revenue Operations, FP&A, and Media leadership to forecast business performance and optimize pipeline, yield, and margin at scale. 
• Collaborate with Account Management, Business Development, and Marketing teams to build custom solutions and compelling narratives for agency partners, bringing together programmatic strategy, measurement, data, and go-to-market capabilities to meet client needs and unlock growth. 
• Work closely with Marketing, Product, and Engineering to ensure the needs of this customer segment are reflected in Roku's ad product roadmap. 
• Build strong partnerships with Client Services to support customer satisfaction, retention, and long-term account growth. 

Industry Presence 

• Represent Roku as a senior spokesperson in executive client engagements and at major industry events. 
• Cultivate senior relationships across independent agencies, emerging brands, and performance-oriented marketers. 

What experience would help someone be successful in this role at Roku? 

• 15+ years of experience in digital advertising sales, including at least 6 years in progressive leadership roles managing multi-level sales teams. 
• Demonstrated success building and scaling sales organizations focused on independent agencies, DTC brands, or performance-driven advertisers. 
• Deep expertise in OTT/CTV, programmatic, data-driven targeting, and performance-based advertising solutions. 
• A strong network of relationships across independent agencies, emerging brands, and performance-first marketers. 
• A hunter mentality with a track record of winning net new business while expanding existing accounts. 
• Strong strategic and analytical skills, with the ability to use data to shape sales strategy, pipeline management, and organizational planning. 
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence at the C-suite level. 
• Experience partnering cross-functionally with Product, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to drive business outcomes. 
• A passion for the streaming industry and a commitment to shaping its future through innovative advertising solutions.  

#LI-OR1