Director, Business Development

Overview

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest-circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin .

The Director, Business Development , is accountable for translating growth priorities into a cohesive, executable portfolio of opportunities. This role oversees business development strategy execution, pipeline health, deal governance, and performance management across assigned markets and offerings. The role serves as the primary connective layer between senior leadership and frontline business development teams, ensuring disciplined execution, strong cross ‑ functional alignment, and sustained revenue growth.

Responsibilities

Translates enterprise growth objectives into clear business development priorities, targets, and annual operating plans.

Owns and manages the overall business development pipeline, ensuring the right balance of near-term revenue and longer-term strategic opportunities.

Partners with senior and executive leadership to refine growth hypotheses, market focus areas, and partnership strategies.

Provides oversight of the end‑to‑end business development pipeline, ensuring accuracy, discipline, and transparency.

Reviews and guides major deals, partnerships, and contracts, serving as an escalation point for complex negotiations or risks.

Enforces and standardizes business development processes, tools, and reporting, including accurate, timely use of CRM systems and business development reporting tools to maintain pipeline visibility, activity tracking, and performance insights.

Leads the negotiation of complex relationship agreements. Effectively negotiates the best possible agreements that maximize the enterprise assets and drives revenue, membership, and engagement goals.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration , Marketing, Management, Finance, Economics, or a related field required.

8+ years of progressive leadership experience in business development, strategic partnerships, sales leadership, revenue growth, or a related field.

Proven leadership experience building and leading high-performing teams, including direct reports, with the ability to coach, develop talent, drive accountability, and achieve organizational objectives.

Demonstrated experience translating enterprise partnership and growth strategies into actionable business development priorities , pipeline, targets, and operating plans that drive organizational impact and growth.

Lead and optimize business development p ipeline performance by evaluating market opportunities, sizing partnership potential, establishing priorities, balancing short-term opportunities with long-term strategic growth initiatives , and ensuring forecast accuracy .

Strong expertise in developing partnership strategies and navigating complex cross functional organizations to bui ld alignment, influence stakeholders , sec ur e executive sponsorship, a nd advance strategic partnerships .

Lead complex partnership negotiation s and contract execution while managing risks, resolving escalations, and securing favorable business outcomes.

Drive operational excellence through managing business development processes, CRM platforms, Ai-enabled tools, and performance metrics to ensure pipeline visibility, operational discipline, and data-driven decision-making across the business development team .

This position requires approximately 25–30% domestic travel, including occasional overnight stays, to support meetings, events, and business needs

AARP will not sponsor an employment visa for this position at this time.

Additional Requirements

Regular and reliable job attendance

Effective verbal and written communication skills

Exhibit respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationships

Independent judgement in evaluation options to make sound decisions

In office/open office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate noise

Hybrid Work Environment

AARP observes Mondays and Fridays as remote workdays, except for essential functions. Remote work can only be done within the United States and its territories.

Compensation and Benefits

AARP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance; paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition and tuition reimbursement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

Translates enterprise growth objectives into clear business development priorities, targets, and annual operating plans.

Owns and manages the overall business development pipeline, ensuring the right balance of near-term revenue and longer-term strategic opportunities.

Partners with senior and executive leadership to refine growth hypotheses, market focus areas, and partnership strategies.

Provides oversight of the end‑to‑end business development pipeline, ensuring accuracy, discipline, and transparency.

Reviews and guides major deals, partnerships, and contracts, serving as an escalation point for complex negotiations or risks.

Enforces and standardizes business development processes, tools, and reporting, including accurate, timely use of CRM systems and business development reporting tools to maintain pipeline visibility, activity tracking, and performance insights.

Leads the negotiation of complex relationship agreements. Effectively negotiates the best possible agreements that maximize the enterprise assets and drives revenue, membership, and engagement goals.

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration , Marketing, Management, Finance, Economics, or a related field required.

8+ years of progressive leadership experience in business development, strategic partnerships, sales leadership, revenue growth, or a related field.

Proven leadership experience building and leading high-performing teams, including direct reports, with the ability to coach, develop talent, drive accountability, and achieve organizational objectives.

Demonstrated experience translating enterprise partnership and growth strategies into actionable business development priorities , pipeline, targets, and operating plans that drive organizational impact and growth.

Lead and optimize business development p ipeline performance by evaluating market opportunities, sizing partnership potential, establishing priorities, balancing short-term opportunities with long-term strategic growth initiatives , and ensuring forecast accuracy .

Strong expertise in developing partnership strategies and navigating complex cross functional organizations to bui ld alignment, influence stakeholders , sec ur e executive sponsorship, a nd advance strategic partnerships .

Lead complex partnership negotiation s and contract execution while managing risks, resolving escalations, and securing favorable business outcomes.

Drive operational excellence through managing business development processes, CRM platforms, Ai-enabled tools, and performance metrics to ensure pipeline visibility, operational discipline, and data-driven decision-making across the business development team .

This position requires approximately 25–30% domestic travel, including occasional overnight stays, to support meetings, events, and business needs

AARP will not sponsor an employment visa for this position at this time.

Additional Requirements

Regular and reliable job attendance

Effective verbal and written communication skills

Exhibit respect and understanding of others to maintain professional relationships

Independent judgement in evaluation options to make sound decisions

In office/open office environment with the ability to work effectively surrounded by moderate noise

Hybrid Work Environment

AARP observes Mondays and Fridays as remote workdays, except for essential functions. Remote work can only be done within the United States and its territories.

Compensation and Benefits

AARP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance; paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition and tuition reimbursement.

Equal Employment Opportunity

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.