Business Development Lead - Commercial & Branded

Sawhorse Productions is a Los Angeles based, award-winning full-service creative agency turning ideas into unforgettable experiences through captivating branded content, viral social moments, and groundbreaking interactive experiences. We partner with industry-leading brands, artists, and studios such as Walmart, Google, NBCU, Fanatics, Toyota, Pepsi and Alo to deliver industry leading, innovative multi-platform content. At Sawhorse, we believe in fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and relentless excellence while shaping the future of digital storytelling.

Our projects include:

• Branded content
• Social/Digital Content
• Broadcast campaigns
• UGC Gaming platform experiences
• Interactive/Web3 activations (AR, VR, MR, AI)

Sawhorse Productions is seeking a Business Development Lead to drive growth and expand partnerships across brands, studios, agencies, and entertainment properties. This role focuses on securing high-value opportunities across the commercial and branded content space — from traditional broadcast spots to digital and social campaigns, as well as marketing studio IP.

You will build and execute sales strategies, identify new opportunities, and work closely with top-tier clients to deliver bold, forward-thinking content. Success in this role means having a strong understanding of commercial marketing, media trends, and the evolving content landscape, with a passion for building relationships and creating work that stands out.

• Build and manage a robust sales pipeline: Leverage market insights to identify, target, and convert high-value prospects into long-term partnerships that drive revenue growth.
• Expand and strengthen client relationships: Uncover new opportunities, increase project scope, and introduce existing clients to the full range of Sawhorse’s capabilities.
• Develop and execute targeted outreach strategies: Implement strategic outreach initiatives to engage brands, studios, agencies and partners looking for innovative marketing solutions.
• Bidding & pitch workflow: Help lead and streamline business development conversations within the high-volume pitch and bidding process.
• Establish and nurture industry relationships: Engage with key decision-makers at brands, entertainment studios and partners to drive long-term collaborations.
• Collaborate on tailored client solutions: Work cross-functionally with creative and production teams to develop compelling sales decks and customized proposals that align with client objectives.
• Leverage data-driven prospecting: Implement analytical strategies to refine outreach efforts, improve conversion rates, and maximize sales effectiveness.
• Increase Sawhorse’s industry presence: Represent the company at conferences, networking events, and industry gatherings to establish new connections and showcase our expertise.
• Track performance and optimize strategies: Monitor sales metrics, client interactions, and pipeline progress to refine approaches and ensure continued growth.
• Stay ahead of industry trends: Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies in marketing, media, and generative AI to uncover new opportunities and keep Sawhorse at the cutting edge and on the forefront of trends.
• Conduct competitor research: Analyze industry trends and competitor offerings to refine Sawhorse’s positioning and uncover market gaps.
• Enhance sales processes and CRM strategy: Improve lead qualification, CRM tracking, and overall sales workflows to increase efficiency and deal velocity.

A strong candidate for this position should have the following qualities:

• Proven business development experience: 5+ years in business development, partnerships, or a sales-driven role, with a history of securing and expanding high-value client relationships.
• Brand partnership experience: Proven ability to identify, develop, and secure strategic partnerships with brands, studios, and partners.
• Proven success in exceeding growth targets: A track record of consistently achieving or surpassing revenue and sales goals.
• Relationship-building skills: Ability to establish and sustain long-term partnerships, leveraging strong interpersonal and negotiation skills to drive…