Next Step Recruitment
Business Development – Affiliate Partnerships (Hybrid, Chicago)
Next Step Recruitment, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
About the Business
This role sits within a backed, fast-scaling digital business operating at the intersection of comparison, consumer decision-making, and performance marketing. The company runs high-traffic comparison experiences across finance, insurance, and consumer services, where affiliate economics, rankings, and deal structure directly determine market position.
The business is supported by an experienced investment group with a track record of building and scaling performance-driven platforms. The focus is on winning competitive markets through smarter monetization and faster execution, not brand spend or long sales cycles.
The Opportunity You’ll own a portfolio of high-impact affiliate partnerships and be responsible for improving payout economics, securing stronger partner terms, and reacting quickly to market and ranking changes.
This is a role for someone who enjoys operating close to revenue, using performance data to justify better deals and having the authority to negotiate and execute independently.
What You’ll Own
Lead negotiations with affiliate and strategic partners to improve payouts, exclusivity, and placement
Monitor rankings, performance trends, and competitor activity to identify deal opportunities
Structure and renegotiate agreements to unlock incremental revenue
Build commercially focused partner relationships beyond standard affiliate management
Use data and performance insights to guide deal strategy and decision-making
Who This Role Is Built For
Background in affiliate partnerships, performance marketing, or monetization
Experience owning partner relationships in comparison, commerce, or lead-generation environments
Comfort negotiating rates, terms, and value directly with partners
Data-driven, decisive, and commercially minded
Looking for meaningful ownership and accountability tied to outcomes
Why This Makes Sense Career-Wise
More authority over payout strategy and partner negotiations
Clear line between your decisions and revenue impact
Strong performance-based upside
Exposure to multiple competitive verticals
Hybrid structure that supports collaboration while maintaining autonomy
Compensation & Growth
Competitive base salary
Meaningful performance incentives tied directly to outcomes
Opportunity to expand scope as the business continues to scale
What This Is (and Isn’t)
Is: Performance-driven, affiliate-first, negotiation-heavy
Isn’t: Brand marketing, passive account management, or SDR-style sales
Ready to Apply? If this role aligns with your experience in affiliate partnerships, performance marketing, or monetization, we’d love to connect.
If a recruiter from Next Step reached out to you directly about this opportunity, please note that in your application so we can flag and prioritize your candidacy appropriately.
What to Expect From the Process We aim to keep the process focused, transparent, and respectful of your time:
Intro conversation with Lauren (Recruiter) – alignment on background, role scope, and what you’re looking for
CCAT assessment – a brief cognitive assessment used consistently across roles
Two interviews with the team – focused on experience, deal approach, and how you think about partnerships
Offer – for candidates who are a strong mutual fit
Our Commitment to You At Next Step Recruitment, we believe strong hiring is a two-way decision. If your background aligns, we move quickly, communicate clearly, and aim to make the process worth your time. We’re excited to meet candidates who want real ownership, real impact, and a thoughtful conversation about what’s next.
If this sounds like you, we’d love to speak with you soon!
#J-18808-Ljbffr
The business is supported by an experienced investment group with a track record of building and scaling performance-driven platforms. The focus is on winning competitive markets through smarter monetization and faster execution, not brand spend or long sales cycles.
The Opportunity You’ll own a portfolio of high-impact affiliate partnerships and be responsible for improving payout economics, securing stronger partner terms, and reacting quickly to market and ranking changes.
This is a role for someone who enjoys operating close to revenue, using performance data to justify better deals and having the authority to negotiate and execute independently.
What You’ll Own
Lead negotiations with affiliate and strategic partners to improve payouts, exclusivity, and placement
Monitor rankings, performance trends, and competitor activity to identify deal opportunities
Structure and renegotiate agreements to unlock incremental revenue
Build commercially focused partner relationships beyond standard affiliate management
Use data and performance insights to guide deal strategy and decision-making
Who This Role Is Built For
Background in affiliate partnerships, performance marketing, or monetization
Experience owning partner relationships in comparison, commerce, or lead-generation environments
Comfort negotiating rates, terms, and value directly with partners
Data-driven, decisive, and commercially minded
Looking for meaningful ownership and accountability tied to outcomes
Why This Makes Sense Career-Wise
More authority over payout strategy and partner negotiations
Clear line between your decisions and revenue impact
Strong performance-based upside
Exposure to multiple competitive verticals
Hybrid structure that supports collaboration while maintaining autonomy
Compensation & Growth
Competitive base salary
Meaningful performance incentives tied directly to outcomes
Opportunity to expand scope as the business continues to scale
What This Is (and Isn’t)
Is: Performance-driven, affiliate-first, negotiation-heavy
Isn’t: Brand marketing, passive account management, or SDR-style sales
Ready to Apply? If this role aligns with your experience in affiliate partnerships, performance marketing, or monetization, we’d love to connect.
If a recruiter from Next Step reached out to you directly about this opportunity, please note that in your application so we can flag and prioritize your candidacy appropriately.
What to Expect From the Process We aim to keep the process focused, transparent, and respectful of your time:
Intro conversation with Lauren (Recruiter) – alignment on background, role scope, and what you’re looking for
CCAT assessment – a brief cognitive assessment used consistently across roles
Two interviews with the team – focused on experience, deal approach, and how you think about partnerships
Offer – for candidates who are a strong mutual fit
Our Commitment to You At Next Step Recruitment, we believe strong hiring is a two-way decision. If your background aligns, we move quickly, communicate clearly, and aim to make the process worth your time. We’re excited to meet candidates who want real ownership, real impact, and a thoughtful conversation about what’s next.
If this sounds like you, we’d love to speak with you soon!
#J-18808-Ljbffr