Digital Sales Manager

Who We Are

The Standard is a media company that offers news and culture for Londoners, everywhere. We deliver content through digital, audio, video, and social platforms, as well as a new weekly print product called The London Standard. We also create live experiences and events and collaborate with a number of OOH partners.

Our headquarters are located in Finsbury Square, London.

About You

You are a confident and consultative sales professional with a strong understanding of the digital advertising landscape. You excel in pitching, presenting, and responding to briefs with clarity and insight. You possess a solid technical foundation in digital advertising and bring a commercial mindset to every conversation.

Reporting to the Commercial Operations Director, you’ll collaborate closely with the Partnerships and Ad Operations teams. Your focus will be on uncovering and maximising revenue opportunities across The London Standard's digital platforms.

You have a proven track record in both Direct IO and Programmatic sales, with experience building and nurturing relationships across agency and client-side stakeholders. Prior experience managing agency direct and programmatic campaigns is essential.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Develop and close opportunities within existing client portfolios, manage a robust sales pipeline, and stay informed of market activity and trends.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with agency planning, buying, and trading teams through regular engagement, meetings, and appropriate networking or hospitality.
• Proactively generate new business opportunities through structured outreach and pipeline management.
• Maintain deep knowledge of assigned agencies and clients, understanding their strategies, nuances, and operating models.
• Work collaboratively with Ad Operations, Data, and Insights teams to ensure effective campaign delivery and performance optimisation.
• Analyse campaign data and market trends to generate actionable insights and recommendations.
• Contribute to the evolution of our programmatic trading strategy, enhancing our product offering while safeguarding direct sales channels.
• Stay abreast of industry developments and competitor activity, ensuring internal teams are informed of emerging opportunities.

Expected Behaviours

• Continuous Improvement – Demonstrates adaptability, openness to change, and a proactive approach to innovation and process enhancement.
• Collaboration – Fosters strong, respectful working relationships and contributes to a professional and inclusive team environment.
• Building Capability – Actively develops skills and knowledge, continuously seeking opportunities to grow in line with business goals.
• Quality Service – Delivers high-quality, customer-focused solutions while considering the diverse needs of clients and stakeholders.
• Responsive Delivery – Works effectively towards set objectives, meeting challenges with accountability and professionalism.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in both agency direct and programmatic sales, ideally within a publisher, ad tech platform, media agency, or ad network.
• Strong network of contacts across agency trading desks, digital planners, and client direct teams.
• Demonstrated ability to sell comprehensive digital advertising solutions.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and presentation skills.
• Solid understanding of programmatic trading, including analytics, trading models, technical terminology, and industry platforms.
• Professional, driven, and collaborative, with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Passion for the media industry and a desire to grow within digital sales.
• Up-to-date knowledge of trends and developments across the digital and wider media landscape.

The Standard Values

Trust

Fair. Honest. Accurate. From our reporting to how we conduct our relationships, trust is in our DNA.

Diversity

We are London – the most diverse city in the world. Our commitment is to represent our city with a team and through content that reflects our readers. Innovation Ideas are our currency. In a city that is always evolving we embrace and drive change across all our platforms, within our team and as a business.

Collaboration

We’re in this together – as colleagues, stakeholders, and citizens of our great capital. Teamwork is key to our success – inside and outside of the building.

Resilience

Through every one of history’s landmark moments The Standard has responded and delivered. We’re proud to be a news brand with a powerful legacy – and a focus on the future.

Diversity Statement: our commitment to diversity and inclusion

At The Standard our ambition is to represent our city with a team and through content that reflects our audience. We want to attract those voices previously underrepresented in media, offering a rewarding career and opportunities for all. Teamwork is key to our success. We want all our people to feel like they belong and that their voices matter.

If you need any assistance or adjustments during the process, please contact us.