Director, Business Development and Operations
Sales & Business Development, Operations
Los Angeles, CA, USA
USD 185k-200k / year + Equity
Our Mission
As humans, there are few things more exciting than meeting someone new. At Tinder, we’re inspired by the challenge of keeping the magic of human connection alive. With tens of millions of users, hundreds of millions of downloads, 2+ billion swipes per day, 20+ million matches per day, and a presence in 190+ countries, our reach is expansive—and rapidly growing.
We work together to solve complex problems. Behind the simplicity of every match, we think deeply about human relationships, behavioral science, network economics, AI and ML, online and real-world safety, cultural nuances, loneliness, love, sex, and more.
Our Values
- Take the Lead: We don't ghost our work or each other. Just as users don't leave their matches hanging, we don't let each other down.
- Move Fast: We have a bias for action and urgency. Something that could be done tomorrow would be better if done today.
- Better Together: We keep connection at the heart of dating and at the heart of how we work. Just as our users are better when they connect with others, so are we when we collaborate.
- Real Talk: We say the hard thing the human way. Just as we ask our users to behave with kindness and candor in our community, we expect Team Tinder to do the same.
- Safety First: We act with integrity, transparency, and consistency so people feel safe—whether they're swiping, matching, or working alongside us.
- Spark Fun: We have fun to unlock creativity, fuel innovation, and help us build better experiences for daters.
The Team or Role:
Tinder is investing in bringing people together beyond the screen. Our Events initiative creates curated, in-person experiences that give members new ways to connect - and we're looking for a director-level commercial leader to build it from the ground up.
The Director, Business Development & Operations will own everything that makes the Tinder Events supply engine run: the strategy, the team, the partnerships, the processes, and the results. This is not a role for someone who manages existing programs - it's a role for a builder who can stand up a new function, close deals at multiple levels of complexity, and create a scalable operating model that holds up as the program expands city by city.
You will run two distinct partnership tracks simultaneously - a scaled, high-volume event supply pipeline and a program of branded event experiences - each requiring a different commercial motion, deal structure, and execution model. You will hire and develop the team that delivers both, and you will serve as a senior commercial thought partner to Tinder leadership as the program grows.
You'll report to the VP, Business Development and work closely with cross-functional partners across Marketing, Legal, Product, Engineering, and Design.
Where you'll work:
This is a hybrid role requiring in-office collaboration three times per week in Los Angeles, CA, with approximately 25% travel for market launches, partner meetings, and on-the-ground event activation.
In this role, you will:
Hire, structure, and develop a team of BD Managers, Operations Analysts, and market specialists from the ground up - defining the org model and adapting it as the program scales
Set the performance bar for the team across both partnership tracks, coach to it, and hold people accountable to pipeline and partner targets
Create the playbooks and onboarding systems that allow new team members to ramp quickly and operate independently across markets
Serve as a senior commercial leader who elevates the team's ability to pitch, close, and retain partners
Own the end-to-end BD pipeline for the high-volume event supply track: outbound sourcing, outreach, pitching, negotiation, onboarding, and partner retention at scale across multiple markets
Co-lead the Produced track partnership program, in partnership with the VP of BD: identify high-impact brand and venue partners, develop and pitch new branded event formats, and close complex multi-party deals with national or regional partners
Secure co-promotion agreements and co-marketing terms with event hosts and brand partners that drive mutual visibility and user value
Leverage AI and automation tools to accelerate outreach, lead scoring, pipeline management, and partner communications across both tracks
Invent new deal structures and business models to unlock supply - from local ambassador programs and inbound marketing for organizers to new event formats that don't yet exist
Design and document the end-to-end workflow for how events are sourced, vetted, negotiated, onboarded, listed, monitored, and renewed across both partnership tracks
Build the sales operations infrastructure that makes the team run: territory design, pipeline reporting, forecasting, and performance tracking
Establish quality control standards that define what belongs on Tinder: brand alignment, event type, audience fit, and listing accuracy
Build market-specific playbooks that can be systematically replicated as the program expands to new cities and regions
Partner with Product and Engineering on how the supply management model should evolve as the platform grows
Serve as the program's chief strategic thinker on supply: developing and pressure-testing models for how Tinder sources, manages, and curates events at scale
Bring a creative commercial mindset to supply challenges: how do we drive inbound interest from event hosts? Should we deploy local cultural ambassadors? What's the right tiering model for supply quality? How do we stay curated at scale?
Represent the Events team's commercial interests in cross-functional discussions with Marketing, Product, Legal, and Senior Leadership
Build and Lead the Team
Drive Commercial Performance
Build the Operating Model
Lead Supply Strategy
You’ll need:
- 8+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or sales - with at least 3 years in a senior role closing complex deals and managing or developing a team
- A proven commercial track record: you have hard numbers - deals closed, revenue or pipeline generated, partner programs built from scratch
- Experience operating at both ends of the deal spectrum: high-volume, scaled outbound sales and complex, multi-party strategic partnerships
- Sales operations expertise - you've built or managed the infrastructure that makes a sales team run (CRM, forecasting, comp design, territory structure, pipeline reporting)
- Demonstrated ability to hire, develop, and hold a team accountable - you know how to set a high bar and bring people along
- Commercial creativity - you've pitched deal structures that didn't exist before and convinced partners to say yes
- Strong operational instincts - you build repeatable systems, not one-off solutions, and you apply that thinking to team design as much as to processes
- Entrepreneurial drive - you're energized by ambiguity, comfortable making decisions without a complete playbook, and biased toward action
- Clear, structured communication - you translate ground-level commercial activity into strategic insights for leadership, and you write and present with precision
Nice to have:
- Experience in events, nightlife, live entertainment, hospitality, or consumer lifestyle industries
- Background working with national brand partners on co-marketing or co-branded deal structures
- Familiarity with event marketplace platforms from a partnership or operations perspective
- Experience scaling a commercial program across multiple cities or regions
- Background working with Gen Z or millennial consumer audiences or community-driven brands
As a full-time employee, you’ll enjoy:
- Flexible Vacation, 10 Sick Days
- Time off to volunteer and charitable donations matched up to $15,000 annually
- Comprehensive health, vision, and dental coverage
- 100% 401(k) employer match up to 10%, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
- 100% paid parental leave (including for non-birthing parents) and family forming benefits
- Investment in your development: mentorship through our MentorMatch program, access to 6,000+ online courses through Udemy, and an annual $3,000 stipend for your professional development
- Investment in your wellness: access to mental health support via Modern Health, paid concierge medical membership, pet insurance, fitness membership subsidy, and commuter subsidy
- Free subscription to Tinder Gold
185000 - 200000 USD a year
The salary range for this position is $185,000 - $200,000. Factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, job-related skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations may influence base pay offered. This salary range is reflective of a position based in Los Angeles, CA. This salary will be subject to a geographic adjustment (according to a specific city and state), if an authorization is granted to work outside of the location listed in this posting.