Senior Manager - Business Development, APAC

About the Role

At Spotify, we are committed to delivering unmatched audio experiences tailored to every moment. As the leading audio streaming subscription service with hundreds of millions of users and operations spanning 180+ markets, we continue to expand rapidly across the APAC region. To support this growth, we are assembling a top-tier business development team and seek a highly motivated Senior Manager to accelerate our Premium distribution partnerships across APAC. This position is based in Singapore or Seoul and reports directly to the APAC Director of Business Development. Your efforts will directly shape how millions worldwide engage with audio content.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and negotiate strategic distribution agreements across APAC, ensuring alignment with Spotify’s long-term growth vision.
• Collaborate with regional leadership to develop and refine partner strategies by conducting detailed market and partner analysis, and establishing priorities and forecasts.
• Serve as the primary liaison for partners at all organizational levels including executive, marketing, and commercial teams, managing entire partnership lifecycles.
• Evaluate current partnerships to uncover expansion opportunities and enhance overall performance and value.
• Guide internal approval processes by engaging senior stakeholders from Legal, Finance, Accounting, and Product sectors.
• Lead cross-functional teams internally to maintain alignment and ensure timely execution of deal milestones.
• Maintain and evaluate a pipeline of potential partnerships, assessing their commercial impact through rigorous analysis and business case development.
• Travel as necessary within APAC to deepen partner relations and support negotiations and deal closures.

Candidate Profile

• Possess at least 5 years of substantial business development or strategic partnerships experience focusing on APAC markets, particularly in sectors like telecommunications, OEMs, payments, entertainment, or digital platforms.
• Fluent in both English and Korean; knowledge of additional APAC languages is advantageous.
• Proven competence in structuring and finalizing complex agreements with large enterprises and scaling partnerships with measurable outcomes.
• Deep understanding of APAC market dynamics, particularly with expertise in Korea, Thailand, or Indonesia.
• Strong strategic thinking skills paired with operational excellence and ownership mentality for partnerships.
• Ability to thrive in diverse, fast-paced environments while collaborating effectively with distributed teams.
• Skilled in contract negotiation, legal framework comprehension, and partnering with legal professionals.
• Comfortable interfacing with product, engineering, and design teams, adept at translating technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
• Highly analytical and data-oriented, with experience in financial modeling and constructing robust business cases.
• Excellent communication skills enabling simplification of complex matters for senior internal and partner audiences.
• Demonstrates strong commercial instincts, diligence, and foresight to recognize long-term value in each opportunity.
• Self-driven, resilient, and capable of independently managing deals from conception to execution.
• Holds a Bachelor's degree with excellent academic records; MBA qualifications are a plus.
• Experience utilizing basic AI tools is desirable.

Work Location & Culture

• The position is located in Singapore or Seoul, South Korea.
• Spotify offers a flexible working environment balancing onsite collaboration with options to work remotely as appropriate.

Diversity and Inclusion

Spotify embraces diversity and ensures an inclusive environment where all individuals are welcome regardless of background or identity. Our recruitment process is designed to be accessible, and we accommodate all candidates as needed to support diverse talents and perspectives. This commitment fosters innovation and collective success, reflecting our mission to redefine how the world listens.