Publisher Development Specialist (Network Development)

About the role

AppDirect is hiring a Publisher Development Specialist (also called Network Development Specialist), a junior, internally-facing role focused on growing and strengthening the PartnerStack Network, the marketplace connecting vendors with high-performing affiliates and partners. The role sits behind the scenes: sourcing and vetting new partners, matching existing partners to vendor opportunities, and building the categorization systems that make the network scalable. It works closely with the Network Manager on day-to-day operations, with a focus on partner recruitment, segmentation and spotting emerging talent.

Key responsibilities

• Sourcing and reaching out to prospective affiliates and partners across relevant verticals to grow the size and quality of the network.
• Vetting inbound and outbound partner applicants against network fit criteria.
• Maintaining a consistent outreach cadence and tracking the pipeline of prospects from first contact through onboarding.
• Reviewing partner profiles (audience, content type, performance history, niche) and identifying good-fit vendor opportunities for them.
• Supporting vendor onboarding by surfacing shortlists of high-potential partners for new programs.
• Developing and maintaining a structured taxonomy for categorizing partners (vertical, content type, audience size, performance tier).
• Building repeatable processes and lightweight tools to keep partner data organized and up to date.
• Assisting the Network Manager with administrative and organizational tasks related to network health.
• Preparing internal reports on partner recruitment, categorization coverage and the pipeline of emerging partners.

Required profile

• Prior experience in a BDR, recruiting, partnerships or affiliate marketing-adjacent role; internships welcome.
• Strong organizational instincts, comfortable building structure and process where none exists yet.
• Comfortable with outbound outreach and early-stage relationship building.
• Detail-oriented, able to work with data and spreadsheets to track and categorize information at scale.
• Curious and analytical, interested in spotting patterns in what makes a partner successful.
• Strong written communication skills for partner outreach and internal documentation.