Axel Services

Company Description

Axel Springer is a family-owned, transatlantic media company. With a portfolio of leading media brands including BILD, Business Insider, Morning Brew, POLITICO and WELT, the company is focused on shaping the future of journalism and media across key international markets.
Our team oversees investments and portfolio management of Axel Springer’s portfolio companies. These include U.S. news media assets such as Morning Brew (New York), Business Insider (New York), EMARKETER (New York), POLITICO (Washington, DC), and Bisnow (New York) and European media assets such as Grupa Ringier Axel Springer Polska (Warsaw), Bonial (Berlin), Idealo (Berlin), and AWIN (Berlin), as well as several other Germany-based and international joint ventures and minority investments. 

Our team serves as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to the executive teams of our portfolio companies and Axel Springer’s top management. We drive transformational change by overseeing and supporting high-impact projects to help reach the group’s strategic goals. We lead growth projects and strategic initiatives across the group and portfolio. We support our top management in actively expanding our portfolio through new investments and organic growth initiatives both in the U.S. and Europe. This role is focused on managing and developing the portfolio of U.S.-based assets. 

This is a unique opportunity to work directly with senior executives across Axel Springer’s U.S. portfolio – helping shape strategy, drive transformational initiatives, and evaluate new investment opportunities.

Job Description

Portfolio management: 

• oversee a portfolio of subsidiaries, being the key point of contact for their management teams, monitoring their performance against plan and supporting the execution of their strategic objectives 
• support the execution of complex projects in all areas of business and corporate development related to the portfolio and Axel Springer, more generally (growth initiatives, strategic re-organization, M&A, spin-offs, divestments, etc.) 
• work at the interface of the Axel Springer Board and the management teams of the Axel Springer assets and many other business functions 
• coordinate, draft & conceptualize presentations to serve as a basis for top management decisions 
• develop plans to analyze business areas as well as craft and implement action plans to create value 

  
Investments & strategic growth: 

• identify trends and growth potential, drive innovative business models, and bring strategies to life 
• coordinate cross-asset collaboration to drive growth across the portfolio and ensure best practice sharing 
• help shape the overall news media strategy beyond the current portfolio – both add-on investments & new platforms – by driving the M&A process of new investment opportunities from sourcing to diligence to execution and post-merger integration 
• help shape Axel Springer's future news media strategy through sourcing, evaluating, and executing new investment opportunities and M&A transactions 
• support the portfolio companies with business development and other internal initiatives to achieve strategic goals 

Qualifications

• bachelor’s degree from a leading university, ideally in a business-related field; MBA or equivalent graduate degree beneficial 
• at least 5 years of experience in strategy/corporate development, M&A, or strategy consulting 
• strong analytical skills 
• entrepreneurial mindset with a structured approach to problem-solving and a curiosity to challenge conventional thinking 
• in-depth know-how of and enthusiasm for digital business models and the media industry 
• highly self-motivated, dependable, and comfortable working independently 
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of an organization while appropriately balancing all stakeholder interests 
• comfortable working across diverse businesses, cultures, and geographies, with the ability to build relationships across a broad range of stakeholders 
• a collaborative and approachable team player with a solid sense of humor 
• advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel and PowerPoint) and familiarity with generative AI/LLM tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude) for research, analysis, and productivity 
• fluency in English required 

Additional Information

• salary range: $140,000-$170,000 (dependent on skills, experience, and competencies), with a discretionary year-end bonus
• full-time position based in our New York City office with a hybrid work schedule
• unlimited PTO, 10 paid holidays, and 16 weeks of parental leave
• comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
• matched and vested 401k plan
• access to resources for financial planning guidance, family planning services, mental health resources, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• additional benefits include commuter benefits, phone reimbursement, gym membership discounts, and more
• Axel Springer is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and, when making employment decisions, does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sex, sexual orientation, age, nationality or national origin, religion, disability, familial status, and military or veteran status. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented groups to apply.
• significant opportunities for professional growth and international career development within Axel Springer
• collaborative, high-performing culture with meaningful responsibility, continuous learning, and significant opportunities for personal and professional growth

The most frequently asked questions and their answers can be found on our FAQ page: career.axelspringer.com/en/faq
Diversity is an essential part of our corporate culture! We are looking forward to receiving all applications regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, ideology, disability, age, sexual orientation and identity.
You can find information about the representation for the severely disabled at Axel Springer here: https://career.axelspringer.com/en/rsde