Open to opportunities

Maria Smilkova

@mariasmilkova

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Partnerships and Acquisitions Manager driving growth through strategic deals and website acquisitions.

North Macedonia

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What I'm looking for

I’m seeking a role where I can lead partnerships and acquisitions, work cross-functionally with marketing and sales, drive measurable growth, and operate in a collaborative, outcome-focused team.

I’m a Partnerships and Acquisitions Manager with experience negotiating deals, building relationships with top publishers, and acquiring HubSpot sites to boost traffic and revenue. I’ve worked cross-functionally with marketing and sales to align partnerships with campaigns, handled contracts, and delivered measurable increases in brand recognition and leads.

Previously I managed projects and accounts across CRM and marketing platforms, led remote developer teams, executed content and email campaigns, and performed SEO-focused due diligence using tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush. I prioritize clear communication, ethical white-hat SEO practices, and scalable partnership strategies that drive long-term results.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Partnerships and Acquisitions Manager

Current

Paradise Media

Nov 2022 - Present (2 years 11 months)

Built and managed strategic partnerships with top publishers, negotiated deals that increased brand recognition and lead generation, and sourced/evaluated websites for acquisition to drive traffic and sales.

Partnerships Negotiation Due Diligence HubSpot Ahrefs SEO Analysis Contract Management

Project Manager

Simply-CRM.com

Dec 2020 - Dec 2022 (2 years)

Managed a remote team of 20 developers, designed marketing strategies and email campaigns, produced customer how-to videos, and coordinated translations and content through Weblate and GitLab to boost product growth.

Project Management Remote Team Leadership Marketing Strategy Gitlab Weblate Video Production Email Marketing Content Creation

Account Manager

Asaps.co.uk

Jun 2022 - Oct 2022 (4 months)

Maintained client relationships, managed accounts to ensure satisfaction, identified upsell opportunities, and coordinated cross-functional teams to resolve client issues and track progress.

Account Management Client Relations Upselling Cross Functional Collaboration Reporting Problem Solving

Link Building Specialist

Shortlist

Jul 2020 - Dec 2020 (5 months)

Executed white-hat link-building campaigns through outreach, guest posts, and influencer partnerships, audited backlink profiles, and used Ahrefs and SEMrush to improve referral traffic and SEO authority.

Link Building Outreach Ahrefs SEMrush Google Search Console SEO Strategy Competitor Research

Executive Assistant

Bikecomputer.co

Aug 2017 - Jun 2019 (1 year 10 months)

Managed executive calendars and communications, prioritized emails, handled vendor and client interactions, and streamlined office processes using Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.

Executive Support Calendar Management Microsoft Office Google Workspace Communication Multitasking Confidentiality

Marketing Manager

Venikom.com

Feb 2016 - Aug 2017 (1 year 6 months)

Developed and executed marketing plans for web and app projects, analyzed marketing data to inform strategy, and collaborated with sales to improve content marketing and cross-promotion.

Marketing Strategy Data Analysis Content Marketing Campaign Planning Wireframing

Account Manager

Conquest.nyc

Jul 2015 - Jan 2016 (6 months)

Researched leads and maintained property databases, managed listings on platforms like StreetEasy and PropertyShark, produced monthly reports, and supervised a small operational team for real estate outreach.

Lead Research CRM Reporting Team Supervision Outreach Craigslist

English Transcriber

WeSeeThrough.com

Apr 2014 - Mar 2015 (11 months)

Converted audio recordings to text while researching industry terminology to ensure accurate translations and maintained tone and meaning across transcriptions on the Haystack platform.

Transcription Research Quality Assurance Attention To Detail Haystack

Live Chat Support Agent

LiveChatMedia.com

Mar 2014 - Jun 2014 (3 months)

Handled live chat inquiries with clear written communication, troubleshot customer issues in real time, managed multiple chats simultaneously, and escalated issues as needed to maintain satisfaction.

Live Chat Support Multitasking Troubleshooting CRM Tools Written Communication

English Teacher

Linguista Academy

May 2012 - Mar 2013 (10 months)

Prepared lesson plans, graded essays and tests, created assessments and progress reports, and managed classroom activities to improve students' English reading, writing, and speaking skills.

Curriculum Development Lesson planning Assessments Grading Classroom Management Reporting