Director of Partnerships

About the Role

We're building the future of procurement, and we need a Partnership Executive to lead the charge. This is a foundational hire --- you'll be the first true Partnerships hire at a fast-growing PE-backed startup, responsible for turning early traction into a repeatable, scalable revenue engine. You know how to sell complex software partnerships, you will be the primary architect of our partner network, connecting our platform with vendors, customers, and technology partners to drive revenue, expand our reach, and create a deeply integrated ecosystem that is difficult to replicate.

This role is equal parts relationship builder, commercial negotiator, and ecosystem strategist. You don't just know how to build partnerships --- you know who to call.

About VChainAi

VChainAi are a platform business with five pillars; Recovery, Value, Supply, Comply and Growth. All which focus on identifying opportunities for significant savings delivery. We review the past, present and future to support global companies maximize their EBITDA potential.

What You'll Own

Ecosystem & Platform Partnerships

• Identify, negotiate, and close integrations with vendor platforms, procurement tools, client-using ERP systems, and marketplace partners.
• Build API and data-sharing partnerships that extend the platform's value to customers.
• Own relationships with technology partners (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, SAP Ariba, Coupa, Oracle, Jaggaer, Zip) to drive co-sell and integration opportunities.
• Develop a tiered partner framework (Referral → Reseller → Strategic Alliance) with clear commercial terms for each tier.

Vendor EDI Partnerships

• Build and manage a curated network of vendor EDI connection partners relevant to our customer base.
• Work with the Value Team and develop a program that drives value for our platform and our vendors and customers.
• Negotiate commercial arrangements including revenue share, referral fees, and co-marketing agreements.

Customer & Channel Partnerships

• Identify strategic customers who can become platform advocates, co-development partners, or channel resellers.
• Develop joint go-to-market programs with key customers or partners to expand into new segments or geographies.
• Work closely with Sales and Customer Relations to convert strong channel relationships into formal partnership arrangements.

Industry Network

• Leverage an existing black book of partnership relationships.
• Represent the company at industry events, procurement summits, and conferences.
• Stay current on major procurement events, and position the platform to capture related partnership opportunities.

Partnership Operations

• Work with IT and Ops to prioritize integration roadmap based on partner demand.
• Collaborate with Marketing on co-branded content, joint webinars, case studies, and partner spotlights.
• Develop onboarding playbooks and enablement materials for new partners.
• Work closely with Sales Executives in all pillars to maximize cross-selling opportunities in both consulting and Saas.
• Work closely with Operations and Development teams on customer feedback loops, roadmap influence, and packaging/pricing for subscription tiers.
• Build forecasting discipline and pipeline hygiene using Salesforce from day one.
• Represent the company at key prospect meetings, partnership industry events, and with strategic partners.

What You'll Bring

• 7 years of experience in partnerships business development, or alliance management in a SaaS, marketplace, or technology environment.
• Startup mindset: resourceful, resilient, and motivated by building something from the ground up.
• VChainAi have an aggressive M&A and Build strategy and candidates who show entrepreneurial flair with proven ability to manage change, communicate effectively and be a critical part of the exec team are desired.
• A genuine black book --- you have existing relationships with potential technology partners.
• Proven track record of closing and scaling partnership agreements, not just building pipelines.
• Experience structuring complex commercial agreements including revenue share, co-sell, OEM, and reseller arrangements.
• Understanding of API-based platform integrations and how technology partnerships work at a product level.
• Experience working cross-functionally with IT, Sales, Marketing, and Legal.
• Track record of building a sales function at an early-stage or growth-stage startup, not just inheriting a team.
• Comfort with longer, consultative enterprise sales cycles and multi-stakeholder deal management.
• Strong CRM discipline and data-driven approach to pipeline management and forecasting.

Bonus Points

• Background in procurement technology (GEP, Procurify, Accenture, Coupa, Ariba, Jaggaer, Zip, or similar)
• Familiarity with product-led or usage-based subscription models alongside a sales-led motion.
• Relationships within procurement and finance communities.
• A motivator to not just the Sales team but the company.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary with uncapped commission tied to ARR growth.
• Attractive Benefits package.
• Remote working.
• Our partnership with MIT will allow you access to CSAIL, further education, and their partnership network, which we consider highly lucrative.
• The chance to become part of the Exec Team and define the path for success through Partnerships.