Partner Development Manager - Canada

Cohere; Montreal; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI solutions company in Montreal seeks a Partner Development Manager to drive enterprise growth through strategic partnerships. The candidate will lead partner onboarding, co-sell strategies, and business planning in the Canadian market. Ideal applicants have over 8 years of channel sales experience, strong negotiation skills, and a passion for AI solutions. This high-impact role offers competitive perks including remote flexibility, health benefits, and generous vacation time.

Benefits

Open and inclusive culture

Weekly lunch stipend

Full health and dental benefits

100% Parental Leave top-up

6 weeks of vacation

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in partner development or channel sales.
• Deep understanding of the Canadian enterprise market and key industry verticals.
• Strong relationship-building and negotiation skills.
• Working understanding of AI technologies.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute partner go-to-market plans.
• Lead partner onboarding and training programs.
• Own joint pipeline generation and co-selling strategies.
• Run joint business planning sessions and quarterly reviews.
• Serve as the voice of the partner within the organization.

Skills

Partner development

Channel sales

Relationship building

Negotiation

Understanding of AI

Job description

Who are we?

Our mission is to scale intelligence to serve humanity. We’re training and deploying frontier models for developers and enterprises who are building AI systems to power magical experiences like content generation, semantic search, RAG, and agents. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI.

We obsess over what we build. Each one of us is responsible for contributing to increasing the capabilities of our models and the value they drive for our customers. We like to work hard and move fast to do what’s best for our customers.

Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are passionate about their craft. Each person is one of the best in the world at what they do. We believe that a diverse range of perspectives is a requirement for building great products.

Join us on our mission and shape the future!

Why this role?

Adoption of GenAI is moving rapidly from pilots to production. Enterprises across Canada are investing in generative‑AI programs, creating a once-in-a-decade market inflection point. At Cohere, we’re committed to transforming the Canadian enterprise landscape through strategic partnerships and innovative AI solutions. As a Partner Development Manager for the Canada Enterprise Market focused on our key strategic partners, you’ll be at the heart of our mission to empower businesses across the region with cutting‑edge AI technologies.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives in a dynamic, cross‑cultural environment and is passionate about driving growth through collaboration. You’ll work closely with leading enterprises, system integrators, and technology partners to co‑create value, expand market reach, and deliver impactful AI solutions tailored to the unique needs of Canadian businesses.

Canada is a key strategic market for Cohere, and your work will directly contribute to our success in this region. You’ll have the opportunity to shape partnerships that drive digital transformation, foster innovation, and position Cohere as a leader in the Canadian AI ecosystem.

If you’re a strategic thinker, a relationship builder, and eager to make a meaningful impact in one of the world’s most dynamic markets, this role is your chance to shape the future of AI in Canada.

As our Partner Development Manager - Canada, you will own the success of our partner relationships in Canada. Key responsibilities include:

Partner Strategy & Execution

• Define and execute Cohere’s partner‑go‑to‑market plan for the Canada Enterprise Market, aligning with regional business objectives.
• Partner with the broader GTM team to identify and recruit high‑impact partners across system integrators, distributors, resellers, ISVs, and cloud providers.
• Develop relationships with key stakeholders across the partner ecosystem to ensure success of the partnership.

Partner Onboarding & Enablement

• Lead partner onboarding, certification, and training programs to ensure partners are equipped to sell, deploy and manage Cohere’s solutions effectively.
• Collaborate with enablement to scale partner enablement in Canada through sales and technical workshops, empowering them to deliver value to enterprise customers.

Pipeline Generation & Co‑Selling

• Own joint pipeline generation by creating co‑sell motions, solution plays, and strategic joint go‑to‑market motions that align Cohere’s capabilities with enterprise mission needs and procurement cycles.
• Collaborate with partners to identify and pursue high‑value opportunities across key Canada

Business Planning & Performance Tracking

• Ensure partners are aligned with Cohere’s strategic goals and performance metrics.
• Run joint business planning sessions and quarterly business reviews (QBRs) with partners, tracking sourced and influenced ARR against targets.

Partner Advocacy & Feedback

• Serve as the voice of the partner within Cohere, relaying feedback to Product, Engineering, and Legal teams.
• Work with Cohere's Public Policy teams to navigate Canadian government AI policies to advise partners on risk management and responsible AI best practices.

Thought Leadership & Evangelism

• Evangelize Cohere’s vision and solutions at partner and industry events, positioning Cohere as a leader in responsible GenAI for the Canadian market.
• Build thought leadership through briefings, speaking engagements, and collaborative initiatives.

Why You’ll Love This Role

This is a high-impact role where you’ll shape the future of AI partnerships in Canada. You’ll work at the intersection of technology, business, and policy, driving growth while ensuring responsible AI adoption. If you’re passionate about building strategic alliances, driving innovation, and making a difference in one of the world’s most dynamic markets, this is the role for you.

What We’re Looking For

• 8+ experience in partner development, channel sales, or alliance management within the tech industry, preferably in AI or cloud solutions, with a track record of enterprise ARR contribution.
• Deep understanding of the Canadian enterprise market and key industry verticals.
• Strong relationship‑building and negotiation skills, with a track record of driving partner success.
• Ability to navigate complex regulatory and compliance landscapes, including AI ethics and government policies.
• Working understanding of AI (LLMs, retrieval‑augmented generation, agentic workflows).
• Experience working with major system integrators, global consultancies, and hyperscalers including joint GTM and co‑sell motions.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to evangelize Cohere’s vision to partners and industry stakeholders. Proficiency in French preferred, but not required.
• Knowledge of the telecom industry and AI hardware.
• Results‑driven growth mindset and bias for action. You thrive in a start‑up‑speed environment and enjoy building and scaling partner programs.

If some of the above doesn’t line up perfectly with your experience, we still encourage you to apply!

We value and celebrate diversity and strive to create an inclusive work environment for all. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit Accommodations Request Form, and we will work together to meet your needs.

Full‑Time Employees at Cohere enjoy these Perks:

• An open and inclusive culture and work environment
• Work closely with a team on the cutting edge of AI research
• Weekly lunch stipend, in‑office lunches & snacks
• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget to take care of your mental health
• 100% Parental Leave top‑up for up to 6 months
• Personal enrichment benefits towards arts and culture, fitness and well‑being, quality time, and workspace improvement
• Remote‑flexible, offices in Toronto, New York, San Francisco, London and Paris, as well as a co‑working stipend
• ✈️ 6 weeks of vacation (30 working days!)