Partnerships & Channels Lead

Pepper; Mumbai; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Pepper is seeking a Strategic Partnerships & Channels Lead to build Pepper's partner ecosystem from the ground up. You will own strategy, relationships, activation, and monetization across PE/VC, consulting firms, marketing agencies, and advisor networks.

You will shape the partner model, develop repeatable programs, and drive pipeline and ARR through co-selling, co-marketing, events, and executive engagements. This is a high-ownership role in a fast-growing AI-first company.

Qualifications

• 6–12 years across partnerships, business development, alliances, or enterprise growth.
• Strong relationships across PE, VC, consulting, agencies, technology, or enterprise leadership.
• Comfortable engaging CMOs, CEOs, operating partners, founders, and senior executives.
• Built programs from zero rather than only managing existing partnerships.
• Highly entrepreneurial with significant ownership.

Responsibilities

• Define Pepper's partner model across segmentation, value exchange, referrals, and revenue attribution.
• Develop relationships with PE/VC, consulting firms, and agencies to create repeatable portfolio programs.
• Position Pepper as AI Search and organic growth partner within transformations.
• Create repeatable motions: dinners, workshops, roundtables, portfolio audits, events, and co-selling.
• Track partner-sourced pipeline and partner-influenced ARR; own commercial outcomes.

Skills

Partnerships

Business development

Ecosystem development

Enterprise growth

Relationship building

Ownership

Entrepreneurial mindset

Job description

We are looking for a Strategic Partnerships & Channels Lead to build Pepper's partner ecosystem from the ground up.

This person will own the strategy, relationships, activation, and monetization of partnerships across:

• Private Equity and Venture Capital firms
• Consulting and transformation firms
• Marketing agencies and Systems Integrators
• Executive communities and industry associations
• Pepper's advisor and executive network

The mandate is simple: build a predictable partner-led growth engine that drives introductions, qualified pipeline, revenue, thought leadership, and market expansion.

What You Will Own

Build the partnership strategy

Define Pepper's partner model across segmentation, value exchange, referrals, co-selling, co-marketing, enablement, and revenue attribution.

Build the PE & VC ecosystem

Develop relationships with investment firms, operating partners, and portfolio teams. Create repeatable portfolio programs around AI Search, GEO, SEO, organic growth, audits, and benchmarking.

Build consulting, agency & technology partnerships

Position Pepper as the specialist AI Search and organic growth partner within larger transformation and client engagements.

Activate Pepper's advisor network

Work closely with Pepper's network of advisors, operators, founders, and senior executives to systematically create introductions, strategic relationships, market access, and commercial opportunities.

Turn relationships into programs

Create repeatable motions across executive dinners, workshops, roundtables, portfolio audits, joint research, events, and co-selling initiatives.

Own commercial outcomes

Track and own partner-sourced pipeline, partner-influenced pipeline, opportunities, win rates, and partner-generated ARR.

This is not a logo-collection role. The goal is pipeline and revenue.

Who We Are Looking For

• 6-12 years across partnerships, business development, alliances, ecosystem development, consulting, or enterprise growth
• Strong relationships across PE, VC, consulting, agencies, technology, or enterprise leadership
• Comfortable engaging CMOs, CEOs, operating partners, founders, and senior executives
• Someone who has built programs from zero rather than only managed existing partnerships
• Highly entrepreneurial and comfortable operating with significant ownership

We are specifically looking for an intrapreneur - someone who wants to build this function like it is their own business inside Pepper.

Former founders, early employees, and members of founding teams are especially welcome.

You should be able to take an ecosystem, identify where value can be created, build the relationships, design the commercial motion, and turn it into a scalable revenue channel.