Business Developer, AI & Technology Partnerships

Sonar; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Sonar is seeking a Principal, Distribution Tech Partnerships, to lead efforts in forming strategic alliances with major technology firms like IBM, Cisco, and Oracle. This role focuses on relationship building, deal negotiation, and collaboration across teams to drive business growth.

The ideal candidate will have 10+ years in business development within the tech industry and a demonstrated ability to create impactful partnerships. Sonar values diversity and offers a supportive work culture that emphasizes collaboration.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in business development or related fields.
• Proven track record in defining and managing technology partnerships.
• Experience leading complex deal negotiations, especially with OEM or resell models.

Responsibilities

• Drive Sonar’s partnership strategy with identified technology partners.
• Identify and evaluate strategic partnership opportunities.
• Build and manage relationships with key business leaders at target companies.

Skills

Business development

Strategic alliances

Negotiation skills

Relationship management

Technical engagement

Education

MBA or advanced technical degree

Job description

Position Description

We are seeking a highly strategic and experienced Business Development professional to join Sonar as the Principal, Distribution Tech Partnerships. Reporting directly to the VP of AI and Tech Partnerships, you will spearhead Sonar’s efforts in this critical domain, building deep, impactful relationships and forging partnerships with technology partners who are positioned to resell or OEM Sonar’s products. Initial target partners include IBM, Cisco, Dell, ServiceNow, Palo Alto Networks, Salesforce.com, SAP, and Oracle.

Responsibilities

• Strategy Development & Execution: Drive the execution of Sonar’s partnership strategy specifically with the identified distribution technology partners, aligning closely with overall company growth objectives.
• Opportunity Identification & Analysis: Identify, evaluate, and prioritize strategic partnership opportunities. Conduct market analyses of the distribution technology partner landscape, and track their efforts to include home‑grown or partner‑based code quality and security solutions within their first‑party solutions.
• Relationship Building & Management: Build, nurture, and manage strong, long‑term relationships with key technical, product, and business leaders at the target companies. Conduct quarterly reviews in conjunction with Sonar’s Sales and Channel Partner organizations.
• Deal Negotiation & Execution: Lead the end‑to‑end partnership lifecycle with selected technology resell or OEM partners. Define engagement models, draft term sheets, negotiate complex distribution agreements, align key internal stakeholders, and drive integration and GTM deals to closure.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Work closely with internal Sonar teams (Product Management, Engineering, Research, Legal, Marketing, Sales, Finance) to align on deal terms and construct plans for integration development, sales team enablement, sales team alignment, and transaction execution.

Target Partners

• IBM
• Cisco
• Dell
• ServiceNow
• Palo Alto Networks
• Salesforce.com
• SAP
• Oracle

Experience and Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in business development, strategic alliances, technology partnerships, or related fields, preferably within the cybersecurity or code security markets.
• Proven track record of successfully defining, negotiating, closing, and managing high‑impact, technology‑centric partnerships, particularly those with OEM and/or resell GTM motions.
• Particular experience leading complex deal negotiations, including interpreting legal documents and working collaboratively with legal counsel on terms related to co‑marketing, co‑sell, resale, and OEM business models.
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with partners at a technical level, particularly with a strong foundational knowledge of the human and agentic code development ecosystem.
• Proven experience leading (or significantly contributing to) cross‑functional teams, including those with Product Management and Engineering, to orchestrate and implement complex partnerships.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship‑building skills, with experience influencing stakeholders at various levels, including senior executives.
• Ability to thrive, lead initiatives, and execute in a fast‑paced, rapidly evolving, and often ambiguous technological landscape.
• MBA or advanced technical degree (e.g., MSCS, MSEE) preferred.

In‑Office Culture

We’re intentional about this. We believe the best teams are built in the room together. Three anchor days — Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays — create the collaboration rhythm that makes a hub office worth having.

Candidates need to be genuinely based in the location the role is posted. If that is not where you are today, we’re happy to support relocation for the right person.

Diversity & Inclusion

At Sonar, we believe that our diversity is our strength. We are a global company that values and respects different backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their best. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome all qualified applicants, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

If you need any accommodation, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Legal

All offers of employment at Sonar are contingent upon the results of a comprehensive background check and reference verification conducted before the start date.

We do not currently support visa candidates in the US.

Applications that are submitted through agencies or third party recruiters will not be considered.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.