Business Development Lead, VC/PE

Databricks; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Databricks is seeking a hands-on ecosystem leader to build strong relationships with venture capital and private equity firms, translating those connections into measurable value for portfolio companies and for Databricks.

You will work cross-functionally with Startups, Sales, Field Engineering, Marketing and Partners to drive investor/portfolio initiatives, enable revenue growth, and deliver concrete data and AI outcomes for early-stage and PE-backed companies.

Qualifications

• Extensive sales experience in SaaS/PaaS or data platforms.
• Strong network with venture capital and private equity partners.
• Proven ability to close new accounts and upsell within existing bases.
• Excellent storytelling and executive communication skills.
• Operational rigor with CRM and dashboards; able to scale processes.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a VC/PE ecosystem strategy.
• Develop founder and operator motions with investment and platform teams.
• Create investor briefings, workshops, and portfolio reviews; measure impact.
• Own investor relationships and enablement with partner programs.
• Represent Databricks in investor and founder forums; provide market feedback to GTM.
• Drive customer-focused outcomes using the Databricks Platform.

Skills

VC/PE ecosystem

Executive storytelling

CRM proficiency

Deal closing

Portfolio reviews

Tools

CRM

Job description

SLSQ127R155

This role will focus on building our relationships with venture capital and private equity firms and turn those relationships into measurable value for their portfolio companies and Databricks. You will define the market, earn trust with investment and platform teams, and create repeatable ways to introduce founders and operators to the right Databricks teams through programs and solutions.

This is a hands-on ecosystem role with a commercial mandate. You will work across Startups, Sales, Field Engineering, Marketing and partner teams to help early-stage companies build on Databricks and help PE-backed businesses advance their data and AI priorities. You will own the investor relationship and the operating rhythm that makes it productive, while account teams own customer sales engagements.

The Impact You Will Have

• Build and execute a VC and PE ecosystem strategy. Prioritize firms by portfolio fit, sector, stage and opportunity; set partner plans and clear measures of progress.
• Build a VC founder motion with investment and platform teams: qualified introductions, startup program enrollment and founder education from pre-seed through growth (series B).
• Build a PE portfolio motion with operating and value creation teams. Identify shared priorities, connect companies with account teams and run executive briefings and portfolio reviews.
• Create investor briefings, founder and operator workshops, portfolio playbooks and events. Measure conversion and scale the programs that work.
• Own investor relationships through activation with clear mutual value, executive sponsors, referral paths, enablement and regular business reviews.
• Represent Databricks with credibility in investor, founder and executive forums, and bring market and portfolio feedback into our go-to-market strategy.
• Be customer-focused by delivering technical and business results using the Databricks Platform

What We Look For

• You have previously worked in an early-stage company, and you know how to navigate and be successful in a fast-growing organisation
• Min 5+ years of sales experience in SaaS/PaaS or big data companies
• Prior customer relationships with CIOs and important decision-makers
• Simply articulate intricate cloud technologies and big data
• 5+ years of experience exceeding sales quotas
• Strong network across VC funds, Private Equity firms, operator communities, and founder networks; credible with partners from pre-seed to growth.
• Excellent storytelling and executive communication; able to craft compelling narratives for partners and founders.
• Operational rigor: proficiency with CRM, partnership trackers, event automation, and data dashboards; comfortable building light processes that scale.
• Success in closing new accounts while upselling existing accounts

About Databricks

Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide - including adidas, AT&T, Bayer, Block, Mastercard, Rivian, Unilever, and 70% of the Fortune 500 - rely on the Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents. Headquartered in San Francisco with 30+ offices around the globe, Databricks offers a unified platform that includes Genie, Lakebase, Agent Bricks, Lakeflow, Lakehouse, and Unity Catalog. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

Benefits

At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees. For specific details on the benefits offered in your region click here.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks are considered without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.

Compliance

If access to export-controlled technology or source code is required for performance of job duties, it is within Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions, and Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.