Business Development & Partnerships Manager

Lever, Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Firework is seeking a proactive Business Development & Partnerships Manager to own visible, impactful non-linear growth initiatives by identifying, developing, and managing strategic partnership opportunities for Firework. This role will work across external partners and internal teams to support new partnerships, product integrations, and broader strategic initiatives.

The ideal candidate is someone ready to take the next step up in their career, comfortable working in a fast-moving

Qualifications

• 3+ years in partnerships, business development, strategy, consulting, or corporate development.
• Strong communication with senior external stakeholders.
• Ability to own projects from early discussions through execution.
• Comfortable in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
• Experience structuring partnerships, proposals, and business cases.

Responsibilities

• Support development and execution of strategic partnerships across platforms, retailers, brands, agencies, and ecosystem partners.
• Manage day-to-day partner relationships and communications with senior external stakeholders.
• Identify new partnership opportunities and support outreach, evaluation, and follow-up.
• Help structure partnership proposals, commercial models, and internal recommendations.
• Coordinate partnership discussions across Product, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Legal.
• Support API-led and product integration partnerships with Product and Engineering.
• Track partnership progress, dependencies, and deliverables.
• Prepare presentations, proposals, and executive-level materials.
• Conduct research on potential partners, market opportunities, and industry trends.
• Support broader strategic initiatives including corporate development or strategic evaluation projects.

Skills

Partnerships experience

Business development

Strategy

Consulting

Corporate development

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Communication with senior stakeholders

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

API integrations

Job description

About Firework

Join Firework – Where Innovation Meets Impact

Firework is redefining the future of commerce as an AI and video commerce company — combining cutting-edge technology, an exclusive network of enterprise brands and retailers, and a first-mover position to win the agentic commerce race.

We've built the world's most advanced and largest video commerce platform, trusted by global brands and leading retailers. But we're more than software — our compounding network effect grows stronger with every partner we add, bringing the energy of in-store experiences online and transforming how businesses engage, convert, and build lasting customer relationships at scale.

Having raised over $235M to date, led by investors such as SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and operating at global scale, we offer unparalleled opportunities to solve complex challenges and drive meaningful impact in the future of connected commerce.

If you're curious, ambitious, and energized by big ideas — Firework is the place to grow, lead, and shape what comes next. Together.

Summary

We are looking for a proactive and commercially minded Business Development & Partnerships Manager to own visible, impactful non-linear growth initiatives by identifying, developing, and managing strategic partnership opportunities for Firework. This role will work across external partners and internal teams to support new partnerships, product integrations, and broader strategic initiatives. The ideal candidate is someone ready to take the next step up in their career, comfortable working in a fast-moving environment, can operate with ambiguity, and is able to take ownership of projects from early-stage discussions through execution. You will work closely with senior members of the team while also independently managing partner communications, coordinating cross-functional workstreams, and helping move opportunities forward.

What you'll be doing

• Support the development and execution of strategic partnerships across technology platforms, retailers, brands, agencies, and other ecosystem partners

• Manage day-to-day partner relationships and communications, including with senior external stakeholders

• Identify new partnership and business development opportunities and support outreach, evaluation, and follow-up

• Help structure partnership proposals, commercial models, business cases, and internal recommendations

• Coordinate partnership discussions across internal teams including Product, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Legal

• Support API-led and product integration partnerships, working with Product and Engineering teams to understand partner requirements, timelines, and implementation needs

• Track partnership progress, dependencies, deliverables, and next steps to ensure initiatives continue moving forward

• Prepare presentations, proposals, meeting materials, and executive-level communications for internal and external audiences

• Conduct research and analysis on potential partners, market opportunities, competitors, and broader industry trends

• Support broader strategic initiatives, including selected corporate development or strategic evaluation projects where relevant

We’ll be excited if you have

• 3+ years of professional experience, ideally in partnerships, business development, strategy, consulting, corporate development, or a related role

• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to interact confidently and professionally with senior external stakeholders

• Demonstrated ability to take ownership, work independently, and proactively move projects forward

• Comfortable operating in an environment where priorities and opportunities may not always be clearly defined

• Strong organizational and project-management skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders and workstreams

• Strong analytical skills and comfort developing business cases, presentations, and recommendations

• Ability to understand commercial and product considerations and translate between different internal teams

• Experience working on API integrations, technology partnerships, platform integrations, or other product-led partnerships is highly valued

• Experience in Ad Tech, Retail Media Networks, commerce technology, SaaS, or related industries is a plus, but not required

• Exposure to corporate development, M&A, strategic investments, or transaction-related work is a plus

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience

Locations

The role may be remote and we are looking for candidates based in the Eastern timezone (EST).

Compensation

The following represents the expected range of compensation for this role: The estimated base pay range for this role is $100,000-$120,000. Other factors that impact compensation include variable compensation and stock options.

The posted pay range represents the anticipated low and high end of the compensation for this position and is subject to change based on business need. To determine a successful candidate’s starting pay, we carefully consider a variety of factors, including primary work location, an evaluation of the candidate’s skills and experience, market demands, and internal parity. Candidates may receive more information from the talent partner.

Don’t hold back

We understand some candidates may see the above and not apply because they don’t meet all the qualifications. We encourage you to apply anyway; we often find talented candidates that fit many other opportunities we have and look for potential too, not just what you did in the past. As an equal employment opportunity employer, we are a diverse team that strives for an inclusive environment for all. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.