Director, Strategic Startup Partnerships

New York Life; New York (NY); On-site; USD 119,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

New York Life Ventures (NYLV) seeks a Director, Business Development to identify and scale high-impact partnerships between New York Life and startups. You will advise business leaders, validate opportunities, and drive innovation with startup engagement.

Role spans strategy, venture capital, and business transformation, requiring strong alignment with internal stakeholders and external founders. A technology-focused background is valued.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience in technical roles at enterprise software, SaaS, or technology services companies.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into business value for executive audiences.
• Experience scoping, structuring, or managing complex multi-party engagements.
• Strong analytical and structured thinking; capable of building frameworks and business cases from scratch.
• Genuine, provable interest in AI, digital assets/blockchain, quantum computing, or related tech.
• Track record of operating cross-functionally with Legal, Risk, IT and business stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to write tight executive briefs.
• Bachelor's in technical, quantitative, or business discipline; MBA a plus.

Responsibilities

• Build trusted relationships with senior business leaders to identify priorities and opportunities.
• Source, evaluate, and conduct diligence on startups aligned to enterprise needs.
• Identify and manage a portfolio of PoCs and pilot programs with measurable ROI.
• Lead cross-functional execution with Legal, Risk, Procurement, Security, Compliance, and others.
• Develop project plans, success metrics, and executive reporting on progress and outcomes.
• Conduct market research on emergent technologies and synthesize strategic recommendations.
• Support investment sourcing, diligence, and portfolio value creation with NYL Ventures team.
• Represent NYL Ventures at events, startup meetings, and industry forums.

Skills

Technical background

Executive communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Emerging tech interest

Deal flow diligence

Strategic partnerships

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or advanced degree

Job description

New York Life Ventures (NYLV) seeks a Director, Business Development to identify and scale high-impact partnerships between New York Life and startups. You will advise business leaders, validate opportunities, and drive innovation with startup engagement.

Role spans strategy, venture capital, and business transformation, requiring strong alignment with internal stakeholders and external founders. A technology-focused background is valued.