Principal, AI Vendor Strategy & Partnerships

FirstMile Ventures; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 200,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with Company Match

Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage

Employee Assistance Program

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Flexible Open PTO

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Parental Leave

RTD EcoPass

Job summary

Pax8 is hiring a Principal, Artificial Intelligence Vendor Strategy & Partnerships to build strategic relationships across the AI ecosystem and turn emerging opportunities into meaningful value for Pax8, our partners, and their customers. You’ll combine strategic foresight with hands-on execution in a rapidly evolving market, interpreting technology signals and translating them into priorities.

You’ll engage AI vendors, founders, and platform leaders to shape Pax8’s AI journey and scale value

Qualifications

• Extensive experience building or scaling AI ecosystems.
• Deep knowledge of the AI vendor landscape and commercial considerations.
• Strong network across AI companies, platforms, or ecosystem leaders.

Responsibilities

• Shape our vendor strategy by identifying AI capabilities and partnerships.
• Build strategic relationships with emerging AI companies and platform leaders.
• Lead partnership development from initial engagement to formal agreements.
• Translate vendor perspectives and market signals into actionable priorities.

Job description

Pax8 is hiring a Principal, Artificial Intelligence Vendor Strategy & Partnerships to build strategic relationships across the artificial intelligence ecosystem and turn emerging opportunities into meaningful value for Pax8, our partners, and their customers.

Build the Ecosystem Others Will Follow

This is not traditional vendor management.

It is an opportunity to operate as an ecosystem entrepreneur within Pax8, identifying strategic opportunities, building influential relationships, and helping shape the next phase of our artificial intelligence journey.

You’ll combine strategic foresight with hands‑on execution in a rapidly evolving market. You’ll interpret emerging technology and commercial signals, translate them into clear priorities, and help innovative technology companies engage successfully with Pax8.

As Pax8 advances its artificial intelligence journey, you’ll grow alongside emerging technology while influencing how valuable new capabilities reach partners and small businesses at scale.

Discover Life at Pax8

We’re passionate about helping small businesses turn their ambitions into reality through smarter technology. Explore Pax8 in the United States and discover more about our people, purpose, and culture on Pax8 About page.

You’ll join a curious, collaborative environment where bold thinking is welcomed, learning is shared, and people have the space to turn strong ideas into meaningful outcomes.

What You’ll Build and Lead

• Shape our vendor strategy: Identify artificial intelligence capabilities, market developments, and partnership opportunities that could create meaningful value for Pax8, our partners, and their customers.
• Build strategic relationships: Engage emerging artificial intelligence companies, founders, platform leaders, and established technology providers.
• Lead partnership development: Personally advance strategic opportunities from initial engagement through to successful partnership development.
• Apply commercial judgment: Develop compelling partnership approaches that create sustainable value for vendors, Pax8, our partners, and their customers.
• Connect insight with direction: Translate vendor perspectives, emerging technology signals, and market developments into practical recommendations for business, product, and technology stakeholders.
• Build repeatable frameworks: Create scalable approaches that support effective decision‑making, strong partnerships, and sustainable ecosystem growth.
• Influence across Pax8: Bring together Product, Engineering, Product Marketing, Enablement, Legal, Finance, and executive stakeholders around strategic opportunities and shared priorities.
• Look beyond today: Maintain a long‑term view of the artificial intelligence ecosystem, platform developments, and evolving commercial trends.
• Work in an artificial intelligence‑enabled way: Use technology, automation, and modern workflows to increase the pace, quality, and impact of your work.
• Represent Pax8 externally: Build credibility across the artificial intelligence community and participate in relevant vendor, partner, and industry events when required.

The Impact You’ll Make

You’ll help expand Pax8’s relationships and influence across the artificial intelligence ecosystem.

Your work will identify differentiated partnership opportunities, bring valuable market insight into the organization, and create scalable approaches that support long‑term growth.

You’ll give leaders a clearer understanding of emerging technologies, vendor priorities, and commercial opportunities while helping teams translate external developments into focused action.

You’ll Be a Great Fit If You Have

• Extensive experience building or scaling artificial intelligence, technology, developer, platform, or digital ecosystems.
• Deep knowledge of the artificial intelligence vendor landscape and the commercial considerations affecting emerging technology companies.
• An established network and credible relationships across artificial intelligence companies, platforms, founders, or ecosystem leaders.
• Proven success identifying, engaging, negotiating with, and developing strategic technology partners.
• Substantial experience shaping commercially sound partnership approaches and evaluating complex business opportunities.
• Strong knowledge of platform and ecosystem dynamics, including how organizations attract, engage, and create long‑term value with technology partners.
• Confidence working at the intersection of product and commercial strategy, with enough technical fluency to engage credibly with artificial intelligence companies and internal technology stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to turn unfamiliar market signals and ambiguous opportunities into clear priorities and practical action.
• A hands‑on approach, with the willingness to conduct outreach, investigate the market, build relationships, document decisions, and personally move opportunities forward.
• Evidence of using artificial intelligence, automation, or other modern technologies to improve workflows, accelerate execution, or increase your individual impact.
• Comfort working with modern collaboration tools, asynchronous documentation, and artificial intelligence‑enabled workflows.
• The curiosity to identify important questions before the answers are obvious, together with the judgment to turn learning into strategy.

Trust at Every Step

At Pax8, we care deeply about building genuine, trust based relationships - starting with how we hire.

To protect our business, our teams, and our customers, we use a range of measures throughout the recruitment process to help confirm authenticity and prevent fraud. These safeguards are designed to be fair, respectful, and proportionate, and may evolve as risks change. By applying, you acknowledge that we take steps to verify identity and representation during hiring. If you’re applying as your authentic self, you have nothing to worry about - we’re excited to meet you.

We also use thoughtfully applied AI‑enabled tools to support our hiring process. These tools may assist with tasks such as reviewing or prioritising applications, but hiring decisions are made by our people. More information is available in our Recruitment Privacy Notice. If you have questions about how we hire or would prefer not to have your application supported by these tools, you can opt out at any part of our process.

Bring Your Perspective

We encourage you to apply even if you don't meet 100% of the criteria. We're committed to diverse perspectives, inclusive hiring and sharing your transferrable skills. To fulfil this role, you must hold valid right to work in United States.

Your Pax8 Total Rewards

At Pax8 we believe that your Total Rewards should include a benefits package that shows how much we value our greatest assets. All FTE Pax8 people enjoy the following benefits:

• Non-Commissioned Bonus Plans or Variable Commission
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employer Paid Short & Long Term Disability, Life and AD&D Insurance
• Flexible, Open Vacation
• Paid Sick Time Off
• Extended Leave for Life events
• RTD Eco Pass (For local Colorado Employees)
• Career Development Programs
• Stock Option Eligibility
• Employee-led Resource Groups

Compensation

Salary Range: $200,000 to $230,00 USD annually, depending on experience.

Application Deadline: 10/30/2026

Grow Without Limits

There's extensive room for a talented individual to grow at pace - whether that's advancing quickly in this role or exploring one of the many opportunities across our global organisation. You'll have access to our internal development hub designed to accelerate your skills and stretch your potential. Alongside specialist Learning & Development trainers, you'll also tap into AI powered tools, "born in the cloud" mentors, and cross continent collaboration that broaden your perspective and sharpen your expertise. We'll give you the space, trust, and the right projects to help you thrive - and full visibility of what it takes to reach your next level.

Why Pax8?

Our mission is to build the managed intelligence marketplace and empower small businesses to do more with smarter technology. We are a fast‑growing, dynamic, and high-energy organisation with a start‑up feel, allowing you to make a meaningful impact on the business. Culture is also important to us, and at Pax8, it's business, and it IS personal. We are passionate, creative, and unconventional. We work hard, keep it fun, and expect the best!

Pre-Employment Checks

As part of our hiring process, we are required to undertake pre‑employment checks on all candidates that are successful in their application with Pax8. As part of these checks Pax8 will request ID verification, reference requests and qualification checks (additional checks may be completed for certain countries, such as criminal and financial). All checks are completed by our third‑party provider, First Advantage. Once checks have been completed all candidates will receive a copy for their records.

Equal Opportunities

Pax8 are an equal opportunities employer and welcome individuals who are in possession of the appropriate requirements to work within the country you have applied for. Offered individuals will be asked to undertake identity, security compliance and reference checks. Your privacy is important to us. Your data will be held in accordance with local best practices and processed only in accordance with our recruiting processes. Privacy notice: https://www.pax8.com/en-us/terms/job-applicant-privacy-notice/

At Pax8, we care deeply about building genuine, trust based relationships - starting with how we hire. To protect our business, our teams, and our customers, we use a range of measures throughout the recruitment process to help confirm authenticity and prevent fraud. These safeguards are designed to be fair, respectful, and proportionate, and may evolve as risks change. By applying, you acknowledge that we take steps to verify identity and representation during hiring. If you’re applying as your authentic self, you have nothing to worry about - we’re excited to meet you.

Perks:

At Pax8 we believe that your Total Rewards should include a benefits package that shows how much we value our greatest assets. All FTE Pax8 people enjoy the following benefits:

• 401(k) with Company Match
• Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employer-Paid Life, AD&D, Short-Term Disability & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Open PTO
• Paid Sick Leave
• Paid Parental Leave
• RTD EcoPass (eligible Colorado‑based employees)

Proprietary Rights and Non-Competition Agreement — this document outlines important information about your rights and responsibilities if you join our team.

Job Applicant Privacy Notice