Sr. Director, Strategic Partnerships & Business Development

Kohler Co.; Wisconsin; Remote; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Kohler Health, part of Kohler Co., is building a new category of connected health solutions and seeks a Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships & Business Development to originate, shape and close complex institutional partnerships. You will translate an emerging health platform into partner solutions and guide opportunities from discovery to contracting in a lean, high-impact business.

You will lead cross-functional teams across product, clinical, finance, legal and privacy to develop

Qualifications

• 8+ years in business development, strategic partnerships, enterprise sales or related commercial role in healthcare or life sciences.
• Track record of originating, structuring, negotiating and closing complex multi-stakeholder partnerships or enterprise agreements.
• Understanding of healthcare and life-sciences decision processes including clinical, procurement and implementation considerations.
• Experience developing business cases and commercial models with disciplined pipeline & forecast.
• Executive-level communication and influence to translate complex concepts into partner value.
• Willingness to travel for partner meetings and industry events.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a focused partnership strategy across priority institutional segments (life sciences, research, health systems, provider networks, public-sector).
• Identify high-value use cases and partnership models (research collaborations, sponsored studies, pilots, co-development, commercial deployments).
• Map partner needs, decision criteria, budgets, procurement pathways, and competitive options.
• Develop and manage a qualified pipeline of profitable, scalable use cases with strategic fit and demand.
• Establish trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across partner organizations (business, clinical, research, innovation, digital, data, procurement).
• Lead discovery and solution shaping; connect partner priorities to Kohler Health capabilities; identify white space for new offerings.
• Create partner-specific proposals, business cases and value narratives with internal experts (product, clinical, finance, legal, privacy, security).
• Lead commercial discussions; coordinate diligence, pricing, and contract development; drive signed agreements.
• Develop strategic account plans; identify pathways to deepen, renew and expand relationships.
• Capture market intelligence to inform product strategy and investment decisions.

Skills

Strategic partnerships

Enterprise sales

Healthcare industry knowledge

Business case development

Executive influence

Travel flexibility

Education

Advanced degree

Job description

Sr. Director, Strategic Partnerships & Business Development

Work Mode:Remote

Location: Remote – Kohler, WI

Opportunity

Kohler Health is an emerging health and wellness technology business within Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen, bath, and hospitality. We bring together technology, science, and design to build devices, which help to transform the bathroom into a center of health, making preventive insights a natural part of everyday life.

With the introduction of our first product, Dekoda, we are building a new category of connected consumer health solutions and expanding the platform for future products and applications. Strategic partnerships with life sciences companies, research organizations, health systems, and other institutional partners will help us reach more people, and scale the business. Our team combines the agility and entrepreneurial mindset of a startup with the resources and expertise of an established global organization.

We are seeking a Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships & Business Development to originate, shape, and close complex institutional partnerships that expand the impact of Kohler Health. This leader will define partnership strategy, translate an emerging health platform into compelling partner solutions, and guide opportunities from discovery and business-case development through contracting and expansion. The role combines healthcare market insight, senior relationship leadership, and hands‑on commercial execution in a lean, evolving business, with sound judgment in regulated environments.

Specific Responsibilities

• Define and execute a focused partnership strategy across priority institutional segments, incl. life sciences, research organizations, health systems, provider networks, and selected public‑sector opportunities.
• Identify high‑value use cases and partnership models, including research collaborations, sponsored studies, evidence‑generation programs, co‑development opportunities, pilots, and commercial deployments.
• Build a clear view of partner needs, decision criteria, budgets, procurement pathways, and competitive alternatives.
• Build and actively manage a qualified pipeline of profitable, scalable use cases, prioritizing opportunities based on strategic fit, validated customer demand, revenue and margin potential, cost‑to‑serve, resource and investment requirements, probability of success, and path to repeatable commercial expansion.
• Establish trusted relationships with senior business, clinical, scientific, research, innovation, digital, data, and procurement stakeholders within partner organizations.
• Lead discovery and solution shaping, connecting partner priorities to Kohler Health capabilities while identifying white space for new offerings or co‑development.
• Develop partner‑specific proposals, business cases, and value narratives in collaboration with product, clinical, research, finance, legal, privacy, security, and other internal experts.
• Lead commercial discussions and coordinate diligence, pricing, and contract development with the appropriate internal owners; drive alignment and momentum through signed agreement.
• Create strategic account plans and identify pathways to deepen, renew, and expand successful relationships.
• Capture and share intelligence from partners and the market to inform product strategy, clinical and research priorities, and investment decisions.

Skills/Requirements

Required experience and qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive experience in business development, strategic partnerships, enterprise sales, corporate development, or a closely related commercial role in healthcare or life sciences, with experience operating at a senior level.
• A track record of originating, structuring, negotiating, and closing complex, multi‑stakeholder partnerships or enterprise agreements.
• Working knowledge of healthcare and life‑sciences decision processes, including clinical, scientific, procurement, and implementation considerations.
• Experience developing business cases and commercial models and managing a disciplined pipeline and forecast.
• Executive‑level communication and influence skills, including the ability to translate complex clinical, technical, or data concepts into clear partner value.
• Ability and willingness to travel as needed for partner meetings and industry events.

Preferred experience and education

• Experience with digital or connected health, diagnostics, remote monitoring, real‑world data, decentralized research, clinical trials, biomarkers, or adjacent health technology categories.
• Existing relationships across life sciences, research, health systems, or public‑sector health ecosystems.
• Experience working in cross‑functional teams, building a new market, category, partnership model, or commercial function from an early stage.
• Advanced degree in business, science, engineering, public health, medicine, or a related field.

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Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

Why Choose Kohler?

We empower each associate to #BecomeMoreAtKohler with a competitive total rewards package to support your health and wellbeing, access to career growth and development opportunities, a diverse and inclusive workplace, and a strong culture of innovation. With more than 30,000 bold leaders across the globe, we're driving meaningful change in our mission to help people live gracious, healthy, and sustainable lives.

About Us

It is Kohler’s policy to recruit, hire, and promote qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran. If, as an individual with a disability, you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail]. Kohler Co. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.