Strategic Business Developer 4

Adobe Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Adobe is seeking an Ecosystem Manager to build and scale a global partner network with VC firms, accelerators, and incubators. You will own the partner lifecycle from outreach to activation and create collateral that helps partners refer portfolio companies.

You will also represent Adobe at key events, track enrollment growth and engagement metrics, and iterate the program based on data and founder feedback.

Qualifications

• 4-6 years of experience in startup ecosystem roles, partner marketing, VC platforms, developer relations, or similar go-to-market functions in SaaS or enterprise software.
• Demonstrated ability to build and manage partner ecosystems: sourcing, activating, and maintaining relationships at scale.
• Comfortable with AI-assisted workflow tools and designing automated processes to improve efficiency.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to represent Adobe credibly in founder communities and internal leadership.

Responsibilities

• Build and scale a global network of VC firms, accelerators, and incubators; manage full partner lifecycle from outreach to activation.
• Create partner-facing collateral to simplify referrals and onboarding for portfolio companies.
• Represent Adobe at ecosystem events to strengthen our presence in the startup community.
• Track targets such as referral volume, enrollment growth, event leads, and content engagement; adjust strategy accordingly.

Skills

Startup ecosystems

Partner marketing

VC platform

Developer relations

SaaS

Automation tools

AI integrations

Communication

Presentation

Tools

Automation platforms

LLM integrations

Job description

The opportunity

Adobe Private Capital (APC) is a strategic go-to-market initiative that partners with venture capital firms, private equity firms, and sovereign wealth funds to accelerate value creation within their portfolios. Adobe for Startups provides creative and marketing tools to early-stage companies before they choose alternatives.

As the Ecosystem Manager, you will own the program's external face: building and activating the partner ecosystem of VC firms and accelerators that drives enrollment and makes Adobe the obvious choice for founders. This is a builder role - you will be establishing channels, workflows, and community from the ground up.

What you'll do

Ecosystem & Partner Development

• Build and scale a global network of 60+ VC firms, accelerators, and incubators; own the full partner lifecycle from outreach through activation

• Develop and maintain partner-facing collateral that make it easy for partners to refer their portfolio companies

• Represent Adobe at key ecosystem events to build our presence as a trusted ecosystem participant

Program Growth & Measurement

• Track and report on ecosystem targets such as: partner referral volume, enrollment growth, event-sourced leads, and content engagement metrics

• Monitor enrolled cohort quality signals - product activation rates, multi-product adoption, NPS - and use them to inform partner targeting and content strategy

• Continuously research the competitive landscape of startup programs and find opportunities to differentiate Adobe's positioning and offer structure

What you need to succeed

Adobe for Startups is an early-stage program being built in real time! The ideal candidate is a connection-focused builder who is comfortable at both founder networking events and with spreadsheets. They build trust in the VC ecosystem, create scalable programs, and monitor progress.

• 4-6 years of experience in startup ecosystem roles, partner marketing, VC platform, developer relations, or similar go-to-market functions in SaaS or enterprise software

• Demonstrated ability to build and manage partner ecosystems: sourcing, activating, and maintaining relationships at scale

• Comfortable working with AI-assisted workflow tools (e.g., automation platforms, LLM-based integrations) and eager to design and build automated processes that streamline repetitive tasks and improve team efficiency

• Excellent communication and presentation skills; able to represent Adobe credibly in the founder community and in senior internal meetings

• Builder's mentality! Thrives in ambiguity, comfortable shipping MVPs and iterating based on feedback, energized by the pace of early-stage program development

• Passion for startups, early-stage company building, and the creative tools that help founders tell their story

Expected Pay Range: $150,000 - $210,000

About Adobe

Adobe empowers everyone to create through innovative platforms and tools that unleash creativity, productivity and personalized customer experiences. Adobe's industry-leading offerings including Adobe Acrobat Studio, Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud, Adobe Experience Platform, Adobe Experience Manager, and GenStudio enable people and businesses to turn ideas into impact, powered by AI and driven by human ingenuity.

Our 30,000+ employees worldwide are creating the future and raising the bar as we drive the next decade of growth. We're on a mission to hire the very best and believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. At Adobe, we believe that great ideas can come from anywhere in the organization. The next big idea could be yours.

Let's Adobe together

At Adobe, we believe in creating a company culture where all employees are empowered to make an impact. Learn more about Adobe life, including our values and culture, focus on people, purpose and community, Adobe for All, comprehensive benefits programs, the stories we tell, the customers we serve, and how you can help us advance our mission of empowering everyone to create.

Adobe is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on gender, race or color, ethnicity or national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Learn more.

Adobe aims to make our Careers website and recruiting process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation to navigate our website or complete the application process, email [e-mail] or call [phone].

AI Use Guidelines for Interviews:

Our interviews are designed to reflect your own skills and thinking. The use of AI or recording tools during live interviews is not permitted unless explicitly invited by the interviewer or approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation. If these tools are used inappropriately or in a way that misrepresents your work, your application may not move forward in the process.

At Adobe, we empower employees to innovate with AI - and we look for candidates eager to do the same. As part of the hiring experience, we provide clear guidance on where AI is encouraged during the process and where it's restricted during live interviews. See how we think about AI in the hiring experience.

Expected Pay Range:

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets, and we pay differently based on those defined markets. The U.S. pay range for this positionis $125,500 -- $226,700 annually. Paywithin this range varies by work locationand may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills,and experience. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the job location during the hiring process.

In California, the pay range for this position is $156,500 - $226,700

At Adobe, for sales roles starting salaries are expressed as total target compensation (TTC = base + commission), and short-term incentives are in the form of sales commission plans. Non-sales roles starting salaries are expressed as base salary and short-term incentives are in the form of the Annual Incentive Plan (AIP).

In addition, certain roles may be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of a new hire equity award.

State-Specific Notices:

California:

Fair Chance Ordinances

Adobe will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.

Colorado:

Application Window Notice

If this role is open to hiring in Colorado (as listed on the job posting), the application window will remain open until at least the date and time stated above in Pacific Time, in compliance with Colorado pay transparency regulations. If this role does not have Colorado listed as a hiring location, no specific application window applies, and the posting may close at any time based on hiring needs.

Massachusetts:

Massachusetts Legal Notice

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.