Strategic Partnerships Lead

Orion Placement; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Vision insurance

Company equity

Job summary

Confidential Employer in the United States is seeking a high‑impact Partnerships Leader to shape our growth in defense tech. You will own the full partnership lifecycle, build relationships with defense manufacturers, and translate advanced AI capabilities into strategic collaborations.

Responsibilities include prospecting, negotiations, licenses, and coordinating with engineering for integrations, with 25–33% travel and on-site or hybrid work options in Austin or DC.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of sales, strategic partnerships, or business development experience.
• 2+ years of defense industry sales experience.
• Proven outbound pipeline development and experience closing licensing agreements.
• U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead strategic partnerships with defense manufacturers, prime contractors, and systems integrators.
• Identify, prospect, and develop relationships with manufacturers of unmanned air, ground, and maritime systems.
• Own the full partnership pipeline, from outbound prospecting and initial discussions through negotiation and closing.
• Structure and negotiate licensing, teaming, joint development, and reseller agreements.
• Present advanced AI and software capabilities to technical and executive stakeholders.
• Collaborate with engineering and deployment teams to coordinate product integrations, testing, and partner onboarding.
• Build compelling sales strategies and identify new opportunities across the defense technology market.
• Maintain accurate CRM records, forecast opportunities, and report pipeline performance to leadership.
• Represent our team at industry conferences, partner meetings, technical demonstrations, and other events.

Skills

Outbound sales

Strategic partnerships

Negotiation

B2B sales

Job description

Pay:$150,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year

Why This Is a Great Opportunity

• Become our first dedicated partnerships leader and play a pivotal role in shaping our growth strategy.
• Work directly with company founders and senior leadership to build high-value relationships across the defense technology industry.
• Help bring cutting-edge artificial intelligence and autonomous systems technology to leading defense manufacturers.
• Own the entire partnership lifecycle, from prospecting and relationship development to negotiations and signed agreements.
• Earn uncapped commissions on top of a competitive base salary, plus company equity.
• Join a fast‑growing, innovative team where your initiative, ideas, and results can make a lasting impact.

Location:Two exciting opportunities: Austin, TX (on-site) or Washington, DC area (hybrid, with remote flexibility while our DC office is being established). This position includes approximately 25-33% travel for partner meetings, field demonstrations, conferences, and industry events.

Note:Candidates must have 4+ years of sales, strategic partnerships, or business development experience, including 2+ years of defense industry sales experience. Proven outbound pipeline development and experience closing licensing agreements with hardware manufacturers, defense primes, or systems integrators are required. U.S. citizenship is required.

About Us

We are an innovative defense technology company advancing artificial intelligence and autonomous systems for mission‑critical applications. Our team brings together ambitious thinkers, technical experts, and business leaders who are passionate about delivering powerful technology to the people and organizations that need it most.

Confidential Employer.

Job Description

• Build and lead strategic partnerships with defense manufacturers, prime contractors, and systems integrators.
• Identify, prospect, and develop relationships with manufacturers of unmanned air, ground, and maritime systems.
• Own the full partnership pipeline, from outbound prospecting and initial discussions through negotiation and closing.
• Structure and negotiate licensing, teaming, joint development, and reseller agreements.
• Present advanced AI and software capabilities to technical and executive stakeholders.
• Collaborate with engineering and deployment teams to coordinate product integrations, testing, and partner onboarding.
• Build compelling sales strategies and identify new opportunities across the defense technology market.
• Maintain accurate CRM records, forecast opportunities, and report pipeline performance to leadership.
• Represent our team at industry conferences, partner meetings, technical demonstrations, and other events.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in B2B sales, strategic partnerships, or business development.
• 2+ years of defense industry sales experience.
• Demonstrated success building an outbound pipeline and developing new business relationships.
• Experience closing licensing agreements with hardware manufacturers, defense primes, or systems integrators.
• Strong understanding of defense procurement, acquisition processes, and industry buying cycles.
• Ability to confidently present complex technical products to engineers and decision-makers.
• Excellent communication, relationship management, negotiation, and closing skills.
• Experience managing sales pipelines and reporting through CRM platforms.
• Comfortable using AI tools to support research, prospecting, and sales productivity.
• U.S. citizenship required.
• Existing defense manufacturer relationships, OEM software integration experience, or startup growth experience are highly valued.

Why You Will Love Working Here

We believe exceptional people do their best work when they have ownership, meaningful challenges, and the opportunity to build something extraordinary. You'll have the freedom to develop strategic relationships, shape our partnerships function, and see the direct impact of your success.

We offer a $150,000 to $200,000 annual base salary, uncapped commission opportunities, company equity, comprehensive medical coverage for employees and families, dental and vision benefits, generous flexible PTO, all federal holidays plus the last two weeks of the year off, and 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

If you're a relationship‑driven business development professional who thrives on building partnerships, closing meaningful deals, and bringing advanced technology to market, we'd love to meet you.

JPC-2437

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance