Strategic Partnerships Lead for AI & Cloud Ecosystems

Jobtailor; California (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Vercel is seeking a Head of Strategic Partnerships to own end-to-end partnerships in AI, cloud, and enterprise software. You will lead negotiations, drive co-sell initiatives, and shape ecosystem direction in collaboration with senior executives.

You will cultivate relationships with major partners, coordinate across Product, Engineering, Legal, and Sales, and ensure successful launches and measurable growth. Excellent communication and strategic thinking are essential for this role.

Qualifications

• 8+ years developing, negotiating, and executing complex commercial agreements at a platform/cloud/enterprise tooling company
• Proven track record initiating partnerships with bigger companies
• Experience structuring deals with significant technical surface area: platform integrations, licensing, infrastructure commitments
• Ability to discuss agents, inference, model routing, and cloud infrastructure with partner teams
• Experience creating and driving strategy and getting an organization to fund it
• Comfortable leading cross-functional teams through Product, Legal, Finance, and Sales
• Bonus: partnerships at hyperscalers or large enterprise software platforms
• Bonus: licensing/OEM/embedded distribution experience
• Bonus: engineering/solutions/technical product background

Responsibilities

• Own a named set of strategic partnerships end to end from first conversation through signed agreement to launch and growth
• Identify and develop new partnerships across AI, cloud, commerce, and enterprise software
• Build business cases by sizing opportunities and scoping investment
• Lead end-to-end negotiations for revenue share, embedded pricing, co-sell commitments, and marketplace terms
• Develop senior relationships on the partner side and involve Vercel executives as needed
• Lead cross-functional teams across Product, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Legal to launch signed agreements
• Advise Vercel leadership on ecosystem direction and roadmap implications
• Run deals with clear milestones, success measures, and judgement to stop underperforming initiatives
• Report to the Head of Strategic Partnerships

Skills

Negotiation

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic thinking

Decisiveness

Relationship building

Excellent communication

Comfort with ambiguity

Tools

Deal Structuring

Product Integration

Licensing Agreements

Embedded Product Development

Technical Surface Area Management

Job description

Vercel is seeking a Head of Strategic Partnerships to own end-to-end partnerships in AI, cloud, and enterprise software. You will lead negotiations, drive co-sell initiatives, and shape ecosystem direction in collaboration with senior executives.

You will cultivate relationships with major partners, coordinate across Product, Engineering, Legal, and Sales, and ensure successful launches and measurable growth. Excellent communication and strategic thinking are essential for this role.