Vice President Strategic Partnerships

Steneg; California; Hybrid; USD 300,000 - 500,000; Full time

Job summary

Steneg & Partners is seeking a VP of Strategic Partnerships for a technology-driven optics company serving AI infrastructure and data centers. You will spearhead hyperscaler engagement, industrial ecosystem partnerships, and strategic investments to accelerate market adoption and growth.

You will lead executive conversations, structure complex collaborations, and align technology offerings with customer needs across global hyperscalers and industrial partners.

Qualifications

• University degree in Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Telecommunications, Business Administration or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in strategic partnerships, business development or commercial leadership in semiconductors, optical communications or photonics.
• Proven track record developing business with hyperscalers, cloud providers, or data center leaders.
• Experience structuring and negotiating strategic partnerships and joint development agreements.
• Experience with venture capital or strategic investor engagement in tech environments.
• Strong executive communication and independent leadership in international settings.

Responsibilities

• Develop and expand direct relationships with hyperscalers and AI infrastructure companies, engaging senior decision-makers.
• Lead strategic BD activities from executive engagement through technical evaluations, joint programs, and negotiations.
• Collaborate with technical leadership to align optics interconnects with hyperscaler requirements.
• Build and manage partnerships with semiconductor manufacturers, photonic suppliers, and networking providers.
• Draft and negotiate technology evaluation agreements and industrial collaborations.
• Develop a partner network to support integration, market access, and scalability.
• Engage with venture capital and strategic investors to support fundraising and financing initiatives.
• Provide executive reporting on account development, partnerships, and growth progress.

Skills

Hyperscalers engagement

Strategic partnerships

Business development

Executive communication

English proficiency

Education

University degree in Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Telecommunications, Business Administration

Job description

Our client is a technology-oriented company developing advanced optical interconnect solutions for next-generation AI infrastructure and high-performance data centers. Its technology addresses the increasing demand for higher data transmission capacity, lower energy consumption, and scalable optical connectivity, enabling more efficient computing and networking architectures.

The organization combines deep expertise in photonics, optical communications, and semiconductor technologies with an entrepreneurial, growth-driven environment. Operating within an international ecosystem of hyperscalers, semiconductor manufacturers, optical component suppliers, industrial partners, and strategic investors, the company is advancing the commercialization of its technology. It offers the opportunity to establish high-impact industrial relationships, shape its market positioning, and contribute directly to its commercial and financial growth.

Mission

The VP Strategic Partnerships will be responsible for developing and executing the company's strategic partnership agenda, with a particular focus on building and expanding business relationships with leading hyperscalers and AI infrastructure providers. Reporting directly to the CEO, the role will drive strategic customer development, industrial ecosystem partnerships, and investor engagement to accelerate technology adoption and commercial growth. The successful candidate will leverage an established industry network to engage senior decision-makers, transform customer interest into technology evaluations, co-development agreements, design-in opportunities, and commercial commitments, and connect industrial validation with strategic financing opportunities.

Responsibilities

Hyperscaler Business Development and Strategic Customer Engagement

• Develop and expand direct business relationships with hyperscalers, cloud service providers, and leading AI infrastructure companies, engaging senior decision-makers responsible for optical networking, hardware architectures, data center connectivity, and next-generation computing infrastructure.
• Lead strategic business development activities with hyperscaler accounts, from executive engagement and opportunity qualification through technical evaluations, joint development programmes, design-in opportunities, and commercial negotiations.
• Work closely with technical leadership to position the company's optical interconnect technologies against hyperscaler requirements for bandwidth scalability, energy efficiency, performance, and system-level integration.

Industrial Ecosystem and Strategic Partnerships

• Build and manage strategic relationships with semiconductor manufacturers, optical transceiver companies, photonic component suppliers, and networking system providers.
• Structure and negotiate technology evaluation agreements, joint development programmes, industrial collaborations, and strategic commercial partnerships.
• Develop a network of industrial partners capable of supporting technology integration, customer validation, hyperscaler market access, and future commercial scalability.

Strategic Investment and Funding Partnerships

• Develop relationships with deeptech venture capital funds, corporate venture capital investors, strategic industrial investors, and relevant technology investment organizations.
• Support the CEO in fundraising and strategic financing initiatives, using hyperscaler engagement, customer traction, industrial partnerships, and commercial validation to strengthen investment proposals.
• Identify opportunities to align industrial partnerships with strategic investments, collaborative technology funding, and relevant European or national innovation programmes.

Strategic Growth, Market Intelligence, and Executive Reporting

• Establish and lead the company's strategic partnership function, defining priority hyperscaler accounts, engagement strategies, partnership development processes, and measurable business objectives.
• Monitor developments in AI infrastructure, data center networking, optical communications, and semiconductor technologies to identify emerging opportunities and strategic market positioning.
• Provide executive-level reporting to the CEO on hyperscaler account development, strategic partnerships, commercial opportunities, investor engagement, and progress against growth objectives.

Required Qualifications

• University degree in Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Telecommunications, Business Administration, or a related technical or commercial discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in strategic partnerships, business development, or commercial leadership within semiconductors, optical communications, photonics, AI infrastructure, or closely related technology industries.
• Demonstrated track record of developing business with hyperscalers, cloud infrastructure providers, or major data center technology companies, including direct engagement with technical and commercial decision-makers.
• Proven experience structuring and negotiating strategic partnerships, joint development agreements, technology evaluation programmes, design-in opportunities, or complex commercial collaborations.
• Experience engaging with venture capital, corporate venture capital, strategic investors, or external funding stakeholders in technology-driven environments.
• Strong technical and commercial judgment, executive-level communication capabilities, and ability to engage senior industry decision-makers.
• Professional proficiency in English, entrepreneurial leadership, and ability to operate independently in an early-stage, internationally oriented technology organization.

Preferred Experience

• Established senior-level network within hyperscaler infrastructure, optical networking, and hardware architecture teams, particularly among major US-based cloud and AI infrastructure companies.
• Technical understanding of high-speed optical interconnects, photonic integrated circuits, optical transceivers, coherent communication, and energy-efficient data transmission technologies.
• Experience establishing strategic partnership functions within deeptech start-ups, university spin-offs, or technology scale-ups, working closely with founders and executive leadership.
• Demonstrated involvement in venture capital fundraising, corporate strategic investments, or industrial financing initiatives, particularly where hyperscaler relationships, customer validation, and industrial partnerships supported investment decisions.