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Modular Unmanned Autonomous Systems | Designed for the Warfighter, Built at the Edge.
The Role
Lead identification, vetting, and management of strategic partners to scale Firestorms global reach. Build a partnership database, negotiate complex agreements, manage C-suite relationships, coordinate cross-functional launches, monitor KPIs, and drive alliance-driven revenue growth.
Summary Generated by Built In
Firestorm is hiring a Manager of Strategic Partnerships who will align strategic initiatives with the company strategy and growth objectives, establishing a standardized framework to distinguish vendors from partners, categorize strategic relationships, and manage partnerships as a deliberate ecosystem.
You identify and document:
- Current active partners
- Partnerships in progress that we intend to formalize
- Companies we are actively pursuing as future partners
Your efforts will provide visibility into the current partnership landscape, highlighting capability gaps, and identifying opportunities for deeper collaboration across the organization to develop a scalable partnership ecosystem.
What You’ll Do
- Expand our reach across industry and government by developing relationships with manufacturers and other key partners that will ensure the company’s ability to scale as needs arise around the globe
- Manage large subcontract opportunities
- Research, investigate, develop and add new partners that will amplify Firestorm’s product reach
- Develop relationships with OEMs that will continually strengthen Firestorm’s product offering
- Build a scalable partnership database of former, current and future partners
- Build and nurture strategic partnerships with leading organizations supporting common interests that are beneficial to both parties
- Manage C-suite relationships and influencing cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority
- Identify and vet new enterprise alliances, channel programs, and vendor networks that support mutual growth objectives
- Lead deal structuring, commercial terms, and contract finalization in coordination with legal and finance teams
- Collaborate with Sales, Product, and Marketing to launch integrated solutions, co-selling motions, and joint marketing campaigns
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to evaluate partnership ROI and operational health
- Perform other duties as needed
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics or related field. In lieu of a degree, 9+ years of progressive related experience.
- U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations, with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance
- 3+ years of experience in business development, strategic alliances/partnerships or partner management within tech, aerospace or defense industries
- Experience structuring, negotiating, and closing complex partnership agreements across diverse partner types
- Project management experience managing multiple initiatives simultaneously, coordinating across internal and external teams
- Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working in a startup environment
- Strong background in P&L structures, contract negotiation, and driving recurring revenue or pipeline growth
- PMP certification
- Experience with UAS platforms
- Masters degree in related field
About Firestorm
Firestorm is a defense technology company solving one of the hardest logistics problems in modern warfare — how do you manufacture what you need, when you need it, and where you need it without support from traditional supply chains? Our answer is xCell: containerized, deployable manufacturing units built around advanced additive and traditional manufacturing that go where warfighters go. We're roughly 150 people, headquartered in San Diego, and we're past concept — xCell systems are in the field in both OCONUS and CONUS today and our development pipeline is aggressive.
Work Environment
- Position is working in a Hybrid capacity at our San Diego, CA. Headquarters
- We welcome candidates who are local or open to relocating; relocation assistance is available and may be included in the offer package where appropriate.
- Travel up to 20% to the various partnerships
Compensation
- Base salary: $120,000 - $140,000 base, commensurate with experience
- Equity: Meaningful equity grant in a growth-stage defense technology company
The posted salary range reflects an estimate based on a variety of compensation factors, including but not limited to relevant experience, education, certifications, specialized skills, geographic location, and business needs. Actual compensation may vary, and this range is subject to change as our compensation structure or market conditions evolve.
Benefits & Perks
Our culture fosters collaboration, respect, and trust, empowering passionate people to do their best work. We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for career growth. In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:
- We offer comprehensive medical, dental, and visions plans
- 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan to invest in your long-term retirement goals
- Equity grants for new hires
- Unlimited PTO
- Extremely generous company holiday calendar, including a holiday hiatus in July, & December.
- Generous Parental Leave
- Lifestyle Spending Account
- FSA
- DCFSA
- HSA
- Hospital Indemnity insurance
- Critical Illness insurance
- Accident insurance
- Basic Life/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, 100% covered by Firestorm. Plus, the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your family.
- Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, are available to you as well.
Export Control Compliance
To conform to U.S. government export control regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or otherwise eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Firestorm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, and upholding equitable hiring practices. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic under federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process.
Firestorm is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require accommodations or assistance during the application process, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] so we can provide the support you need.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics or related field OR 9+ years of progressive related experience.
- U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR regulations, with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD security clearance.
- 3+ years of experience in business development, strategic alliances/partnerships or partner management within tech, aerospace or defense industries.
- Experience structuring, negotiating, and closing complex partnership agreements across diverse partner types.
- Project management experience managing multiple initiatives simultaneously, coordinating across internal and external teams.
- Ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including C-suite and cross-functional partners.
Firestorm Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Firestorm and has not been reviewed or approved by Firestorm.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as comprehensive across medical, dental, and vision, with company‑paid life/AD&D and short‑ and long‑term disability plus optional hospital indemnity, critical illness, and accident insurance. Tax‑advantaged accounts and mental‑health resources are also highlighted.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off includes “unlimited PTO” and an unusually generous holiday calendar that features a year‑end hiatus. Generous parental leave is also called out.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Multiple postings list explicit salary ranges for roles across engineering, operations, and field positions, and internship hourly rates are published. These disclosures provide clearer expectations on cash compensation for many candidates.
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The Company
What We Do
We are building the future of modular, open-source architectures supporting the Department of Defense requirements to create Affordable Mass. Firestorm is redefining military expectations for on-site modularity to support the widest array of mission areas.
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