Partnerships Lead, Product Partnerships

We are looking for an experienced and strategic Business Development Lead to join a high-performing Platform Partnerships team, focused on the product and technology partnerships that directly enable and accelerate the product roadmap. In this role, you will act as the primary business development partner to the Product Marketing organization, identifying and securing the third-party data, API, and technology partnerships that underpin new and upcoming products.

Unlike more outward-facing business development roles, this position sits at the intersection of product development and external partnerships. You will develop a deep understanding of the internal product roadmap, translate those needs into a proactive external partnership strategy, and execute with the speed and precision that product timelines demand. Many of the partnerships you pursue will be foundational to products that customers rely on every day, even when the partnerships themselves remain invisible to the end user.

This is a high-ambiguity, high-impact role suited to someone who is as comfortable in a product strategy conversation as they are at the negotiating table.

• Define and own the business development strategy for product enablement. You will work closely with Product Marketing and Engineering to build a deep understanding of the product roadmap and identify where third-party partnerships can unlock, accelerate, or improve planned products. You will build a proactive pipeline of partner opportunities rather than waiting for inbound requests, and contribute to the broader platform partnerships strategy over time.
• Act as the primary business development liaison to the Product Marketing organization. You will develop trusted relationships with product leads and maintain ongoing visibility into the roadmap so that partnership needs are anticipated well in advance of product timelines.
• Lead the end-to-end deal process for priority partnerships, from initial outreach and scoping through negotiation, term sheet, and contract execution. You will develop and refine commercial frameworks across a range of deal types, from data licensing and API agreements to broader technology and service partnerships, structuring deals that reduce cost and vendor dependency over time while protecting strategic flexibility.
• Develop a clear point of view on build versus buy versus partner tradeoffs across the technology stack and bring well-reasoned recommendations to Product and Engineering leadership. You will continuously evaluate the partner landscape and negotiate commercial structures that reflect the strategic value of each relationship.
• Work cross-functionally with Finance, Legal, Product, and Engineering to align on partner profiles, model costs and revenue opportunities, define success metrics, and develop contracting frameworks. You will represent partnership opportunities clearly and compellingly to senior internal stakeholders and build the consensus required to move quickly on priority deals.
• Develop deep expertise in the data, technology, and service provider landscapes most relevant to the product roadmap, anticipating market shifts and emerging capabilities. You will also define the KPIs, reporting frameworks, and partner feedback loops needed to evaluate new partnerships and capture learnings that allow product partnerships to scale globally over time.

• 10+ years of experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or a related field, with a track record of independently owning and closing complex, multi-stakeholder deals
• Experience partnering closely with product and engineering organizations to identify and execute technology or data partnerships that directly enable product development
• Familiarity with data licensing, API agreements, and technology vendor negotiations, with comfort evaluating build versus buy versus partner tradeoffs
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute partnership strategy proactively, not just manage inbound opportunities
• Strong commercial instincts and experience structuring deals across a range of partner types and commercial models
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast-moving environments where product priorities can shift quickly, with the ability to maintain focus and momentum across a diverse portfolio
• Experience working cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Finance, and Legal to align on strategy and move deals forward
• Exceptional communication and influence skills, with the ability to synthesize complex product and technical context into a compelling external narrative and bring senior stakeholders along internally
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent

• Experience in travel, marketplace, or consumer technology
• Experience building partnership playbooks, commercial templates, and onboarding processes that scale across markets
• A background that blends product strategy fluency with hands-on commercial negotiation

• Contract type: 1 year, with potential extension based on program timelines and team needs.
• Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week.
• Location: US-based, remote
• Pay Rate Range: $75-$95 per hour