Partnerships Manager

Partnerships Manager @ Relay

Relay is fundamentally reshaping how goods move in an online era. Backed by Europe’s largest-ever logistics Series A ($35M), led by deep-tech investors Plural (whose portfolio spans fusion energy and space exploration), Relay is scaling faster than 99.98% of venture-backed startups. We're assembling the most talent-dense team the logistics industry has ever seen

The Team
• ~90 people, more than half in engineering, product and data
• 45+ advanced degrees across computer science, mathematics and operations research
• Thousands of data points captured, calculated, analysed and predicted for every single parcel we handle
• An intellectually vibrant culture of first‑principles thinking, tight feedback loops and relentless experimentation

Relay’s Mission

Relay exists to free commerce from friction. Today, high delivery costs act as a hidden tax on e-commerce, quietly shaping what can be sold online and limiting who can participate. We envision a world where more goods move more freely between more people, making the online shopping experience seamless and accessible to everyone.

In this future:

• Delivery feels invisible—free shipping is the default, and logistical friction disappears from consumers' minds.

• Retailers of all sizes thrive equally online, whether selling a £5 item or a £500 one, as delivery becomes universally efficient and cost-effective.

Just as the internet eliminates friction from communication, Relay removes friction from the movement of goods, enabling broader participation and creating new opportunities for merchants and consumers alike.

The Opportunity

Relay’s ability to deliver exceptional service and operational efficiency hinges on the quality, completeness, and timeliness of the data we ingest from our partners. That starts long before the parcel hits our network.

We are hiring a Partnerships Manager to lead the identification, development, and success of our most critical API partnerships. Sitting within the Commercial and API Product team, you’ll be the external point of contact for high-value technical collaborations. Working closely with our clients and their ecosystem partners to unlock new data sources and accelerate integrations.

This is not a technical role, it’s a strategic, commercially-minded position where success depends on building deep relationships, aligning incentives, and driving high-impact initiatives across a wide range of stakeholders.

You’ll help Relay integrate upstream into our customers’ broader operations: from order orchestration platforms and warehouse management systems, to customs brokers, air cargo handlers, and other third-party systems where valuable data lives. Your work will ensure Relay captures more of this data earlier, driving smarter planning, leaner operations, and more reliable deliveries.

What you’ll do

• Own the full lifecycle of external partnerships that enable deeper integration of Relay’s API into our customers’ operational stack.

• Identify and prioritize high-impact partners across order orchestration systems, Warehouse management systems, customs brokers, and ground handling agents. Anywhere Relay can get closer to the source of key data that will make our operation more efficient

• Build and manage strong commercial relationships with key external stakeholders, aligning their success with Relay’s.

• Serve as a strategic advisor to clients, helping them understand how early and deeper integration with Relay can unlock operational and financial upside.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Solutions Architects, Product Managers, Commercial, and Operations teams to ensure that integrations are delivering business impact.
  

Who Will Thrive in this role?

• You have 5–7 years of experience in partnerships, business development, solutions sales, or commercial strategy—ideally in tech-enabled logistics, e-commerce infrastructure, or API-focused companies.

• You are relationship-driven, with a proven track record of building trust, influencing stakeholders, and closing complex commercial initiatives.

• You are strategic and commercially minded—able to see the bigger picture of where integrations unlock long-term value.

• You’re energised by working across complex systems and stakeholder groups, especially in environments like e-commerce, logistics, or international supply chains.

• You’re familiar with or excited to learn about order flows, WMS platforms, customs and brokerage systems, and how API integrations support operational scaling.
  

Who Thrives at Relay?

Relayers share core traits, captured in our guiding principles, "The Relay Edge":

• Aim with Precision: You define problems clearly and measure your impact meticulously.

• Play to Win: You chase bold bets, tackle the hard stuff, and view constraints as fuel, not friction.

• 1% Better Every Day: You believe that small, consistent improvements lead to exponential growth. You move quickly, deliver results, and learn from every experience.

• All In, All the Time: You show up and step up. You take ownership from start to finish and do what it takes to deliver when it counts.

• People-Powered Greatness: You invest in your teammates. You give and receive feedback with care and candour. You build trust through high standards and shared success.

• Grow the Whole Pie: You seek out win-win solutions for merchants, couriers, and our customers, because when they thrive, so do we.

Compensation & Benefits

• Generous equity, richer than 99% of European startups, with annual top-ups to share Relay’s success.

• Private health & dental coverage, so comprehensive you’d need to be a partner at a Magic Circle law firm to match it.

• 25 days of holidays

• Enhanced parental leave.

• Hardware of your choice.

• Extensive perks (gym subsidies, cycle-to-work, Friday office lunch, covered Uber home and dinner for late nights, and more).

Fast and Focused Hiring Process

1. Talent Acquisition Interview - 30 min

2. Hiring Manager Interview - 45 mins

3. Case Study - 1 hour

4. Final Interview -1 hour

5. Decision and offer within 48 hours. Our process mirrors our pace of work.

Relay is an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.