Head of Partnerships

Overview

We are seeking a commercially driven Head of Partnerships to build and scale a strategic partnerships program from the ground up. This role is responsible for developing relationships with the leading technology providers, SaaS platforms, and service partners used by Shopify and direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, turning those relationships into measurable revenue.

You'll identify high-value partnership opportunities, negotiate commercial agreements, create the operational framework that supports each partnership, and manage a portfolio that consistently generates qualified client referrals and new revenue. Success in this role requires a proactive business development mindset, strong commercial negotiation skills, and deep familiarity with the Shopify and DTC technology ecosystem.

This is a highly autonomous role for someone who enjoys building new revenue channels, creating strategic alliances, and owning partnerships from first outreach through long-term growth.

Key Responsibilities Build and execute a strategic partner acquisition plan targeting technology providers and service partners within the Shopify and DTC ecosystem. Proactively source new partnership opportunities rather than relying on inbound inquiries. Negotiate and close commercial partnership agreements including: Referral partnerships Revenue share agreements Reciprocal referral programs Reseller agreements Co-selling partnerships White-label opportunities Own the partnership contracting process, ensuring agreements include confidentiality protections and clearly documented commercial terms. Develop client-facing enablement materials that explain partner products, services, and implementation expectations. Create internal playbooks and sales enablement resources that allow customer-facing teams to confidently introduce partner solutions. Manage inbound and outbound referral workflows while tracking every opportunity from introduction through closed business. Evaluate and determine the most effective delivery model for each partner relationship. Coordinate joint marketing initiatives including: Webinars Case studies Partner newsletters Co-branded content Agency directory listings Build relationships with partner executives, founders, and partnership managers while maintaining regular business reviews. Track and report partnership performance, including partner-generated pipeline, signed clients, revenue, and ROI. Continuously optimize the partner portfolio by expanding high-performing relationships and retiring underperforming partnerships. Preferred Partnership Categories

The ideal candidate has experience working with or developing partnerships across categories such as:

Email & SMS marketing platforms Subscription management software Deliverability and inbox optimization tools Loyalty and rewards platforms Reviews and UGC platforms Popup and lead capture software Chargeback and fraud protection providers Payment processors Affiliate and creator marketing platforms Returns and post-purchase experience solutions Shopify technology ecosystem Ecommerce agencies and complementary service providers Requirements 3+ years of experience in Partnerships, Channel Sales, Business Development, or Strategic Alliances. Experience within B2B SaaS, ecommerce technology, digital marketing agencies, or adjacent industries. Proven track record sourcing and closing new partnership agreements from scratch. Experience negotiating referral agreements, revenue share structures, reseller partnerships, and co-selling arrangements. Strong understanding of the Shopify and DTC ecommerce technology landscape. Comfortable building relationships directly with founders, executives, and partnership leaders. Excellent commercial negotiation and relationship management skills. Strong project management and organizational abilities. Highly analytical with experience tracking partnership performance and revenue metrics. Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. Ability to work remotely with regular overlap during Eastern Time (EST) business hours. Nice-to-Have Experience Existing relationships with leading ecommerce technology providers. Experience building a partner program from the ground up. Experience developing partnership legal templates and operational processes. Successful execution of co-marketing campaigns that generated measurable sales pipeline. Experience selling or referring recurring B2B services with monthly retainers between $3,500 and $5,500. Familiarity with the Shopify partner ecosystem and agency channel programs. Tools & Technology CRM and partner relationship management platforms Contract and document management software Google Workspace or Microsoft Office Excel or Google Sheets Business intelligence and reporting tools Project management platforms Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Success in this role will be measured by:

Partner-sourced qualified sales opportunities generated each month Partner-sourced clients acquired each quarter Revenue generated per partner Total partner-generated recurring revenue Number of active commercial partnerships Percentage of partnerships operating under executed agreements Performance and growth of the overall partnership portfolio Must-Have Skills & Experience 3+ years sourcing and closing partnership deals in B2B SaaS or agency environments. Demonstrated experience negotiating referral fees, revenue share agreements, reseller partnerships, and co-selling arrangements. Deep knowledge of Shopify and the DTC technology ecosystem. Ability to independently lead commercial negotiations with founders, executives, and partnership leaders. Proven ability to build strategic partnerships that generate measurable revenue. Nice-to-Have Skills Existing relationships with ecommerce technology providers and SaaS partner teams. Experience launching a partnership program from the ground up. Strong background in partner marketing and joint go-to-market initiatives. Experience creating scalable partnership documentation and enablement resources. History of building recurring revenue through strategic alliances. ENGLISH Level Proficiency

• 3+ years sourcing and closing partnership deals in B2B SaaS or agency channels, with hands-on negotiation of referral fees and revenue share agreements, deep fluency in the Shopify/DTC tool ecosystem, and ability to lead commercial conversations with founders and partnership heads without escalation.

• Existing relationships at Klaviyo, Recharge, Skio, Loop, Attentive, or Postscript; experience building partner programs from scratch including legal templates; track record of co-marketing campaigns that drove measurable pipeline; and prior experience selling or referring services in the $3,500–$5,500/month range.

• Partner management and CRM systems to track referrals, introductions, and revenue; contract and legal document management; spreadsheet/BI tools for quarterly reporting on partner-sourced calls, client signups, and revenue per partner.