Director, Product Partnerships
About the role
Accountabilities
Define and execute a multi-year product partnership strategy spanning logistics, retail technology, enterprise products, and emerging product areas.
Lead the evaluation of build-versus-buy-versus-partner opportunities and influence strategic decisions with senior Product, Engineering, and executive stakeholders.
Personally own the most consequential external partnerships, building trusted relationships with C-suite and executive-level counterparts.
Source, negotiate, structure, and launch complex technology and strategic partnership agreements, including first-of-a-kind opportunities.
Identify and develop partnership opportunities in new product categories and international markets, creating repeatable approaches for taking emerging opportunities from concept to launch.
Build and lead a high-performing partnerships organization, including developing managers and senior managers, clarifying ownership, and establishing scalable operating frameworks.
Establish effective frameworks for partnership evaluation, business-case development, deal economics, partner performance, and ongoing relationship management.
Develop financial and analytical models to assess partnership opportunities, quantify potential value, and communicate ROI and business implications to senior leadership.
Serve as a strategic partner to Product and Engineering teams by bringing external market intelligence and partner perspectives into product roadmaps and investment decisions.
Establish senior-level ownership of critical external relationships and ensure strategic opportunities, risks, and market developments are surfaced to leadership.
Develop playbooks and operating mechanisms that enable the partnerships team to evaluate, negotiate, launch, and manage strategic relationships consistently.
Provide direction and clarity in ambiguous environments, helping teams make informed decisions when priorities, market conditions, or available paths are still evolving.
15+ years of experience in business development, product partnerships, strategic alliances, or closely related fields within technology or adjacent industries.
Demonstrated experience owning complex, multi-stakeholder partnerships from opportunity sourcing and negotiation through launch and ongoing management.
Proven experience building and leading high-performing partnerships organizations, including managing managers and structuring teams for scale.
Track record of negotiating and closing complex, non-standard technology or strategic partnership agreements with C-suite and executive-level stakeholders.
Experience leading first-of-a-kind or highly strategic partnerships where the solution, commercial model, or market opportunity required significant development.
Strong experience partnering with Product and Engineering organizations and influencing product roadmaps, investment priorities, and build-buy-partner decisions.
Strong financial and analytical capabilities, including business-case development, partnership economics, ROI analysis, and executive-level communication.
Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments, establish direction without a predefined roadmap, and bring structure to complex strategic challenges.
Excellent executive communication, negotiation, relationship-building, and stakeholder-management skills.
Experience with software and/or hardware partnerships across retail, grocery, e-commerce, in-store technology, loyalty, POS, or adjacent ecosystems is highly desirable.
International product partnership experience, particularly involving EMEA markets, is an advantage.
Background in management consulting, investment banking, corporate development, or a related strategic discipline is preferred.
MBA or equivalent advanced degree is an advantage.
Ability to work remotely from Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, or Nova Scotia.
Remote-first work arrangement with flexibility to work from home or another suitable location.
Eligible locations currently include Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia.
Base salary range of CAD $245,000–$258,500, depending on permanent work location, experience, skills, and other applicable factors.
Eligibility for a new-hire equity grant.
Eligibility for annual equity refresh grants.
Competitive benefits package aligned with the employee's work location.
Opportunity to work at the intersection of product strategy, technology, partnerships, and business development.
High level of executive visibility and exposure to strategic product and market decisions.
Opportunity to build and develop a partnerships function with significant organizational and commercial scope.
Flexible work environment designed to support productivity, collaboration, and connection through remote and in-person interactions.
Requirements
Benefits