Partner Lead

DEPARTMENT Growth
LOCATION Minneapolis, MN or San Francisco, CA / Hybrid
TYPE Full-time
REPORTS TO Chief Growth Officer

Help Grow Blank Metal's Most Important Technology Partnerships

Blank Metal builds and ships production AI, and our technology partnerships are a critical part of how we go to market and deliver for clients. We're hiring a Partner Lead to help grow and operate these relationships — building strong connections across our partner ecosystem, supporting co-sell opportunities, managing partner program requirements, and turning partnerships into meaningful pipeline and revenue.

This is a hands-on role for someone who understands how strong technology partnerships work and enjoys being at the intersection of relationships, sales, operations, and technical delivery. You'll work closely with our Chief Growth Officer, sales team, and delivery leaders to strengthen Blank Metal's presence within our partner ecosystem and make it easy for partner teams to bring us into the right opportunities.

As our partnerships continue to grow, we're looking for someone who can bring dedicated focus to these relationships and help us build a stronger, more repeatable partner motion.

WHAT YOU GET TO DO

Partner Program Operations & Compliance

• Help manage Blank Metal's standing across strategic partner programs, including certifications, tier requirements, reporting, and compliance obligations

• Coordinate partner reporting cycles and maintain accurate program documentation

• Stay current on partner program changes, new requirements, and co-sell opportunities and translate them into action internally

• Become a go-to resource internally for how our partner programs work and how our teams can take advantage of them

Pipeline & Partner-Sourced Revenue

• Build relationships with partner sales teams and position Blank Metal as a trusted implementation partner for enterprise AI opportunities

• Develop and support repeatable co-sell motions with partner teams

• Respond quickly to partner-referred opportunities and coordinate with Blank Metal's sales and delivery teams to move them forward

• Track partner-sourced pipeline, opportunities, and revenue contribution

• Look for ways to increase the volume and quality of opportunities coming through our partner ecosystem

Partner Relationships

• Build and maintain relationships across our strategic partners, including AEs, partnership teams, solutions architects, and other relevant stakeholders

• Develop broad relationship coverage so Blank Metal is connected to the right people across teams and accounts

• Represent Blank Metal at partner events, summits, and co-marketing opportunities

• Help partner teams understand Blank Metal's capabilities, where we're strongest, and when to bring us into an opportunity

• Build trust so Blank Metal becomes a go-to partner for teams looking for strong enterprise AI implementation support

Technical Coordination, Certifications & Solution Standards

• Coordinate certification efforts across the Blank Metal team, including tracking who's certified, what's coming up for renewal, and what's required for partner opportunities

• Work with delivery and engineering leadership to ensure partner-sourced engagements have the right technical talent

• Bring partner-recommended architectures, reference patterns, and platform guidance back to Blank Metal's engineering and delivery teams

• Stay current on partner product updates, including new models, APIs, capabilities, and deprecations, and share relevant updates with sales and delivery teams

Partner Adoption & Growth

• Track partner-enabled engagements to understand which clients are live, expanding, or may need additional support

• Partner with delivery teams to identify strong client outcomes that can become case studies and proof points

• Identify expansion opportunities within partner-referred accounts and connect them back into the sales process

• Document wins, use cases, and reusable materials that make it easier for partner teams to bring Blank Metal into future opportunities

WHAT WILL HELP YOU SUCCEED

Required

• 3+ years of experience in partnerships, alliances, channels, business development, or a similar role within AI, technology, professional services, or a systems integrator

• Experience working within a technology partner ecosystem or alongside platform, cloud, or AI partners

• Understanding of how enterprise technology partnerships generate pipeline through referrals, co-selling, account alignment, and relationship building

• Strong interest in AI and how enterprises are using it in production

• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to develop trust with sales, technical, and partner stakeholders

• Comfortable tracking pipeline, partner activity, certifications, and program requirements

• Strong communicator who can work across both technical and go-to-market teams

• Entrepreneurial and self-directed — you're comfortable helping build processes and playbooks as our partnerships grow

Nice to Have

• Existing relationships within major AI, cloud, or technology platforms

• Direct experience with AI or technology partner programs

• Familiarity with leading AI platforms, models, APIs, and enterprise deployment patterns

• Experience supporting co-sell motions or partner-sourced pipeline

• Experience with technical certification programs

• Background in professional services, consulting, AI implementation, or systems integration

THIS ROLE IS NOT FOR YOU IF...

• You prefer partnerships that are primarily relationship maintenance rather than actively creating opportunities

• You aren't comfortable reaching out, building relationships, and staying close to partner sales teams

• You need a fully built playbook — we're continuing to build ours, and you'll help shape it

• You don't enjoy the operational side of partnerships, including tracking opportunities, certifications, reporting, and program requirements

• You want to stay solely on the sales or technical side — this role sits between both

WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT HERE

• Build AI that ships: Every engagement ends in a live production deployment, not a slide deck

• Work across the AI ecosystem: You'll help Blank Metal deepen relationships with some of the most important technology platforms in AI

• Meaningful impact: You'll play an important role in turning strategic partnerships into real client opportunities and revenue

• Room to build: You'll work closely with our CGO and help shape how our partner motion evolves

• AI-native culture: You'll work with people who understand what today's AI platforms can do in production

• Lean team, fast decisions: No layers, no approval theater

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Competitive base salary with a variable compensation structure tied to partner-sourced pipeline and revenue contribution. We offer comprehensive health coverage, 401(k) with match, flexible time off, flexible work arrangements, and support for professional development.

ABOUT BLANK METAL

Blank Metal is an AI-native engineering company that partners with enterprises to deliver production AI fast. We blend strategic insight with hands-on execution, shipping high-impact systems that turn AI initiatives into measurable business results.

We're builders, not theorists. Our team of seasoned engineers, designers, and strategists works across industries to create AI applications that actually get used and make a difference.

Blank Metal is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome all backgrounds and perspectives. Diversity makes our work better and our team stronger.