Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
The Senior Director, Partner Programs owns Shield AI's strategic global partner program across Influence, Transacting, and OEM partnerships. This is both a program-building and execution-focused role. The primary deliverable is establishing a functioning partner program, including signing and onboarding partners, developing incentive and margin structures that make each relationship successful, providing enablement that equips partners to sell, and generating analytics that demonstrate partner performance.
This role owns the execution of each partner's onboarding, governance, enablement, and accountability metrics. Success is measured through onboarding named partners on a predictable timeline, establishing a program governed by data rather than anecdotes, and building partnerships that generate measurable pipeline and revenue on both sides of the channel.
What You'll Do
What You'll Bring
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience building and managing global partner programs, channel programs, or strategic alliances in B2B technology, with direct, end-to-end ownership of named partner relationships.
- Proven experience designing partner incentives, margin structures, and rebate programs, with the ability to demonstrate their return through data.
- Experience managing global partnerships across both hardware and software, including relationships where the company resells OEM products and where partners resell the company's products.
- Defense, dual-use, or public-sector partnership experience strongly preferred, including familiarity with long sales cycles, complex stakeholder environments, export and compliance considerations, and program-driven buyers.
- Strong analytical capabilities, including hands-on experience building partner performance reporting and leveraging data to guide tiering, incentives, and investment decisions.
- Willingness and ability to travel internationally on a regular basis, approximately 40% of the working calendar.
Skills and Disposition
- Executive Presence and Influence: Strong presentation and communication skills, with the ability to influence internal leadership and partner principals.
- Partner-First Mindset: Builds programs around how partners actually sell and deliver, rather than relying solely on predefined templates.
- Organized Operator: Effectively manages the onboarding of named partners on a predictable cadence across multiple regions and complex workstreams.
- Strong Builder and Negotiator: Translates strategy and partner input into practical agreements, incentive structures, and enablement programs that succeed in the field.
- Data-Driven and Results-Oriented: Defines meaningful partner KPIs and uses performance data to demonstrate results and continuously improve the program.
- Cross-Functional Collaborator: Works closely with GTM Strategy on market priorities, Legal and Deal Desk on commercial terms, and Sales leadership on alignment, without requiring direct authority over these functions.
- Outcome-Focused: Understands the distinction between activity and impact, prioritizing partner-driven pipeline and revenue over partner count.
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
