Partnerships Manager
500 Startups
Sales & Business Development
Palo Alto, CA, USA
Posted on Sep 24, 2025
Job Scope
We are seeking a highly motivated and results-oriented Partnerships Manager to lead the firm’s efforts in building, managing, and growing impactful partnerships. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong negotiation skills, stakeholder management expertise, and a proven ability to deliver measurable business outcomes. The ideal candidate will play a pivotal role in driving partnership targets, executing events, engaging international delegations, and cultivating sponsorship opportunities; all while ensuring alignment with the firm’s strategic objectives. The position is based in Palo Alto.
Essential Functions
- Develop strong relationships with technology and commercial corporations that can form strong partnerships, create value, and maximize outcomes for founders in our programs and portfolio. Own and manage these partnerships globally, for global reach, to ensure conversations are managed well and effectively, and to provide support to various teams for partnership needs.
- Source, evaluate, and negotiate these partnership opportunities alongside revenue targets and identify suitable placements and points of engagement with portfolio companies.
- Explore and develop specific initiatives that can be executed with sponsors and partners to diversify and expand partnership impact.
- Track and report on partnership performance, ensuring outcomes meet agreed goals and contribute to value creation.
- Lead rollout of partnership initiatives, including planning, coordinating, executing, and reporting of events and activations.
- In collaboration with the Market Strategy team, support and manage international delegations, ensuring seamless experiences that promote the firm’s interests and build long-term relationships.
- Collaborate with marketing and operations teams to maximize visibility and impact of partnership-related events.
- Manage relationships with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure partnerships align with the firm’s best interests.
- Act as the key liaison across departments, ensuring smooth communication and collaboration in partnership execution
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Marketing, or a related field
- 5+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or strategic account management.
- Strong track record of negotiating and closing high-value partnerships, with revenue impact.
- Knowledge of VC/startup/corporate dynamics, with experience working across global markets
- Experience in event execution and delegation management preferred.
- Excellent communication (written, spoken, presentation) and relationship-building skills.
- Strong analytical and reporting capabilities to measure ROI of partnership activities.
- Self-starter with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.