Activations Manager, Startups
About The Position
Vercel is seeking a leader to build and grow its Startups Activations team, which works with early-stage startups and helps founders make infrastructure decisions and adopt Vercel early. The manager will hire and develop a diverse team of former founders, developers, and early-career sellers, coaching them to become trusted advisors to technical founders. The role will build a high-velocity, repeatable activation motion that uses AI, automation, product signals, outbound, community, and ecosystem partners to reach early startups. The manager will establish operating rhythms, create scalable playbooks, and own activation, conversion, bookings, pipeline, forecasting, and team performance. This role partners with teams across Marketing, Product, Growth, RevOps, Solutions Engineering, Greenfield, and Install Base. For employees within a pre-determined commuting distance of the San Francisco, New York, London, or Berlin offices, the role includes in-office anchor days on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. Employees beyond that distance work fully remotely.
Requirements
- At least 5 years of experience in SaaS sales or startup go-to-market, including at least 2 years managing quota-carrying sellers.
- A track record of hiring and developing early-career talent and people from non-traditional backgrounds into top performers.
- Experience building or running a high-velocity sales motion with volume, speed, and discipline.
- Ability to discuss architecture and tradeoffs with technical founders and credibility with engineers.
- Curiosity about AI-native development and the tools shaping how startups build and ship.
- A builder's mindset, with the ability to create systems and balance strategy with hands-on execution.
- A growth mindset, resilience, and strong shared ownership.
Nice To Haves
- Experience as a founder, early-stage operator, or developer.
- Experience building a team or motion from zero inside a high-growth company.
- Experience with startup ecosystems, including accelerators, VCs, founder communities, or developer communities.
- Experience selling developer tools, infrastructure, or AI products to startups.
Responsibilities
- Recruit, onboard, and ramp a diverse team of former founders, developers, and early-career sellers.
- Build a talent bench for future account executives and leaders at Vercel.
- Coach team members through one-on-ones, call reviews, and skill-building sessions.
- Design a high-velocity activation motion combining outbound, product-led signals, community, and ecosystem partners.
- Ensure early founders understand Vercel's platform and Agent Stack and the value of choosing Vercel infrastructure.
- Use AI and automation to increase team impact, identify patterns in usage and signups, and create repeatable playbooks.
- Own activation, conversion, and bookings targets, and define leading indicators of long-term customer growth.
- Inspect pipeline health, manage forecast accuracy, and oversee performance against activity, conversion, and quota.
- Collaborate with Marketing, Product, Growth, RevOps, Solutions Engineering, and the Greenfield and Install Base teams to facilitate seamless handoffs as startups scale.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation package, including equity.
- Inclusive healthcare package.
- Mentorship and attendance at events to build networks and skills.
- Flexible time off.
- Equipment needed for the role and a work-from-home budget.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
