AVP, Sales & Partnerships Manager – Data & AI Platforms

Morningstar•Chicago, IL

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

Morningstar Credit Analytics is a leading provider of structured finance data and analytical models, delivering mission-critical intelligence to institutional investors, asset managers, and financial institutions across the globe. As AI reshapes how financial professionals access and act on data, we are investing aggressively in partnerships with the world's leading AI and data platforms to ensure our data is embedded where our clients work. The opportunity is for a commercially driven Senior Sales & Partnerships Manager who thrives in both a relationship management and a hunter role. This is a dual-mandate position: you will manage and grow an existing book of institutional client accounts while simultaneously prospecting and closing new business. A key and growing pillar of this role is building strategic partnerships with leading AI and data platforms — including Snowflake, Databricks, Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (ChatGPT), and similar ecosystems. This is a high-visibility, high-impact position that sits at the intersection of financial data, client success, and the AI revolution. You will work closely with our product, technology, and executive teams to deepen existing client relationships, expand revenue, and forge distribution partnerships that position our data where the market is heading.

Requirements

5–10 years of B2B sales or business development experience, with a strong track record of closing complex, multi-stakeholder deals
Demonstrated experience selling or distributing data — structured finance data, fixed income analytics, ABS/MBS/CLO models, credit data, or comparable financial datasets strongly preferred
Familiarity with AI and data platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, Azure, or major LLM providers (Anthropic, OpenAI); you don't need to be an engineer, but you must be able to speak credibly about how our data integrates with these ecosystems
Proven ability to navigate long enterprise sales cycles and manage multiple stakeholders simultaneously
Excellent communication and presentation skills — able to translate complex data products into clear business value for both technical and business audiences
Based in New York City or Chicago, IL (hybrid — 4 days per week in office required, except when traveling for client meetings, conferences, or partner engagements)
Willingness to travel up to 30% for partner meetings, conferences, and client events

Nice To Haves

Prior experience at a financial data provider (e.g., Bloomberg, MSCI, Moody's Analytics, Trepp, Intex, ICE Data Services) or a structured finance-adjacent firm
Experience structuring or commercializing data marketplace listings on Snowflake Marketplace, Databricks Marketplace, or AWS Data Exchange
Familiarity with AI model training data licensing or data-as-a-service (DaaS) commercial models
Existing relationships within the Snowflake, Databricks, or hyperscaler (AWS/Azure, GCP) partner ecosystems
Understanding of structured finance asset classes including ABS, CLOs, CMBS, RMBS, or leveraged loans
Experience working in both large enterprise and startups/early-stage company environments

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary relationship owner for an assigned portfolio of institutional clients including asset managers, hedge funds, banks, and insurance companies
Conduct regular business reviews, understand evolving client needs, and proactively identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities
Ensure high client retention by delivering an exceptional service experience and acting as the internal advocate for client needs
Manage contract renewals and negotiate pricing with existing accounts
Prospect, qualify, and close new client accounts across buy-side and sell-side financial institutions
Develop and execute a territory plan targeting firms that would benefit from our structured finance data and analytical models
Manage a full sales cycle from initial outreach through contract execution
Represent the company at industry conferences and events to generate leads and build market presence
Identify, negotiate, and close data distribution and integration agreements with AI and cloud data platforms (Snowflake Data Marketplace, Databricks Marketplace, AWS Data Exchange, Anthropic, OpenAI, and others)
Develop commercial models — licensing, revenue share, API consumption — that align our data assets with partner go-to-market motions
Work with product and engineering to develop platform-ready data packages and integrations that meet partner technical requirements
Build and maintain executive-level relationships with business development and partnership leaders at target platforms

Benefits

100% 401k match up to 6% of salary
Stock Ownership Potential
Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission
Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual
Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance
Trust-Based Time Off
6-week Paid Sabbatical Program
6-Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave
Competitive 8-24 Week Paid Parental Leave
Adoption Assistance
Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities
Annual Flex Stipend - $1000 annually to cover personal education & well-being expenses
Tuition Reimbursement
Charitable Matching Gifts program
Dollars for Doers volunteer program
Paid volunteering days
15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups