Director of Private Equity Partnerships

Navan•Boston, MA

11d

About The Position

Navan is seeking an entrepreneurial commercial leader to build its private equity partnerships program into a measurable, scalable growth channel. The Director will deepen and activate existing PE relationships while expanding coverage across priority sponsors and portfolio companies, converting that reach into commercial opportunities through strategy, repeatable engagement motions, and close collaboration with Sales. Initially, the role will own key relationships, support active deals, establish the commercial model, and prove a repeatable approach before building a team as the program scales. The role develops the PE partnerships strategy and operating model; builds trusted relationships with investment professionals, operating partners, portfolio operations teams, and other stakeholders; and positions Navan as a travel and expense partner that can deliver cost savings, spend visibility, and operational efficiency. It translates partnerships into qualified introductions, pipeline, bookings, and revenue, and engages with portfolio companies around value-creation priorities, acquisitions, carve-outs, and integrations. The Director will also create the processes, playbooks, systems, collateral, and reporting infrastructure needed to scale the program; develop the team structure and coverage model; and recruit, develop, and lead a partnerships team as the business grows. The role collaborates with Sales, Marketing, Revenue Operations, Corporate Development, and other functions, and requires regular travel to engage sponsors and portfolio companies.

Requirements

At least 8 years of relevant experience in one or more of the following: PE value creation, PE partnerships, or commercial roles at high-growth B2B software or technology companies.
Experience building a PE partnerships program from the ground up, including channel strategy, partner activation, value-creation initiatives, and events.
Track record of leading commercial teams and consistently achieving pipeline and revenue targets.
Experience hiring and managing high-performing teams.
Established network across PE firms, operating partners, and portfolio-company finance leaders.
Strong commercial judgment and analytical skills, including the ability to prioritize with data and work with Sales on complex enterprise deals.
Hands-on, independent operating approach and ability to build systems and processes to scale a new program.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to earn trust and translate PE relationships into commercial outcomes.
Willingness to travel regularly to engage sponsors and portfolio companies.

Nice To Haves

M&A, acquisition, or carve-out experience.

Responsibilities

Build and execute a PE partnerships strategy that generates qualified pipeline, new customers, and revenue.
Identify and prioritize target firms based on portfolio fit, industry and company size, operating influence, existing Navan customer relationships, and commercial potential.
Create a tiered coverage model for priority sponsors and the broader middle-market PE ecosystem.
Define the program’s operating model, commercial objectives, performance measures, and investment priorities in partnership with Sales, Revenue Operations, Finance, and Marketing.
Develop trusted relationships with investment professionals, operating partners, portfolio operations teams, and other stakeholders.
Position Navan as a travel and expense partner for portfolio companies, demonstrating its potential for cost savings, spend visibility, and operational efficiency.
Develop partnership arrangements and joint engagement plans that create value for PE firms and their portfolio companies.
Represent Navan at industry events, portfolio leadership forums, operating-partner roundtables, and executive meetings.
Develop portfolio-level campaigns that generate qualified introductions to portfolio-company decision-makers.
Work with Sales leadership and account executives on active opportunities by coordinating outreach, making sponsor introductions, identifying deal blockers, and helping advance deals through the sales cycle.
Build repeatable programs for portfolio mapping, account targeting, executive engagement, partner activation, and follow-through.
Establish and track accountability for partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline, bookings, and revenue using consistent definitions with Revenue Operations.
Refine the program based on commercial outcomes, partner engagement, and portfolio-company adoption.
Develop understanding of PE engagement with portfolio companies, including value-creation priorities, acquisitions, carve-outs, and integration needs.
Build relationships with M&A advisors and deal teams to create entry points around acquisitions and portfolio transitions.
Help operating partners connect Navan to portfolio value-creation plans.
Create the processes, playbooks, systems, collateral, and reporting infrastructure to scale the program.
Develop the team structure and coverage model as the business grows, with differentiated approaches for strategic sponsors and the broader PE market.
Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing partnerships team as the program expands.
Collaborate across Sales, Marketing, Revenue Operations, Corporate Development, and other functions to integrate PE partnerships into Navan’s go-to-market organization.