Director, Partner Community & Ecosystem Engagement

Avalara•UNAVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE

About The Position

The Director of Partner Community & Ecosystem Engagement is a senior leadership role responsible for shaping and scaling how Avalara builds, engages, and grows its partner ecosystem. This leader owns the strategy and execution across partner communications, content operations, digital experience, and ecosystem engagement — ensuring a cohesive, high-quality partner experience at scale across all touchpoints. Reporting into Partner Programs leadership (VP, Alliance Partnerships), this role leads a team of direct reports and operates as a senior cross-functional partner to Partner Marketing, Enablement, Sales, Product Marketing, PR, and Corporate Communications. The ideal candidate combines executive presence, strategic vision, and operational rigor — with a track record of building and leading high-performing teams in complex partner environments.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in partner-focused roles such as partner marketing, communications, community management, ecosystem programs, or alliance operations — with 3+ years in a leadership role managing senior talent
Proven ability to build, lead, and scale partner engagement and communications functions in complex, cross-functional environments
Executive-level written and verbal communication skills with demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders across all levels of the organization
Strong strategic thinking with the ability to set direction, drive alignment, and translate vision into execution
Deep understanding of partner ecosystems, partner program dynamics, and the levers that drive partner engagement and loyalty
Data-driven approach — uses engagement metrics, partner feedback, and business outcomes to continuously optimize programs and priorities
Exceptional stakeholder management and leadership-through-influence skills
Comfortable operating at both strategic and executional levels; adept at navigating ambiguity and driving clarity
Experience with AI and AI-related technologies
Experience using AI every day to business challenges - improving efficiency, contributing solutions, and driving results for your team, our company, and our customers.
Curiosity about new AI trends and best practices, and willingness to share learnings.

Nice To Haves

Experience with CRM, PRM, or partner platforms (e.g., Salesforce, partner portals, community platforms)
Familiarity with content management systems, documentation repositories, and internal knowledge bases
Experience with email, communication, and webinar platforms (e.g., Eloqua, Zoom Webinars)
Proficiency with collaboration and project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Jira, Confluence, SharePoint)

Responsibilities

Lead Partner Engagement & Ecosystem Strategy: Define and own the overarching strategy for partner ecosystem engagement across all partner types — technology, accountant, consultant, and channel. Set the vision for how Avalara builds community, drives advocacy, and deepens partner loyalty at scale. Translate business objectives into partner engagement priorities, ensuring alignment with program evolution, enablement, and go-to-market efforts.
Own Partner Communications Strategy: Lead the development of partner-first communication strategies that drive awareness, adoption, and engagement across Avalara's entire partner ecosystem. Define communication frameworks, cadences, and governance models to ensure consistent, effective messaging across channels and audiences. Serve as executive subject-matter owner for partner communications, advising senior stakeholders on messaging, timing, and channel strategy.
Lead Partner Content Strategy & Operations: Own the end-to-end partner content lifecycle — planning, creation, curation, governance, and distribution of partner-facing and internal content. Establish scalable content operations including calendars, workflows, prioritization frameworks, and quality standards. Ensure content aligns with business priorities, partner program evolution, and key initiatives across the ecosystem.
Drive Digital Partner Experience: Lead strategy and execution for Avalara's partner-facing digital experiences, including partner portals, content hubs, and community platforms. Drive continuous improvement in content organization, discoverability, and usability to increase self-service and partner engagement. Identify and close gaps across the partner digital journey, partnering with cross-functional teams to implement solutions.
Amplify Partner Visibility & Recognition: Partner with Marketing, PR, and Communications to elevate partner success stories, announcements, and recognition programs. Develop and scale approaches to highlighting partner impact, reinforcing Avalara's partner-first brand in the ecosystem. Represent partners' voice and business outcomes in external and executive communications.
Enable Partner & Field Readiness: Collaborate with Partner Marketing, Product Marketing, Enablement, and Sales to ensure timely, relevant content that equips partners and the field to win. Align communication and enablement strategies to ensure partners are prepared to engage effectively with Avalara solutions and programs.
Execute & Scale Partner Engagement Programs: Lead strategy, planning, promotion, and execution of partner engagement initiatives — including webinars, campaigns, community programs, and advisory forums. Ensure consistent, high-quality experience across all partner engagement touchpoints. Build scalable models for engagement that can grow with the partner ecosystem.
Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team: Lead, coach, and develop a team of senior program and engagement professionals across strategy, communications, content, and accountant channel operations. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and partner-first thinking. Model executive leadership behaviors and build team capability for scale.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Influence: Act as a senior executive liaison across Partner Programs, Marketing, Communications, Enablement, and Operations to drive alignment and execution. Manage complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives with clear ownership, timelines, and accountability. Establish success metrics and reporting frameworks to measure engagement effectiveness and continuously optimize performance.