Director, Public Sector Strategic Partnerships

Summer

3h•Remote

About The Position

As Summer’s Director of Strategic Public Sector Partnerships, you will be a senior, external-facing leader focused on opening doors and advancing high-impact public sector opportunities. This is not a traditional sales management role, you will operate as a senior individual contributor, leveraging relationships, credibility, and judgment to generate and move complex government opportunities forward. You’ll work closely with the CEO and executive leadership to prioritize where Summer engages, qualify opportunities, and shape deal strategy across multi-stakeholder environments. Success is measured by momentum created with senior public sector leaders and the quality of opportunities advanced.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in public sector sales, partnerships, government affairs-adjacent GTM, or a similar externally-facing role.
Demonstrated ability to build senior-level relationships and generate meaningful opportunities inside complex public sector ecosystems.
Strong understanding of how public sector decisions get made - both through formal procurement and informal influence dynamics
Experience working alongside or coordinating with government affairs teams, lobbyists, or policy stakeholders to drive outcomes.
Track record of advancing complex opportunities that involve multiple stakeholders, long sales cycles, and real-world constraints.
High judgment, strong executive presence, and the ability to operate autonomously with limited structure.
Comfort working in a fast-moving environment where priorities evolve and the path is not always linear.

Responsibilities

Develop and manage senior relationships across the public sector ecosystem, including mayors, governors’ offices, city and state leaders, lobbyists, as well as key associations, intermediaries, and coalition partners
Shape deal strategy, stakeholder mapping, and messaging to align Summer’s value proposition with public sector needs
Generate and advance qualified opportunities through trusted relationships, strategic positioning, and warm access
Serve as relationship owner for a targeted set of priority opportunities, driving momentum across complex stakeholder groups
In select cases, own large, strategic deals end-to-end, coordinating internally to move from opportunity to close
Navigate political, policy, and procurement dynamics pragmatically and efficiently
Partner with internal teams (Growth, Product, Marketing, Client Success) to qualify opportunities and ensure delivery considerations are addressed early
Represent Summer at relevant events and forums to build credibility and expand our public sector footprint
Travel as Needed: Attend in-person meetings, conferences, and events to advance key relationships and drive market expansion (expected travel ~25–40%).