Partnerships Lead, Public Sector

Scale AI•Washington, DC

16d

About The Position

Scale is at the forefront of the AI revolution, and our Public Sector business is expanding rapidly. To accelerate this growth, we are seeking a Partnership Lead to design, build, and lead our Public Sector partner ecosystem. This role is a unique opportunity to architect a world-class partnership program from the ground up, creating the strategic alliances that will define how the government adopts AI at scale. Reporting to the Head of Public Sector GTM, you will lead a team of Partner Development Managers (PDMs) to execute joint Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies. You are building a pipeline engine that leverages Global Systems Integrators (GSIs), Defense Primes, and technology partners to drive mission-critical outcomes for our government customers.

Requirements

10+ years of professional experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role within Public Sector partnerships, channel sales, or business development.
Proven Program Builder: A track record of building a partner program from scratch or significantly scaling an existing one within a high-growth technology environment.
Public Sector Expertise: Deep understanding of the government contracting landscape, including FAR/DFARS, contract vehicles, and the role of SIs in the federal procurement process.
Pipeline Focused: A "hunter" mentality toward pipeline generation, with a demonstrated ability to source and influence revenue through third-party ecosystems.
Exceptional Leadership: Experience managing and developing individual contributors, with a focus on coaching and driving high performance.
Strategic & Analytical: The ability to move between high-level ecosystem strategy and the granular data needed to track partner health and ROI.
Technical Literacy: Familiarity with the AI/ML landscape and the ability to articulate Scale’s value proposition to both technical and business-focused partners.

Responsibilities

Architect the Partner Program: Design the overarching strategy, tiering, and incentive structures for Scale’s Public Sector partner ecosystem.
Lead and Scale a Team: Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of Partner Development Managers, setting clear KPIs for pipeline generation and partner enablement.
Drive Joint GTM Execution: Partner with the sales and marketing teams to execute co-selling motions and joint marketing campaigns that generate high-quality, qualified pipeline.
Build Strategic Alliances: Identify and cultivate deep relationships with executive leadership at key partner organizations, ensuring Scale is their "first-call" AI partner.
Operationalize the Channel: Work closely with GTM Operations to build the infrastructure for deal registration, partner attribution, and performance tracking.
Align with Product & Delivery: Ensure our partners are technically enabled and supported by our Product and Engineering teams to deliver high-quality solutions to government end-users.
Represent Scale: Act as the face of Scale’s partner organization at major industry events, briefings, and executive summits.