Partnerships Manager

Contextual.io

5d•Remote

About The Position

As a Partnerships Manager at Contextual, you will be responsible for recruiting, enabling, and growing a high-impact ecosystem of strategic partners aligned to our ICP: lower middle-market, often PE-backed companies. These partners will primarily include consultants, boutique advisory firms, service providers, and specialized operators who influence or directly support portfolio companies. This is a revenue-generating role focused on driving pipeline contribution through referrals and co-selling, accelerating market expansion through partner relationships, and influencing product innovation through front-line insights. You will serve as the connective tissue between Contextual and its partner network, building long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial and compound over time. This is a high-impact individual contributor role ideal for someone who understands GTM strategy, thrives in relationship-based selling, and enjoys building programs from the ground up in a fast-moving environment.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, channel management, or B2B ecosystem development.
Experience working with consultants, advisory firms, PE firms, or lower middle-market service providers.
Demonstrated ability to drive revenue through referral and co-selling partnerships.
Strong understanding of GTM strategy in B2B software and/or AI-driven solutions.
Excellent relationship-building skills with the ability to engage senior stakeholders and firm leadership.
Analytical mindset with experience tracking and optimizing partnership KPIs using CRM tools.
Highly organized and self-directed, comfortable building structure in an early-stage environment.
At this time, we are unable to hire outside of the US or sponsor employment visas (including H-1B, TN, or other work authorizations) for this position.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with PE-backed portfolio companies or PE operating partners.
Background in AI, automation, digital transformation, or operational consulting.
Experience building or scaling a partner program in a growth-stage SaaS company.
Familiarity with lower middle-market business models and value-creation initiatives.

Responsibilities

Partner Recruitment & Ecosystem Development
Identify, prioritize, and recruit strategic partners aligned with Contextual’s ICP (lower middle-market, PE-backed portfolio companies).
Develop and execute a targeted partner acquisition strategy across consultants, advisory firms, boutique agencies, and PE-aligned service providers.
Define partner segmentation (e.g. referral-only, co-sell, strategic alliance) and appropriate engagement models.
Build and maintain a robust partner pipeline aligned to revenue and expansion goals.
Negotiate and formalize partnership agreements, referral terms, and engagement frameworks.
GTM Execution & Co-Marketing
Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to design and execute co-marketing initiatives such as webinars, roundtables, case studies, and campaign content.
Partner with Sales and Product to co-develop differentiated product and service offerings that align with partner insights and market demand, ensuring solutions drive measurable value creation for lower middle-market and PE-backed clients.
Develop partner enablement materials including pitch decks, use case narratives, playbooks, ROI frameworks, and messaging guides tailored to partner audiences.
Support partner-sourced opportunities with structured co-selling, joint account planning, and coordinated outreach.
Ensure partners are equipped to clearly articulate Contextual’s value proposition and identify repeatable AI opportunity patterns within their client base.
Drive joint market expansion initiatives that introduce Contextual into new verticals, regions, or PE networks.
Relationship Management
Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned partners, building long-term, trusted relationships.
Conduct regular business reviews to align on goals, pipeline progress, and joint revenue targets.
Proactively identify opportunities to deepen engagement and expand collaboration.
Ensure a seamless experience from referral through deal support and delivery handoff.
Act as a strategic advisor to partners on how AI orchestration can create measurable value within their client portfolios.
Performance Tracking & Revenue Accountability
Utilize CRM tools (e.g. HubSpot) to track partner activity, referral pipeline, revenue contribution, and conversion metrics.
Establish and monitor KPIs including pipeline contribution, referral-to-close rates, partner-sourced revenue, and partner activation rates.
Report on partnership performance and provide insights to leadership on program ROI and optimization opportunities.
Continuously refine partner qualification and enablement processes based on performance data.
Maintain disciplined documentation and forecasting of partner-sourced pipeline.
Cross-Functional Coordination
Partner with Product to translate partner feedback into roadmap insights and innovation opportunities.
Collaborate with Marketing to refine messaging and GTM campaigns based on ecosystem trends and buyer insights.
Work closely with Sales to ensure smooth co-selling motions and aligned account strategies.
Coordinate with Delivery and Customer Success to ensure clear documentation and seamless onboarding for partner-sourced deals.
Contribute to the evolution of Contextual’s formal partner program, including tiering, incentives, and enablement standards.