Strategic Partnerships Lead

Istari Digital•Washington, DC

About The Position

The Strategic Partnerships Lead is responsible for building, managing, and operationalizing Istariâs ecosystem of strategic technology partnersâparticularly engineering tool providers, channel partners and prime partners pursuing large federal capturesâto support capture efforts and long-term market expansion. This role sits at the intersection of partnerships, sales, and technical strategy. You will develop teaming relationships, shape joint value propositions, and support capture teams by positioning Istari and its partners as differentiated, mission-aligned solutions for complex government programs. Successful candidates bring credibility across federal teaming environments, strong technical fluency in engineering software ecosystems, and the ability to translate partnerships into concrete capture advantages.

Requirements

6â10+ years of experience in engagement management, strategic partnerships, federal BD, capture support, or ecosystem-focused roles.
Experience operating in DoD, federal civilian, or national security markets with exposure to formal teaming and capture processes.
Background working with engineering software, data platforms, infrastructure tools, or highly technical B2B solutions.
Demonstrated success translating partnerships into tangible capture or revenue outcomes.
Strong understanding of federal teaming dynamics, partner incentives, and capture mechanics.
Ability to engage credibly with technical, product, and business stakeholders across multiple organizations.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable contributing to capture artifacts and executive-level discussions.
Strategic mindset paired with a bias toward execution in a fast-moving, early-stage environment.
High ownership, autonomy, and comfort operating with ambiguity.
Team Player
U.S. citizenship or permanent residency required (due to the nature of our work with the Department of Defense)

Nice To Haves

Experience partnering with or selling alongside engineering tool vendors (CAD/CAE, PLM, digital engineering, security, data infrastructure).
Familiarity with digital engineering, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), or engineering data workflows.
Prior experience supporting major defense primes, system integrators, or large federal programs.
Background in aerospace, defense, or national security technology ecosystems.

Responsibilities

Strategic Partnership Development: Identify, evaluate, and establish strategic relationships with engineering tool providers, data platforms, and adjacent technology partners (e.g., CAD/CAE, digital engineering, security, observability, data infrastructure). Build executive and working-level relationships across partner organizations, including BD, product, and technical leadership. Define partnership models spanning teaming agreements, joint solutions, go-to-market alignment, and long-term platform integration. Define metrics for joint-GTM motions and track contribution to revenue growth.
Federal Teaming & Capture Support: Support Federal capture teams by developing teaming strategies aligned to specific programs, agencies, and mission needs. Shape partner-inclusive value propositions that clearly articulate Istariâs differentiated role within broader solution stacks. Contribute to capture planning, whitepapers, RFI/RFP responses, and oral strategies where partner alignment is critical. Help identify incumbents, competitors, and ecosystem gaps within target programs and advise on optimal teaming configurations.
Joint Value Proposition & Solution Strategy: Collaborate with Product, Engineering, and Solution Architects to define how partner technologies integrate with Istariâs platform. Translate technical integrations into compelling narratives around mission impact, program risk reduction, and operational outcomes. Ensure partner positioning reinforces Istari as foundational digital engineering infrastructureânot a point solution.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Federal Account Executives, BD, and Sales Leadership to align partnerships with active pursuits and pipeline. Provide market, partner, and competitive insights to Product and Engineering to inform roadmap priorities. Coordinate with Marketing and Sales Enablement on partner messaging, collateral, and field readiness (as needed).