VP, Strategic Partnerships & Business Development

Shutterfly•Eden Prairie, MN

About The Position

Shutterfly is evolving from a photo products company into a platform for the full memory ecosystem, spanning capture, curation, creation, storage, and sharing. Partnerships are a key growth engine and a capital-efficient customer acquisition channel. The VP, Strategic Partnerships & Business Development will build, lead, and scale Shutterfly’s partnerships function, owning the full-cycle partnership strategy from opportunity identification through execution and long-term growth. This is a general management role with a strong business development orientation. The leader will define the partnership roadmap, originate and close high-impact deals, manage and grow the existing portfolio, and build and develop a high-performing team. The role calls for a player/coach who can personally drive deals while setting direction, prioritizing the portfolio, and leading cross-functional teams through influence. The role will develop a partnership strategy aligned with Shutterfly’s growth priorities; source, evaluate, and prioritize opportunities across digital, retail, brand, technology, manufacturing, and business channels; and oversee diligence, negotiation, launch, governance, and ongoing performance. The VP will strengthen existing partnerships, explore portfolio opportunities including those connected to the broader Apollo ecosystem, and support relevant partner-sourced commercial opportunities with Shutterfly Business Solutions. The position will also lead business-case development and cross-functional launch planning, working with Manufacturing, Operations, Customer Support, and internal business leads to ensure partnerships are operationally sound and successful over time. Success includes a clear growth-aligned partnership strategy, a well-qualified opportunity pipeline, productive existing partnerships, smoother launches and integrations, and a scalable business development function. Early priorities include assessing the portfolio, team, and pipeline; building stakeholder relationships; advancing new opportunities; and establishing a team development plan. Within 90 days, the role is expected to close or be in late-stage negotiation on at least one meaningful new partnership and demonstrate measurable contribution to growth initiatives.

Requirements

15+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or strategic alliances.
Meaningful experience in general management or P&L ownership.
Proven track record of originating and closing high-impact partnerships and managing and growing partner relationships over time.
Strong executive presence and experience building trusted relationships with senior leaders internally and externally.
Ability to lead a team as a player/coach, setting vision and strategy while personally driving key deals and initiatives.
Excellent cross-functional leadership skills, including the ability to lead through influence without direct authority and drive action across multiple teams.
Ability to identify opportunities, structure creative deals, and navigate complex negotiations.
Strong commercial instincts and ability to evaluate partnerships through both a P&L and strategic lens.
Analytical and strategic thinking, including the ability to build business cases, define success frameworks, and manage portfolio-level performance.
Entrepreneurial mindset; ability to thrive in ambiguity, operate with speed, build teams, and drive results.
Bachelor’s degree required.

Nice To Haves

Experience in consumer, digital platform, or commerce environments.
Experience working across or with platform businesses, ecosystems, or large-scale consumer networks.
Experience in brand partnerships, sponsorships, or commercial partnerships.
Experience in consumer, ecommerce, retail, digital marketplace, or technology-driven businesses.
Exposure to strategic integrations, joint business planning, or broader corporate development work.
MBA or other advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead the strategic partnerships and business development roadmap in support of Shutterfly’s growth priorities.
Identify, evaluate, and prioritize partnership opportunities across digital, retail, brand, technology, manufacturing, and business channels.
Own the full partnership lifecycle, from sourcing and diligence through negotiation, launch, governance, and ongoing performance management.
Oversee the health and performance of the existing partnership portfolio and ensure partnerships deliver their potential.
Evaluate portfolio partnership opportunities, including those connected to the broader Apollo ecosystem, and recommend an implementation path.
Strengthen and expand existing strategic partnerships to grow customer value, brand relevance, and revenue contribution.
Expand Shutterfly’s presence upstream in the customer journey by embedding in high-frequency consumer experiences.
Structure partnerships using creative models such as co-marketing, barter, and value exchange.
Partner with Shutterfly Business Solutions on relationship development and partner-sourced commercial opportunities where relevant.
Build business cases for new opportunities, covering strategic fit, customer impact, financial upside, operational requirements, and implementation complexity.
Lead cross-functional planning for launches and integrations, including milestones, operating model decisions, budget considerations, and executive updates.
Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, Customer Support, and internal business leads to ensure partnerships are operationally sound and positioned for long-term success.
Build and develop a high-performing partnerships team and establish roles, capabilities, and accountability across the function.
Assess the current partnership portfolio, team capabilities, and pipeline health; develop a point of view on priorities and strategic gaps.
Develop an outbound pipeline, advance opportunities into deal development, and close or reach late-stage negotiation on meaningful partnerships.