About the role
Partner Manager (Founding Hire)
We are looking for an entrepreneurial, outbound-driven Partner Manager to build our partnership program from zero. As our first dedicated partner hire, your job is to open doors that do not exist yet. You will identify and win new partners among HRIS, payroll, PEO, and HR technology providers, so we can bring modern hiring and talent acquisition technology to their customers. This is a hunter role: your success is measured by the new partners you sign and the revenue they generate. If you love starting conversations with people who have never heard of us, and turning them into signed, revenue-producing partnerships, we would love to meet you.
What You Will Do
Prospect and originate new partnerships through outbound outreach, warm introductions, industry events, and your own network, with no inbound pipeline to rely on. Build and prioritize a target list of HRIS, payroll, PEO, and HR tech partners, and pitch each one to senior decision-makers. Lead negotiations and close partner agreements, including referral and revenue-share structures. Build the partner program from the ground up: partner strategy, commercial models, and a repeatable playbook for finding, winning, and launching partners. Drive partner-sourced pipeline and revenue against quarterly and annual targets. Launch each new partner with enablement materials, co-marketing plans, and training, so their teams can confidently introduce our platform to customers. Run regular business reviews with active partners, using data to track performance, spot growth opportunities, and address risks early. Our Customer Success team supports day-to-day account needs after launch. Work with sales, marketing, product, and customer success on joint opportunities, and bring partner feedback into our roadmap. Work with finance and legal on partner agreements, renewals, and commission tracking. Represent the company at industry events and conferences.
What You Bring
3 to 5+ years in partnerships, business development, channel sales, or B2B SaaS sales, with a focus on winning net-new relationships, not only managing existing ones. A proven record of sourcing, pitching, and closing new partners or strategic deals that you opened yourself, and of growing revenue through them. Be ready to walk us through specific examples, from first outreach to signed agreement. Experience negotiating partner agreements, such as referral programs or revenue-share structures. Comfort with cold and warm outbound prospecting, and credibility with senior executives at partner organizations. Strong analytical skills, with the ability to track partner performance and turn data into clear recommendations. Strong project management skills and the ability to run multiple partner conversations and workstreams at once. Familiarity with CRM tools such as HubSpot or Salesforce. Understanding of HR, payroll, or recruiting workflows is a strong plus.
Who You Are
A builder who is energized by creating something from scratch and does not need a playbook handed to you. A natural opener of doors: you start conversations with strangers easily, earn trust quickly, and persist through long sales cycles. A self-starter who takes ownership, identifies what needs to happen, and makes it happen. Skilled at influencing and rallying cross-functional teams without direct authority. Resilient, adaptable, and energized by the pace and ambiguity of a growing company.
Bonus Points
A track record of launching a partner program or serving as a company’s first partner hire. Partnership or business development experience at an HRIS, payroll, PEO, or HR tech company. Background in recruiting software, ATS platforms, or talent acquisition solutions. Existing relationships within the HR tech ecosystem.
Location: In office (Lehi, UT)
Compensation: Base $120,000 – $150,000 + variable compensation ($80,000+ at target)
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