Global Head of Partnerships

Outset invented a better way to do research: AI-powered user interviews.

Global brands like Hubspot, Microsoft, Uber and Nestle use Outset to achieve deeper, qualitative insights about their users at unprecedented speed and scale.

The research industry is massive (>$140B and growing) and ripe for disruption. Incumbents are outdated, slow, and burdened by high-cost services. That's our opportunity.

Outset is backed by top Silicon Valley investors and raised a $30M Series B in December 2025—less than six months after our Series A—led by Radical Ventures with participation from M12 (Microsoft’s venture arm), 8VC, Y Combinator, and Adverb Ventures.

The raise follows a breakout year, with our business growing 8x as enterprise customers across industries adopt our category, AI‑moderated research, as the new standard for understanding people.

We’re a tight-knit team serving some of the world’s largest enterprises.

We’re looking for a Global Head of Partnerships to build Outset’s partner ecosystem into a major driver of growth.

This is a leadership role reporting to the VP of Sales. You’ll own partnerships strategy and execution globally across three partner types: expert networks and panel companies that resell Outset or deliver research on it; technology and platform alliances where Outset integrates into the tools researchers, marketers, and product teams already use; and consultancies and systems integrators that co-sell Outset and bring it to their clients.

You’ll work closely with Sales, Product, Marketing, Customer Success, Legal, and Finance, and directly with our founders on the partnerships that shape the company’s direction.

This role is for someone who has already run a partnerships or alliances program at global scale in the research space, including product integrations, co-sell, and resell, and who wants to build the next one from the ground up.

Responsibilities

- Own Outset’s global partnerships strategy: which partners we pursue, which models we use, and how the partner channel contributes to company growth.

- Build and run resell and channel programs with research agencies and panel companies, including pricing, packaging, enablement, and partner economics.

- Lead technology and platform alliances: define integration priorities with Product and Engineering, negotiate agreements, and launch joint offerings and marketplace listings.

- Build co-sell motions with consultancies, SIs, and platform partners—account mapping, joint pipeline, deal registration, and rules of engagement with our direct sales team.

- Personally source, negotiate, and close the company’s most strategic partnership agreements.

- Design the partner operating model: tiers, incentives, contracts, onboarding, certification, and partner-sourced and influenced pipeline reporting in Salesforce.

- Align partner and direct motions so they reinforce each other, including clear account ownership and credit rules with Sales.

- Partner with Marketing on joint go-to-market: co-marketing, events, launch campaigns, and partner content.

- Bring partner and market feedback back to Product and leadership to shape roadmap and strategy.

Qualifications

- 8+ years in partnerships, alliances, channel, or business development, including 3+ years leading a partnerships or alliances program.

- Demonstrated experience managing a partnerships or alliances program at global scale in the research, insights, or adjacent data and analytics space.

- Hands-on experience across the full range of partner models: product integrations, co-sell, and resell.

- An established network across panel and sample providers, research and CX technology platforms, and consultancies.

- A track record of negotiating and closing complex partnership agreements, including revenue share, resell pricing, and integration commitments.

- Experience building partner operations from scratch: program design, partner economics, deal registration, and pipeline reporting.

- Strong cross-functional leadership—you can align Sales, Product, Marketing, Legal, and Finance behind a partner strategy.

- Proven success in a fast-paced startup or high-growth environment.

- Willingness to travel for partner meetings and industry events, key drivers of success for pipeline generation and expansion.

- Bonus: experience with AI or research-technology partnerships, or with international partner ecosystems in EMEA and APAC.