Sr. Director, Partner Programs (R6239)

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

The Senior Director, Partner Programs owns Shield AI's strategic global partner program across Influence, Transacting, and OEM partnerships. This is both a program-building and execution-focused role. The primary deliverable is establishing a functioning partner program, including signing and onboarding partners, developing incentive and margin structures that make each relationship successful, providing enablement that equips partners to sell, and generating analytics that demonstrate partner performance.

This role owns the execution of each partner's onboarding, governance, enablement, and accountability metrics. Success is measured through onboarding named partners on a predictable timeline, establishing a program governed by data rather than anecdotes, and building partnerships that generate measurable pipeline and revenue on both sides of the channel.

Strategic Partner Recruitment and Onboarding

• Own end-to-end onboarding for every named strategic global partner, whether Shield AI is reselling that partner's OEM products or the partner is reselling Shield AI's products. Establish onboarding plans, coordinate agreements through Legal and Deal Desk, implement the operational and commercial structures, and bring each partner to initial revenue on a predictable timeline.

Global Partner Program Design

• Collaborate on the development and ongoing evolution of a global partner program structure, including in-region execution, that governs all named partners. This includes partner tiering, agreements, rules of engagement, deal registration, and the operating cadence needed to maintain healthy relationships. Ensure consistency across regions while accommodating the unique requirements of each market.

Incentive and Economics Design

• Facilitate the two-way flow of relevant information regarding program incentives, margins, and rebate structures across both sides of the channel. Drive partner accountability to ensure incentives and behaviors align with the business's desired outcomes.

Two-Way Channel Development

• Develop both sides of the channel: partners who resell Shield AI products and OEM partners whose hardware and software Shield AI resells. Treat both as core components of the program, manage dependencies between them, and ensure the combined portfolio remains aligned with Shield AI's go-to-market priorities.

Partner Enablement and Governance

• Equip named partners to successfully sell and deliver. Develop onboarding content, certification paths, and joint business plans that drive partner productivity. Lead quarterly business reviews (QBRs) to maintain accountability and uphold consistent governance standards across every named partner relationship.

Partner Performance Analytics

• Define and track the metrics that demonstrate program effectiveness, including partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline, revenue, onboarding cycle time, incentive ROI, and partner health. Report results quarterly and use these insights to inform partner tiering, incentive structures, and future onboarding priorities.

Current Priorities — FY27 - The priorities below reflect the current business needs and are expected to evolve as the business grows.

Named Partner Onboarding Waves

• Onboard the current group of named strategic global partners on a predictable cadence across both sides of the channel. Develop a repeatable onboarding playbook and operating calendar that enables each new partner to reach first revenue without reinventing the process.

Two-Way Channel Coverage

• Build channel coverage in priority international markets in both directions: partners who can resell Shield AI products and OEM partners whose hardware and software Shield AI can resell. Sequence development efforts in alignment with GTM Strategy's market priorities.

Partner Analytics and Reporting

• Establish a single source of truth for partner performance, including pipeline, revenue, margin, onboarding velocity, and incentive ROI by partner. Leverage these insights to govern the program and guide partner tiering and investment decisions.

Partner Program Systemization

• Transform one-off onboarding and partner management activities into a repeatable, versioned program with standardized agreements, enablement resources, and QBR structures. Ensure each new named partner benefits from established processes and lessons learned rather than starting from scratch.

Partner Metrics & KPIs

Success in this role is measured by partner-driven business outcomes, not simply the number of partners. Core performance indicators include:

• Partner-Sourced and Partner-Influenced Pipeline: Pipeline generated through named partners on both sides of the channel, tracked against established targets.
• Partner Revenue and Margin: Booked revenue and realized margin by partner, including both Shield AI-resold and partner-resold products.
• Incentive ROI: Revenue and margin generated per dollar of incentive, rebate, or margin provided, measured by program and by partner.
• Partner Productivity and Health: Active selling partners, certification and enablement completion rates, and partner health scores that identify at-risk relationships early.
• Program Coverage: Named partners onboarded against the target market map across both directions of the channel.

Travel: Regular international travel required, approximately 40%.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience building and managing global partner programs, channel programs, or strategic alliances in B2B technology, with direct, end-to-end ownership of named partner relationships.
• Proven experience designing partner incentives, margin structures, and rebate programs, with the ability to demonstrate their return through data.
• Experience managing global partnerships across both hardware and software, including relationships where the company resells OEM products and where partners resell the company's products.
• Defense, dual-use, or public-sector partnership experience strongly preferred, including familiarity with long sales cycles, complex stakeholder environments, export and compliance considerations, and program-driven buyers.
• Strong analytical capabilities, including hands-on experience building partner performance reporting and leveraging data to guide tiering, incentives, and investment decisions.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally on a regular basis, approximately 40% of the working calendar.

Skills and Disposition

• Executive Presence and Influence: Strong presentation and communication skills, with the ability to influence internal leadership and partner principals.
• Partner-First Mindset: Builds programs around how partners actually sell and deliver, rather than relying solely on predefined templates.
• Organized Operator: Effectively manages the onboarding of named partners on a predictable cadence across multiple regions and complex workstreams.
• Strong Builder and Negotiator: Translates strategy and partner input into practical agreements, incentive structures, and enablement programs that succeed in the field.
• Data-Driven and Results-Oriented: Defines meaningful partner KPIs and uses performance data to demonstrate results and continuously improve the program.
• Cross-Functional Collaborator: Works closely with GTM Strategy on market priorities, Legal and Deal Desk on commercial terms, and Sales leadership on alignment, without requiring direct authority over these functions.
• Outcome-Focused: Understands the distinction between activity and impact, prioritizing partner-driven pipeline and revenue over partner count.