Partnerships Lead

Role summary

Avenue Z is looking for a sales-focused individual contributor to open doors, create pipeline, and close high-value relationships across priority markets within the Shopify ecosystem of applications and ecommerce services.  This is a hands-on business development role for a first-hire builder who can source opportunities directly, convert executive conversations into qualified deals, and use partnerships as a force multiplier for revenue growth.

This role is not a people-manager role on day one. The mandate is to build the market, establish a repeatable outbound motion, and create a durable pipeline across priority verticals, strategic accounts, investors, founders, platforms, and ecosystem partners.

What this role owns

• Build and manage a consistent pipeline of qualified new business opportunities across target sectors, accounts, and partner channels.
• Develop sales referral relationships with founders, CMOs, growth leaders, platform partners and other high-value referral sources.
• Create and run a disciplined outbound motion across introductions, meetings, follow-up, and conversion.
• Turn ecommerce industry tools, technologies, relationships, and market insight into revenue-producing sales opportunities.
• Identify, structure, and advance strategic partnerships that accelerate client acquisition, revenue expansion, and market access.
• Work closely with leadership to prioritize target accounts, sectors, and relationship pathways.
• Own the front end of the deal cycle from sourcing through early commercial discussions and handoff into contracting and delivery.
• Maintain strong CRM hygiene, pipeline tracking, forecasting, and next-step discipline.
• Represent the firm in high-value meetings, conferences and selective industry events where real business can be generated.
• Help refine the company’s business development playbook based on what is working in market.

Core responsibilities

New business origination

• Build a weekly cadence of prospecting, introductions, meetings, and follow-up activity based on overlapping segments with partners.
• Source opportunities through direct outreach, warm networks, channel partners, using partner tools such as Crossbeam and Partnerstack, and industry relationships.
• Develop account plans for high-priority targets and multi-thread relationships into decision-makers.
• Partner with internal leaders to shape outreach strategy, meeting narratives, and conversion plans.
• Be the main point of contact for inbound and outbound referral new business opportunities.

Partnership development

• Identify technology partnerships that can create distribution, referrals, co-selling opportunities, or strategic market credibility.
• Build relationships with platform partners, complementary service providers, founder communities, venture networks, and industry connectors.
• Evaluate partnership opportunities based on practical revenue impact rather than brand visibility alone.
• Drive partnership conversations forward with clear commercial intent, ownership, and follow-through.
• Open co-marketing opportunities with partners that strengthen market presence, deepen relationships, and support pipeline generation.

Deal advancement

• Lead early-stage commercial conversations and help move opportunities from interest to active pipeline.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders around pitch preparation, capabilities positioning, and proposal strategy.
• Keep momentum across every live opportunity with clear next steps, timelines, and executive communication.
• Surface pipeline risks, stalled deals, and market feedback quickly and clearly.

Market presence and intelligence

• Represent the company externally with credibility, polish, and strong commercial instincts.
• Attend high-profile events and conferences selectively, turning participation into meetings, introductions, partnership conversations, and pipeline.
• Bring back market intelligence on buyer needs, competitive dynamics, and emerging opportunity areas.
• Help leadership refine go-to-market priorities based on real signals from the field.

What success looks like

• A consistent flow of qualified meetings with target accounts and high-value referral sources.
• A measurable pipeline tied to defined revenue targets.
• Strong conversion from first meeting to active opportunity.
• High-quality strategic partnerships that create real commercial leverage.
• Clean pipeline visibility, reliable forecasting, and strong operating discipline.
• A repeatable business development motion that can later be scaled with additional hires.

Ideal profile

• 4+ years of business development, partnerships, strategic sales, or growth experience.
• Proven ability to open doors and create pipeline through direct relationship-building.
• Experience selling strategic, consultative, or high-value service offerings.
• Demonstrated success turning networks, meetings, and market presence into revenue.
• Strong judgment on where to spend time and which opportunities are worth pursuing.
• Highly organized operator who can manage outreach, pipeline, and follow-through without heavy infrastructure.
• Comfortable building from scratch in an ambiguous environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred experience

• Experience in agency, consulting, marketing services, media, digital transformation, or adjacent advisory businesses.
• Experience in ecommerce ecosystem including understanding the market leading tools such as Attentive, Klaviyo, Shopify, Gorgias, Rebuy, Recharge and other applications that drive revenue uplift for Shopify based websites.
• Experience with partnership platforms such as Euler, Partnerstack or Crossbeam.
• Established network across brands, growth-stage companies, investors, founders, or strategic partners.
• Familiarity with CRM management, pipeline reporting, and outbound business development systems.
• Exposure to partnership-led growth, channel development, or ecosystem strategy.

Compensation

• Job type: Full-time
• Salary: $100,000 to $120,000 per year + Commission

Benefits

• Medical, vision, and dental plan
• 401(k) with 4% employer match
• Unlimited paid time off
• Professional development stipend
• High-energy, collaborative environment