Sr. Director, Business Development and Strategic Alliances (AI Ecosystem)

About the position:

Netskope is seeking an accomplished and strategic leader to fill the role of Sr. Dir, Business Development and Strategic Alliances - AI Ecosystem. This pivotal position is responsible for defining, developing, evolving, executing, and maintaining the global strategic partnerships / alliances strategy and engagement with key value chain participants across the AI ecosystem (e.g., hardware, data, foundation model, MLOps, applications, AI agents, services) to support and enhance Netskope’s reputation, market presence, and leadership position. This role requires a highly versatile and capable individual with a proven track record of success spanning creative strategy development to execution discipline and pragmatism, executive presence and credibility along with the ability to closely collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders including product and engineering teams, a strong business sense coupled with technology curiosity and fluency, negotiation strategy and tactics that result in achieving the right outcomes, and delivering results and impact aligned with strategic and business goals

Responsibilities include:

Business Development and Alliance Strategy and Execution

• Understand AI value chain and ecosystem players, anticipating scenarios for how the landscape may evolve, and formulate a winning business development and alliance strategy.
• Proactively identify, define, assess, champion, and drive strategic business development and alliance opportunities aligned with Netskope priorities and goals, including architecting creative, pioneering concepts that are innovative and could be transformational, and develop and refine ongoing opportunity prioritization. Provide the drive, passion, enthusiasm, and focus to advocate the right partnerships, and demonstrate GRIT (Guts, Resolve, Integrity, Tenacity) to get them done.
• Identify key stakeholders and engagement approaches based on an informed perspective of mutual interests and proposed value propositions, and develop, influence, nurture, and maintain key stakeholder relationships.
• Plan negotiation strategy including driving internal alignment on prioritized interests and other key considerations, and lead and manage negotiation process and execution of relevant agreements ensuring the right cross-functional collaboration, support, and approvals.
• Establish and manage alliance plans based on key value drivers and associated key milestones and success metrics, objectively reviewing performance and making strategic and/or pragmatic course corrections as needed in alignment and coordination with alliance partners.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Netskope Culture Alignment:

• Lead and contribute to highly collaborative, virtual teams comprising key cross-functional stakeholders, and provide visibility to others who should be informed, while maintaining the appropriate confidentiality and discretion.
• Operate in strong alignment with Netskope’s culture and values, both internally and externally, where you will represent, and be an ambassador of, Netskope:
  • Collaborative and transparent
  • No politics or bureaucracy
  • Determined - we make it happen, period
  • Customers are #1, and we have their back
  • Dream big and be innovative
  • Always have fun
• Drive internal alignment and accountability across organizations and a diverse range of stakeholders to maximize the return on alliance investments, establishing the right structures and processes while avoiding bureaucracy and maintaining nimbleness and speed.

Internal and External Enablement:

• Possess VP+ level relationships with AI ecosystem leaders and value chain participants and their supporters and enablers (e.g., investors; founders; advisors)
• Be the face of AI Alliances inside Netskope, providing internal advocacy, updates, and thought leadership related to these strategic alliances, and equipping them with the knowledge and resources necessary to effectively position and sell Netskope's value in the context of partner AI solutions.
• Educate partners on the Netskope value proposition and communicate the value of our partnerships internally to the field and channel, and externally to customers.

Job Requirements:

• Minimum of 15 years of combined experience in strategic business development, strategic alliances / partnerships, corporate development, and/or product management strategy and execution in the enterprise software, cybersecurity, and/or AI-related industries.
• 8+ years of strategic business development or strategic alliances / partnerships experience within all the critical phases of moving a strategic idea from inception through an executed agreement resulting in tangible business value and impact, and must have played a hands-on role in managing each of those phases.
• Proven experience forming, leading, and managing global, cross-functional, and virtual teams across multiple time zones
• 5+ years combined experience in cybersecurity and AI-related domains, ideally with strong domain knowledge and deep understanding of the AI value chain and ecosystem players, and intersections with cybersecurity.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement complex, multi-faceted business development and alliance strategies that result in measurable business impact. Passion and bias for action to get the right things done in the right way with integrity and transparency.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, emotional intelligence, advocacy, presentation, and negotiation skills with the ability to influence senior executives both internally and externally.

Education: Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Travel: This position is a global role with the flexibility to work remotely or from a Netskope office. This is an individual contributor role. Global Travel is required to meet with partners, attend industry events, and facilitate internal meetings virtually and at Netskope locations around the world. The primary location will be based in the US.

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