Strategic Partnerships Lead

About Tiki Ai Tiki AI builds the infrastructure that teaches frontier AGI systems how to think, not just predict. We turn top-tier human expertise in STEM, code, and other domains into high-signal training data through cognitive extraction, going far beyond basic labeling. We help stabilize complex reasoning and fix long-horizon agent failures in production-scale systems. Our momentum is accelerating rapidly. We are the trusted partner for several of the top-5 frontier labs, driving exponential, multimillion dollar quarterly growth. About the Role This is a role rooted in building and nurturing relationships, not generating pipeline volume. You will operate in a Special Operations model: small team, high stakes, no wasted moves. Every outreach is bespoke. Every conversation is built on genuine research into the person's work, priorities, and organizational context. You are not managing a quota; you are building the relationships that become multi-year programs. What You Will Do Build and deepen peer-level relationships with stakeholders at target organizations Construct bespoke outreach for each contact based on genuine individual research Own a focused portfolio of frontier lab and enterprise AI accounts Lead technical discovery to map each stakeholder's actual challenges in data quality, annotation infrastructure, coding evaluation, RLHF workflow, and safety evaluation to Tiki's specific capabilities Contribute to the full commercial cycle alongside the team: from initial relationship through pilot scoping ($50K–$100K) and expansion toward multi-million-dollar annual programs Build and deliver tailored proposals and technical capability narratives in close collaboration with the Director of Sales, COO, and technical team Surface real-time market intelligence and adapt account strategy accordingly Maintain CRM discipline What Success Looks Like in the First 6–12 Weeks You have established confirmed champion or coach relationships at two or more priority target organizations; relationship maps are documented and transferable At least one target account has advanced to an active pilot, proposal stage, or commercial conversation The Director of Sales and COO consistently treat you as the account intelligence owner for your portfolio and pull you into strategic deal conversations Your outreach approach has been adopted as a model by the broader team What We Are Looking For 5+ years in enterprise B2B partnerships, business development, or commercial roles with direct, documented exposure to frontier AI lab accounts A real network inside frontier lab data, research, post-training, or evaluation teams, not just names on a list, but relationships with standing that you can activate Deep understanding of how AI data procurement actually works: how research leads identify and evaluate vendors, how pilots get scoped, how legal and compliance create friction, and what kills deals at each stage, from either the buy or sell side Technical fluency sufficient to hold a credible conversation with ML engineers about RLHF, annotation quality, inter-annotator agreement, benchmark design, coding dataset construction, and data pipeline architecture Experience navigating complex, multi-stakeholder commercial processes: shadow procurement, framing small pilots as research collaborations, and building the internal business case a researcher needs to sign off on a project spend High-ownership operating style; comfortable contributing across the full commercial cycle in an environment where the playbook is still being written This Role Is a Strong Fit If You Have Spent time as a senior partnerships lead, strategic account manager, or enterprise AE at an AI data vendor, and you built or managed relationships at frontier labs Held a data procurement, research operations, vendor management, or RLHF program management role inside a frontier lab and understand the process from the buying side The ability to walk into a conversation with a research lead at Anthropic or a post-training team at Meta and be recognized as a peer, not a vendor pitching features A genuine interest in being part of a founding commercial team: shaping how relationships are built, how deals are structured, and how the sales motion develops as the company grows Compensation and Benefits Base salary $160,000–$175,000 plus variable compensation. OTE $220,000–$260,000, with uncapped upside tied to deal performance. Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401k matching, transit supplement, and gym reimbursement. Who Should Apply This role is relevant to candidates currently holding or recently holding titles including: Strategic Partnerships Lead, Enterprise Partnerships Manager, Strategic Account Executive, Senior Account Executive (AI/ML or AI Data), Data Partnerships Lead, AI Data Vendor Manager, ML Data Procurement Lead, Research Operations Manager, Technical Account Manager (AI/ML), Frontier Lab Account Lead, RLHF Program Manager, Engagement Management Lead, Head of Strategic Accounts, Forward Deployed Engineer (GTM), Founding AE. Tiki AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age (40+), marital status, pregnancy, medical condition, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, California, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Tiki AI will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, consistent with applicable law. #J-18808-Ljbffr