Business Development Director

Do you ever wonder what happens inside the cloud?

DigitalOcean (NYSE: DOCN) simplifies cloud computing so builders can spend more time creating software that changes the world. With our mission-critical infrastructure and fully managed offerings, DigitalOcean enables startups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to rapidly deploy and scale modern applications. As a remote-first organization, our employees, like our customers, are based around the world.

As the Business Development Director at DigitalOcean, you will be responsible for identifying new technology partners, successfully negotiating and executing strategic partnership agreements that are beneficial to both DigitalOcean and our technology partners. This role is crucial in driving DigitalOcean's growth and innovation through collaborative efforts with key partners, with a strong focus on AI/ML and developer-centric solutions.

What You’ll Do:

• Collaborate closely with Product and Engineering teams to identify and source potential technology partners that enhance our platform's capabilities and market reach, with an initial emphasis on AI/ML solutions.
• Project manage the evaluation of potential partners and own all aspects of the engagement between internal and external stakeholders.
• Analyze and recommend the appropriate business model for each individual partnership opportunity e.g. marketplace, OEM, referral, or acquisition based on DigitalOcean’s strategic objectives.
• Formalize new technology partnerships by negotiating and executing commercial agreements in close collaboration with Finance and Legal colleagues.
• Own a smooth transition to the Partner Growth team, who cultivates the ongoing partnerships with existing partners.

What You’ll Add to DigitalOcean:

• Demonstrated experience in establishing new strategic technology partnerships at similar developer-focused technology companies, particularly in the AI/ML and cloud computing space.
• Proven track record of successfully negotiating and executing strategic partnership agreements covering OEM, referral, revenue share and one-of-a-kind business models.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and articulate a compelling vision, while interacting with and influencing senior executives and C-suite stakeholders.
• Strong technical background with a deep understanding of the developer ecosystem and a passion for making developers successful.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to align partnership initiatives and commercial agreements with overall business objectives.
• Strong technical background with the ability to understand and communicate complex technological concepts. 

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Number of Strategic Partnerships Established: Track the number and quality of new strategic partnerships, particularly in AI/ML and DBaaS, that enhance DigitalOcean's platform capabilities and market position.
• Number of Active Partnerships on the DigitalOcean Marketplace: Indicate the breadth and diversity of our ecosystem, showcasing the added value available to our customers through partnerships.
• Growth Rate of Partner Ecosystem: Track the expansion of our partner network, indicating our ability to attract and onboard new partners to continually enhance our platform's capabilities.
• Contribution to Product Innovation: Track the number of new features or products developed as a result of strategic partnerships, showcasing the innovative impact of our partnership strategy.

Why You’ll Like Working for DigitalOcean:

• We are proud to work here. You’ll be a part of a cutting-edge technology company with an upward trajectory, who are proud to simplify cloud computing so builders can spend more time creating software that changes the world. As a member of the team, you will be a Shark who thinks big, bold, and scrappy, like an owner with a bias for action and a powerful sense of responsibility for customers, products, employees, and decisions. 
• We prioritize career development. At DO, you’ll do the best work of your career. You will work with some of the smartest and most interesting people in the industry. We are a high-performance organization that will always challenge you to think big. Our organizational development team will provide you with resources to ensure you keep growing. We provide employees with reimbursement for relevant conferences, training, and education. All employees have access to LinkedIn Learning's 10,000+ courses to support their continued growth and development.
• We care about your well-b