Head of Partnership Development

• Do you have a network with tournament organizers (TOs) in esports such as CS2 and Dota 2?

• Do you enjoy making partnerships, holding commercial discussions, and negotiating deals?

• Are you able to drive your own workload independently, whilst being a visible and accountable leader in a team?

If the answers to the above questions are yes, then this role could be ideal for you!

About the Job:

As Head of Partnership Development, you will play a key strategic role in driving GRID’s growth in acquiring new esports data rights and game data partners. You will spearhead and lead the team in securing high-impact, long-term partnerships that strengthen our esports betting data and game data business and bring innovative, industry-defining opportunities to life. Beyond securing deals, you will manage the Partnership Development team in achieving the strategy, goals, and KPI that you work with the EVP of Game Developer Solutions and the Chief Procurement Officer to shape and define.

You will leverage deep industry knowledge and relationships to identify and develop relationships with esports tournament organizers (TOs) and game developers that bring key titles and tournaments onto the GRID platform. You will own key strategic relationship partners while leading the broader team in growing and maintaining GRID’s partner portfolio, helping to develop junior business development professionals, and ensuring best-in-class deal execution.

As the global leader in our industry, you will be at the forefront of delivering fantastic client experience and operational excellence in the esports data space. You will be equipped to succeed in building and maintaining your process structure and the roles and responsibilities of those within it, and have the full might of GRID’s commercial and operational teams to work with you.

As a key member at the intersection of different departments at GRID, you will be the central figure in ensuring partnerships, sales, finance, and support departments interact and collaborate in the most effective and process-oriented ways. The results of your work will play a vital role in ensuring the best possible experience for our partners and clients, as well as the optimal performance of our internal communication.

Requirements

What you will do 

• Lead the Partnership Development Team

• Own the end-to-end business development process, from prospecting to deal signing, and cultivate a robust pipeline of high-value partners across multiple product lines

• Personally own identifying, negotiating, signing, and managing key high-value strategic partnerships necessary to drive GRID's success

• Manage and grow the partnership business development team, oversee day-to-day activities, mentor and guide team members to foster a culture of collaboration and best-in-class execution to achieve GRID’s goals

• Contribute to and execute against GRID’s global partner strategy, aligning BD efforts with the long-term vision for GRID’s platform growth

• Partner with cross-functional teams (product, betting, engineering, marketing, finance, and legal) to identify, strategize, and create a funnel of new partnership opportunities

• Stay ahead of industry trends and emerging technologies in esports, games, betting, and media to drive identification of new partnership opportunities

• Act as a thought leader within the business development space, helping to shape GRID’s approach to partnerships and commercialization.

Required Qualifications

6-8+ years of experience in partnerships or business development, or sales, with a proven track record of structuring and closing high-value deals in esports, gaming, betting, entertainment, or media.

Strong understanding of global esports and games industry, with the ability to translate trends and internal capabilities into actionable business opportunities.

Expert negotiation and relationship management skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders both internally and externally.

Experience in building and leading teams in a remote/hybrid environment, in delivering on key strategic objectives and business-critical KPIs.

Your skills will include

• Existing network with esports TOs and game publishers

• Experience in the betting industry or content/rights acquisition

• Understanding and communication ability of data, analytics, and saas value propositions

• Strong storytelling, presentation, and sales collateral development capabilities.

• Track record of high renewal rates and long-term partner retention.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, global environment while balancing mult