Head of Partnerships

Overview

• Own Kodiak's overall partnership strategy and the frameworks that govern how we identify, prioritize, and engage partners across Truck OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, component vendors, and ecosystem players.
• Build and maintain a pipeline of partnership opportunities; qualify partners based on strategic fit, commercial viability, and alignment with Kodiak's deployment goals.
• Lead end-to-end deal structuring and negotiation — from defining commercial terms and governance structures to closing agreements in close collaboration with legal and finance.
• Own the commercial onboarding process for new partners, establishing clear milestones and success metrics from day one.
• Serve as the primary commercial point of contact for key partners; maintain executive-level relationships, identify expansion opportunities, and drive resolution when issues arise.
• Work closely with Kodiak's internal teams — including engineering, operations, and product — to ensure the company delivers on commitments made to partners, and partner closely with the leadership team to align partnership priorities with Kodiak's broader strategic direction.
• Define and track KPIs for partnership performance, and synthesize market intelligence from partner relationships to inform Kodiak's broader strategic priorities.
• Build, manage, and mentor a growing partnerships team, fostering a culture of accountability, commercial rigor, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or strategic alliances, ideally within the automotive, trucking, mobility, or deep technology sectors.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder commercial relationships with OEMs, Tier 1s, or industrial suppliers from qualification through ongoing management.
• Strong dealmaker with direct experience structuring and negotiating B2B agreements with significant commercial value.
• Commercially sharp with the ability to identify value drivers, design win-win commercial structures, and hold firm on terms that matter.
• Exceptional relationship builder — comfortable operating at the executive level with large industry players and equally effective working through the details with mid-level commercial teams.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage a large, complex portfolio of partnerships across different stages simultaneously.
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional environment, partnering with technical, legal, finance, and operations teams without needing to own or direct their work.
• Entrepreneurial mindset — comfortable with ambiguity, able to build structure from scratch, and motivated by the opportunity to shape a new industry.
• Willingness to travel regularly to engage with partners, attend industry events, etc. - up to 40% of the time.