Head of Strategic Business Development

About Cast AI

Cast AI is a foremost Application Performance Automation platform that enables organizations to automate cloud operations efficiently at scale. Leveraging embedded autonomous decision-making in Kubernetes and AI infrastructure, it continuously enhances performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency, removing the necessity for manual infrastructure management. Trusted by over 2,100 companies worldwide including Akamai, BMW, Cisco, and others, Cast AI operates globally across 34 countries and achieved unicorn status in 2026.

Role Overview

This role focuses on pioneering strategic growth avenues beyond traditional market approaches through executive relationships, partnerships, and innovative business models. As Head of Strategic Business Development, you will pinpoint and prioritize high-value strategic initiatives, nurture senior external relationships, develop compelling commercial proposals, lead negotiations, launch new programs, and eventually hand over mature initiatives to their operational owners.

Key Responsibilities

• Represent company leadership in key industry events and strategic external engagements.
• Forge senior-level relationships within the cloud and AI ecosystem.
• Uncover opportunities to enhance market reach, product positioning, distribution routes, and revenue generation.
• Transform initial ideas into defined customer propositions, commercial frameworks, and strategic cases.
• Assess opportunities by strategic alignment, value, economic potential, feasibility, investment needs, timelines, and execution likelihood.
• Drive the business development process, aligning stakeholders including Legal, Finance, Product, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, and Partnerships.
• Launch and nurture new strategic initiatives involving cross-functional coordination, pilots, co-selling, and go-to-market actions.
• Resolve early-stage challenges, sustain momentum, and evaluate initiative viability for further investments.
• Document and transfer validated programs to permanent owners with clear governance and defined external relationships.

Required Qualifications

• 10 to 15+ years' experience in strategic business development, partnerships, alliances, or related commercial leadership within enterprise technology or similar sectors.
• Solid experience in cloud infrastructure, AI, developer tools, or enterprise software with technical complexity.
• Proven track record of originating, structuring, negotiating, launching, and, if necessary, closing strategic partnerships.
• Comfortable engaging with C-suite executives, product, technology, and commercial leaders.
• Excellent commercial acumen including business case and partnership economics development.
• Technical fluency to effectively collaborate with Product and Engineering teams.
• Ability to align multiple internal units and external partners in a scaling environment.
• Demonstrated independence managing analysis, relationship-building, negotiation, and program development without reliance on large teams.
• Executive presence to represent the organization credibly in high-stakes external forums.
• Willingness to travel internationally around 30–50% of the time.

Preferred backgrounds include senior roles in partner development or alliances at major cloud/hyperscale providers, AI infrastructure companies, or high-growth tech businesses, especially with exposure to both large platforms and growth-stage companies.

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive total cash compensation expected between $275,000 and $300,000 USD plus significant equity opportunities.
• Engagement in a pivotal role at one of the fastest-growing infrastructure software enterprises globally.
• Direct collaboration with executive leadership to influence strategic initiatives.
• Network-building with leading organizations in the cloud and AI industry ecosystem.
• Remote-first flexible global work environment.
• 401(k) retirement plan with full company match on employee contributions up to 6% after three months of employment (US employees).
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage for US employees.
• Allocated budgets for professional learning, team-building activities, and work equipment provision.

Recruitment Process and Additional Information

• Initial screening by recruiter followed by interviews with hiring manager and further role-specific rounds.
• Culture fit assessment with company executive.
• Final-stage background check conducted by a third-party provider.
• No visa sponsorship or work permit assistance offered for this role.