Founding Head of Strategic Partnerships

Overview

We are seeking a Founding Head of Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystem Growth for an innovative early-stage venture at the crossroads of artificial intelligence, education, human capability, and advanced assessment systems. This role is a unique leadership opportunity focused on establishing and nurturing a robust ecosystem by connecting with key individuals and organizations to generate sustainable institutional value. You will collaborate closely with the founder and leadership team to define and execute the partnership strategy, ecosystem structure, strategic positioning, and growth initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a pipeline of strategic partnerships spanning targeted sectors, markets, and partner categories.
• Engage with a diverse range of entities including corporations, academic institutions, foundations, investors, accelerators, training programs, research networks, and innovation hubs.
• Create engagement opportunities via warm referrals, direct outreach, events, community participation, and network analysis.
• Serve as the organizational representative in discussions with founders, executives, investors, academics, program leaders, and other decision-makers.
• Convert initial conversations into pilot projects, collaborations, programs, and enduring partnerships.
• Co-design partnership models that generate mutual value for all stakeholders and the ecosystem at large.
• Continuously improve external messaging, outreach content, briefing documents, and partnership narratives based on market insights.
• Establish scalable systems for partner research, outreach execution, follow-ups, relationship management, and performance reporting.

Candidate Profile

• Background in strategic partnerships, ecosystem cultivation, business development, venture networks, corporate innovation, founders’ office, community engagement, or growth leadership.
• Proven ability to build relationships with senior leaders and institutions.
• Excellent interpersonal judgment, executive presence, and strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Capacity to articulate complex concepts clearly to varied audiences.
• Highly organized with the capability to handle multiple partnership dialogues simultaneously.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable working in an early-stage, undefined-playbook environment.
• Demonstrates high ownership, discretion, accountability, and commitment to follow-through.
• Keen interest in artificial intelligence, education, talent development, workforce evolution, entrepreneurship, or future-of-work trends.

Additional Advantages

• Existing network across founders, investors, academic institutions, accelerators, corporations, or innovation networks.
• Experience building partnerships spanning multiple countries or geographic regions.
• Track record launching programs, summits, competitions, accelerators, fellowships, or ecosystem-focused initiatives.
• Prior collaborations directly with founders or executive-level leadership.
• Familiarity with CRM, relationship mapping, and strategic outreach technologies.
• Chinese language skills are a plus but not mandatory.

Success Metrics

Within the first 90 days, you will establish a prioritized pipeline of partnerships, identify the highest-impact partners and categories, implement replicable outreach and follow-up systems, secure meaningful conversations, and help refine the external brand positioning through hands-on market engagement.

This position offers an exciting chance to join a founding-stage project, work intimately with leadership, and contribute to building a global ecosystem for lasting impact.