Partnerships Manager - Rental industry (car rental, fleet management)

About our client Our client builds and scales vertical market software companies. They partner with strong teams, invest for the long term, and run disciplined operating systems to drive sustainable growth across their portfolio. About the business unit
The business unit is an AI-powered voice agent that handles inbound calls, takes reservations, processes payments, and delivers 24/7 customer support—all without human intervention. When a situation requires a human touch, it seamlessly transfers the call with full context. Originally built for the rental industry, starting with car rental operators across North America, the platform integrates directly with rental management systems, enabling instant call answering, real-time availability checks, automated booking workflows, and a live performance dashboard. The business unit is now being established as an independent unit with its own leadership team, with ambitions to expand into the broader rental and services verticals. This is a ground-floor opportunity to join a product that already works at the moment it begins to scale. Job Summary
We’re hiring a Partnerships Manager to build and scale the ecosystem partnerships for our client’s AI-powered voice agent business unit. This is a hands-on, execution-focused role for someone who thrives in builder environments and wants to create a partnerships function from the ground up. You’ll own the full partnership lifecycle: sourcing, qualifying, onboarding, and growing relationships with software providers, marketplaces, referral networks, and distribution partners. Your work will bring the product directly into the workflows of rental operators and, over time, into adjacent verticals. You’ll work cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success to drive integration delivery, partner launches, and co go-to-market initiatives. You’ll report to the CEO of the business unit and have a direct line to shaping the commercial strategy of the business. Requirements What You’ll Do Build the partner ecosystem

• Identify, qualify, and onboard partners across rental software providers, fleet management systems, dealership platforms, travel marketplaces, lead generation networks, and adjacent technology ecosystems.
• Develop and execute a partner sourcing strategy that aligns with our client’s expansion roadmap, starting with car rental and extending into broader rental and services verticals.
• Build repeatable partner onboarding playbooks, including qualification criteria, integration scoping, and launch readiness checklists.

Drive commercial impact through partnerships

• Collaborate with partners on referral programs, reseller opportunities, co-marketing initiatives, and joint go-to-market campaigns.
• Track partner-sourced pipeline, revenue contribution, and performance metrics to ensure partnerships translate into measurable business outcomes.
• Support partner sales enablement: equip partners with positioning, materials, and training to effectively sell and recommend the solution.

Coordinate integration delivery

• Work with Product and Engineering to scope, prioritize, and manage integration timelines—from initial partner requirements through testing and launch.
• Serve as the connective tissue between external partners and internal teams, ensuring integration work stays on track and partners have a consistent experience.

Manage relationships and governance

• Own ongoing partner relationships: regular check-ins, QBRs, performance reviews, and escalation management.
• Maintain partner CRM records, documentation, and internal playbooks.
• Share structured market and partner feedback with Product and leadership to inform roadmap and go-to-market decisions.

What Success Looks Like In the first 90 days

• You’ve mapped the ecosystem: a clear target partner list by category with a prioritized outreach plan.
• First partnerships are in motion, with at least two to three partners in active onboarding or integration scoping.
• Partner CRM, tracking, and internal documentation are set up and maintained.

In 6 to 12 months

• A repeatable partner pipeline is producing qualified leads and contributing to revenue.
• Multiple live integrations are in market, with co-go-to-market motions running.
• Our client is established as a recognized integration partner within the rental technology ecosystem and is actively exploring adjacent verticals.
• Partner governance cadence is in place: QBRs, performance tracking, and clear partner health metrics.

What We’re Looking For Required

• 2 to 5 years of experience in partnerships, business development, or channel sales within B2B SaaS.
• Demonstrated ability to source, negotiate, and close partnership agreements.
• Strong project coordination skills, comfortable managing multiple integration workstreams and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Builder mindset: ability to create and refine partner programs, playbooks, and processes from scratch.
• Clear, confident communicator with strong relationship-building skills across technical and business audiences.
• Familiarity with SaaS products and API-based integrations.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Preferred

• Experience in the rental industry (car rental, equipment rental, fleet management) or adjacent sectors such as automotive, travel tech, or mobility is a strong advantage.
• Experience working within marketplace or platform ecosystems where integrations are a key growth lever.
• Familiarity with CRM and partner management tools (e.g., HubSpot or similar platforms).
• Experience in high-growth or early-stage SaaS environments, particularly where you contributed to building the partnership function rather than only executing an existing one.

Benefits Opportunity to build and scale the partnerships function for an AI-powered product in a large, underserved market, with clear potential to expand beyond the initial vertical. Ground-floor role within a newly established business unit, joining as it builds its leadership team and commercial engine. High ownership and direct exposure to integrations, go-to-market strategy, and product direction from day one. Backed by a software aggregator, offering the stability and resources of a global portfolio combined with the pace, autonomy, and impact of a startup environment. Competitive compensation package with significant growth potential as the partnerships function and broader business scale.