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.

What will you 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 multiple priorities.

Benefits of working at GRID

• 28+ days paid time off

• Mental health support

• Flexible working conditions

• Company and team-wide events

• Work travel opportunities with travel insurance

• Training and development budget

• Company equipment

• Language courses when based in our offices

• Gym/workout class membership when based in our offices

About our culture

• Flexibility: Work from the place that inspires and motivates you the most! From our awesome Berlin/ Wroclaw offices to the comfort of your own home. Meet up in person with your colleagues every so often, making use of the travel opportunities GRID offers

• Sustainability: We want our employees to be rested and able to perform. We offer a generous vacation allowance (28+ days a year) and the opportunity to speak with professional counselors to support mental health - covered by the business

• Pragmatic: GRID thrives on being rational, allowing us to make the best decisions rather than keeping to rigid processes and procedures that don’t work well for us

• Fostering growth: Empowering employees who are determined to grow by providing a self-development budget and strong career advancement opportunities. Support from your teammates to guide and encourage you to grow in your desired professional field

• Company culture: We believe a diverse industry is best served with an inclusive and diverse workforce. We have people based in over 24 countries, with recent employee surveys showing over 98% workplace satisfaction

About GRID

Founded in 2018 in Berlin, GRID offers the GRID Data Platform to the esports & games industry.  Specializing in in-game and play-by-play data, GRID curates data for game developers and tournament organizers and leverages its data platform to unlock the potential of the right holders’ data assets for the purposes of storytelling, fan engagement, and integrity.

GRID’s official data partnerships cover multiple partnered rights holders (data sources) and integrated commercial data consumers, covering 15+ game titles. Our exclusive data partners include the likes of Riot Games, Ubisoft, Krafton, Moonton, BLAST, PerfectWorld, Hero Esports and CCT.

If you have the ambition and desire to work at the forefront of cutting-edge industry projects, then GRID is the place for you.

Apply today to find out more and begin your journey!