Manager, Partnerships

The Partnerships Manager is the lead customer contact point for all Commercial decision making once soft award is received from any new customer through the life of program execution including contract negotiations, commercial account management after contract signature, customer success, and upsell opportunities. As lead, they are responsible for the overall strategic, economic, and relationship value of the customer program and supporting contracts. Each Partnership Manager will eventually take full ownership of a single program or responsibilities will be split between multiple Managers if the program is deemed too big or complex for a single individual to own.

The ideal candidate should have strong technical and commercial background or demonstrated ability to learn new nomenclature, products, and industry terminology. Above all, the role will demand a customer-oriented individual who can gather external customer demands to drive internal alignment while protecting the interests of the company.

About Our Group

The Partnerships team is a small team that works collaboratively in a fast paced, start-up environment. The Partnerships Manager hire, based in Burlingame, CA or Greer, SC, will work closely with Business Development, Legal, Product Management, Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality Service, Warranty, and other major departments to develop and close major commercial deals and manage key customer accounts following deal closure.

Responsibilities:

• Contract Negotiation/Signing:

• Reviewing and aligning customer and internal requirements with affected groups such as Supply Chain, Engineering, Product Management, Operations, Finance, etc.

• Lead customer-facing negotiations for new opportunities.

• Responsible for achieving revenue and margin bookings targets.

• Draft, negotiate, and sign commercial agreements.

• Coordinate product transition, product configuration, and change requests.

• Lead bids for upsell to existing customers

• Lead major customer-facing renegotiations for contract amendments.

• Commercial Execution:

• Manage overall relationship with customers.

• Administer and manage executed contracts including contract interpretation

• Provide customer forecasts for operational and supply chain planning and execution.

• Process purchase orders and align with internal stakeholders/systems to ensure on-time deliveries.

• Responsible for achieving account revenue and margin during execution.

• Manage customer performance including escalation/resolution of key issues. Lead commercial disputes.

• Lead regular cross-functional reviews with teams to ensure consistency with contract terms, performance against targets. Identify improvements to process or future contract terms to address pain points and increase customer satisfaction.

• Support finance team on invoicing and collection of payment from customers.

• Coordinate product transition, product configuration, and change requests.

• Aftermarket Support

• Support negotiation and contracting for on aftermarket sales, services and training.

About You:

• Self-starter with the ability to adapt interpersonal styles and techniques to influence at all levels of the organization

• Comfortable in a customer facing role with ability to manage expectations

• Willingness to learn and wear different hats as needed

• Strong communicator who can adapt to various interpersonal styles and influence effectively

• Customer-focused attitude, with high level of professionalism

• Excellent time management and organizational skills

• Resourceful and diligent mindset

• Strong interpersonal skills, ownership, communication skills, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.

Your Experience Includes:

• Bachelor's Degree or global equivalent and 5+ years of relevant work experience

• MBA or Masters in a related field of study preferred, but not required

• Ability to communicate with a broad set of internal and external stakeholders

• Ability to translate highly technical information into common terminology

• Contract Management and/or Negotiation experience required

• Strong project management and analytical skills

• Comfort with setting, organizing, and leading meetings with executive team

• Strong proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Salesforce preferred

• Experience at a hardware company preferred, ideally in automotive

• Physical Demands:

• May work various shifts as needed; may be requested to travel to different locations.

• Lifting up to 25 pounds and occasionally 50 pounds.

• Able to walk, stand, crouch, bench, kneel, lift, carry and reach as needed in large and tight spaces.

• Good eye/hand coordination and ability to identify color variations, depth perceptions and close or distance visual items.

• Manual dexterity with occasional repetitive finger motion.

• Environmental Demands:

• Ability to work in manufacturing environment with extreme heat and cold conditions.

• Wear protective clothing or respiratory protective equipment.

• Works with irritant chemicals, gases, etc.

Location: Burlingame, CA or Greer, SC

Compensation: $100,400.00 to $135,836.00 (California Residents Only)

• Compensation commensurate with experience.*

Travel: 0 - 10%

Proterra is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all Employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law or ordinance. Proterra participates in the Electronic Employment Verification Program (E-Verify).

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)