ALLIANCE SR MGR

The Role

As a Senior Business Development Manager (Innovation Executive), you will be a strategic architect for Lumen’s emerging technologies and services. Your mission is to identify, nurture, and shape new business opportunities through strategic alliance partnerships, driving growth and innovation for both Lumen and our clients. You will lead Lumen's cross functional team in co-innovating solutions, managing executive relationships with our partners, and executing beta programs that result in early adoption of our capabilities.
This role will work closely with Lumen’s product management, marketing, sales and other cross-functional teams to align strategic alliance partnerships with the company’s overall business strategy, goals, GTM plans and our portfolio. This role requires a unique blend of business strategy, relationship management, technical skills and cross-functional leadership skills. The ideal candidate will excel at aligning partnerships with company objectives, negotiating complex agreements, and orchestrating collaboration across diverse teams and organizations. They will play a crucial role in expanding our market presence, enhancing our product offerings, and creating mutual value through strategic collaborations. 
Success in this role means consistently generating high-value opportunities which translates into revenue growth and referenceable customer successes.

The Main Responsibilities

Strategic Partnership Development:

• Identify, develop, and manage alliances that align with Lumen’s business objectives and go-to-market (GTM) plans.
• Monitor market trends and the competitive landscape to uncover partnership opportunities that enhance our product offerings and market presence.

Value Creation & Solution Development:

• Drive co-selling, joint value propositions, joint marketing, and solution development with partners (ISVs, GSIs, hyperscalers).
• Translate innovative ideas into concrete use cases and business cases, articulating clear value propositions for each opportunity. 

Operational Leadership:

• Oversee onboarding, enablement, and execution of partner programs.
• Maintain strong relationships with key alliance partners, ensuring clear communication and mutual understanding of objectives. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Work closely with product management, marketing, and sales to develop joint strategies, GTM plans, and business cases.
• Coordinate with diverse teams to ensure successful execution of partnership agreements and initiatives. 

Customer Co-Innovation:

• Engage customers in collaborative design thinking brainstorming sessions, innovation workshops, and proof-of-value discussions. The goal is to co-innovate solutions with our partners that will address real-world customer needs while aligning with Lumen’s future offerings. By involving customers in the innovation process (co-innovation), the Innovation Executive fosters deeper partnerships and develops solutions that closely match customer needs.

Pipeline Generation:

• Identify and qualify new opportunities to maintain a robust pipeline of high-potential targets.
• Research industry trends and customer pain points to spot emerging opportunities early.

Governance & Performance Management:

• Establish KPIs, manage QBRs, and ensure partner success through structured engagement models.
• Analyze partnership performance, provide regular reports to senior management, and recommend improvements.

What We Look For in a Candidate

• Proven ability in market analysis, strategic thinking, and execution of joint GTM strategies.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills for client engagement and deal closure.
• Technical acumen in cloud, network, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.
• Relationship management skills, with a focus on building trust-based engagement with senior stakeholders.
• 8–12 years’ experience in alliance management, partner strategy, business development, consulting, or technology sales.

Candidate Profile: 

• Bachelor’s degree in business management, Marketing, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
• Strategic thinker with a clear vision and execution capability.
• Analytical mindset, able to analyze market trends and customer feedback to identify business opportunities.

Additional Information
This job description outlines the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Job duties may change based on business needs.

Compensation

What to Expect Next