AI Partnerships Leader

Description About Alvarez & Marsal Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global consulting firm with entrepreneurial, action and results-oriented professionals. We take a hands-on approach to solving our clients' problems and assisting them in reaching their potential. Our culture celebrates independent thinkers and doers who positively impact our clients and shape our industry. The collaborative environment and engaging work—guided by A&M's core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity—are why our people love working at A&M. The Team You will be joining a newly formed Global AI & Knowledge Innovation Office (GAIKO) led by a Chief AI & Knowledge Officer who is moving fast. The team is global, still being staffed, and operating with urgency. This role sits alongside pillars covering Responsible AI & Governance, AI Portfolio Intelligence & Value, and Governed Innovation, as well as a separate product and technology organization. How You Will Contribute A&M's AI ambition depends on a growing set of strategic vendor and partner relationships — the AI model providers, platforms, and specialist firms the firm builds on and sells alongside. Right now, those relationships are managed informally and unevenly: some are deep and senior, others exist only at the account-management level, and there is no single place to see partner status, tier, or approval health across the portfolio. This role owns that relationship layer end to end: the strategy for which partners matter and why, the senior-level engagement that makes A&M a partner of choice rather than just another logo, the operational tracking that keeps approvals and renewals from lapsing silently, and the coordination that gets priority partnerships through review faster. This is a relationship and coordination role, not a procurement, security, or product-build role. Those functions continue to own their own processes; this role removes friction and builds the case for investment. Key Responsibilities Partnership Strategy Define the firm's overall AI partnership strategy: which categories of partner the firm needs (model providers, platforms, specialist firms), how many relationships to hold in each category, and what \good\ looks like at each tierSet the criteria for how partners are evaluated, tiered, and prioritized, and keep that framework current as the AI vendor landscape shiftsTranslate business unit and firm-wide growth priorities into a point of view on where new partnerships are worth pursuing versus where existing ones should be deepened, consolidated, or exitedPresent the strategy and its rationale to firm leadership, and own it as a living view that gets revisited as the market and the firm's needs change Partner Relationship Management Enable and coordinate A&M's strategic AI partner relationships on behalf of the practitioners and BU leaders who own them day-to-day.Track and report on the health, scope, and terms of each partnershipOwn the go/no-go recommendation and business case for tier changes or new partner relationships Senior Stakeholder Engagement & Narrative Building Build and maintain relationships with senior leaders — not just day-to-day account teams — at each key partner firm, so A&M is seen as a visible, credible, senior-level partner of choiceDevelop the narrative and supporting materials — pitch decks, one-pagers, case studies, practitioner and client success stories — that make the case for why a partner should invest more deeply in A&M, and vice versaRepresent A&M at partner-level executive briefings, quarterly business reviews, and strategic planning sessions Partner-BU Matching & Opportunity Surfacing Proactively surface partnership opportunities in both directions: from business unit demand for a capability a partner offers, and from independent market scanning of capabilities BUs don't yet know existMatch the right partner to the right business unit use case, and broker the initial connection Partner Inventory & Relationship Intelligence Create and maintain a living inventory of all strategic AI partners: relationship owner, tier/status, strength of relationship, key contacts, scope of the relationship, and vendor approval/expiration datesBe the single source of truth on whether the firm is current with each vendor, so approvals don't lapse silentlyEstablish a regular cadence and format for communicating the state of these relationships across the firm — who our partners are, what each relationship covers, how to engage them, and what's changed — so business units and leadership aren't relying on word of mouthMake the inventory and relationship updates easily discoverable (e.g., a firm-wide partner directory or briefing) so any practitioner can quickly find the right partner and the right contact for a given need Fast-Lane Facilitation Partner directly with the firm's procurement and security/risk functions to expedite review and approval for priority partners and time-sensitive opportunitiesOwn the coordination, not the underlying review — the goal is removing friction and cutting approval timelines for strategic priorities, not replacing procurement's or security's judgment Capability Activation (incl. Claude Partner Network Rollout) Drive the certification pipeline for key partnerships: identify the right people for partner courses and certifications, secure exam budgets, and track completionCapture and package the resulting practitioner and client stories as proof points for the partnership's valueLeverage existing enablement and adoption channels rather than building new ones Scope Boundaries Vendor security review or procurement intake itself sits with Procurement and Security/RiskLicense/seat provisioning and administration sits with the Product team, in partnership with ProcurementFormal product build or scale decisions sit with the Product team and the business units Qualifications Required 7+ years in partnerships, alliances, business development, or ecosystem management, ideally with a technology or AI vendor ecosystemComfortable operating at senior/executive level, both internally and with partner organizationsStrong project-coordination instincts — able to work across procurement, security, and business unit stakeholders without owning their processesStrong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to build compelling narrative and briefing materials Preferred Experience building narrative or marketing materials (case studies, executive briefing decks)Familiarity with the AI vendor landscape (model providers, data/analytics platforms, or similar)Prior experience in a consulting or professional services firm Your journey at A&M We recognize that our people are the driving force behind our success, which is why we prioritize an employee experience that fosters each person’s unique professional and personal development. Our robust performance development process promotes continuous learning, rewards your contributions, and fosters a culture of meritocracy. With top-notch training and on-the-job learning opportunities, you can acquire new skills and advance your career. We prioritize your well-being, providing benefits and resources to support you on your personal journey. Our people consistently highlight the growth opportunities, our unique, entrepreneurial culture, and the fun we have together as their favorite aspects of working at A&M. The possibilities are endless for high-performing and passionate professionals. Regular employees working 30 or more hours per week are also entitled to participate in Alvarez & Marsal Holdings’ fringe benefits consisting of healthcare plans, flexible spending and savings accounts, life, AD&D, and disability coverages at rates determined periodically as well as a 401(k) retirement savings plan. Provided the eligibility requirements are met, employees will also receive an annual discretionary contribution to their 401(k) retirement savings plan from Alvarez & Marsal. Additionally, employees are eligible for paid time off including vacation, personal days, seventy-two (72) hours of sick time (prorated for part time employees), ten federal holidays, one floating holiday, and parental leave. The amount of vacation and personal days available varies based on tenure and role type. Click here for more information regarding A&M’s benefits programs. The salary range is $150,000-$165,000 annually dependent on several variables including but not limited to education, experience, skills, and geography. In addition, A&M offers a discretionary bonus program which is based on a number of factors, including individual and firm performance. Please ask your recruiter for details.