Head of Channel Partnerships, COOL AI - US, Remote

Head of Channel Partnerships, COOL AI

About the COOL company

At the COOL company, we believe in creating a win-win environment where everyone benefits. We are committed to ensuring users, publishers, franchisees, and advertisers all have a better experience and achieve more than they ever thought possible through our innovation, advanced AI, groundbreaking advertising technology, and teams of inspired experts. Our every move, expansion, acquisition, and upgrade is done to provide that better experience for an ever-growing list of satisfied clients and users all over the world.  

COOL Media products under the COOL company include DCO & Creative Automation, a data-driven, creative ad server capable of personalizing, automating, measuring, and optimizing digital ads and placements for advertisers; Franchise & Multi-Location, a complete advertising management platform for franchise and network businesses; Media & Attribution, a managed service solution for agencies and brands to reach and measure audiences; Publisher Experiences, a premier SSP and engagement platform for publishers; and Supply-Side Platform, delivering website and app publishers everything they need to maximize their ad revenue.

Coming soon in 2026, COOL AI is a next-generation advertising platform that builds, buys, and optimizes digital ad campaigns faster and smarter using AI. It automates every step of the media journey—from generating ad creatives to launching campaigns and optimizing performance across channels like Google and Facebook. With no agency fees or waiting, COOL AI helps brands maximize ROI through data-driven strategy, automated creative generation, and real-time performance measurement.

Collectively, the COOL company reaches over 350 million consumers monthly across their network of premium publishers and advertisers, including Disney, Hyundai, Air France, Kohler, Suzuki, Acer, Pearle Vision, Trek, Brita, Viking Cruises, MLB, Playmaker, Blitz, Evolve Media, and more.  Under the former umbrella of Insticator, the COOL company is a proud 7x recipient of the Inc 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies, a 2x recipient of Deloitte's Fast 500, recognized on Crain's New York Fast 50 list, recognized by Digiday's Digiday Media Awards as a company working to modernize digital media, and awarded as one of AdWeek's Top 10 Fastest Growing Solution Providers globally.

Our Core Values

At the COOL company, we believe in being C.O.O.L.:

Creative - we look to find solutions that others can’t and new ways of doing things that are smarter, faster, better and more efficient.

Open-minded - we’re always evolving and keep an open mind as to new ways of doing things, new solutions and new processes that can help us.

Optimistic - The glass is always half full :) as a growing tech startup we’re always faced with new challenges, we overcome them because we see them as opportunities.

Leaders - We look for drivers, people who like to set the pace of the organization, who don’t simply go with the flow, you’re setting a fast impact pace and holding others to it.  We look for speed, impact, and setting the industry benchmark.

We creatively integrate new elements in innovative combinations, fueled by our optimism to drive success. Our open-mindedness allows us to embrace new ideas and approaches, empowering us to lead our industry through bold initiatives. That’s the attitude we bring to work with us every day, and it’s what we expect from everyone who works here.

That’s just part of the values that drive us to greatness. We also believe in this trio of truths that inform every decision we make and everything we do:

• Sleeves Up: At the COOL company, we provide you with the autonomy and creativity needed to own your role. We encourage iteration where necessary so that you can drive massive impact.
• 100% Viewability: the COOL company is passionate about open feedback at all levels of the company. This allows us to fail fast, create in real-time, and build an open company culture.
• Be Defiantly Great: We're defiant, and that's in our blood. Challenging the status quo is a central part of who we are. We're capable of much more than what others deem impossible.

About the Role

COOL AI is on a mission to make artificial intelligence accessible, intuitive, and impactful for every business. As we scale our go-to-market engine, channel partnerships are a strategic growth lever—enabling us to reach new markets, verticals, and customer segments faster than a direct-only model could.

The Head of Channel Partnerships will own the full partnership lifecycle: strategy, recruitment, enablement, co-selling, and revenue performance. You will build and lead a high-performing partnerships team, work cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Product, and Legal, and be the internal and external face of COOL AI’s partner ecosystem. This is a player-coach role for someone who loves closing big deals AND developing the systems, people, and playbooks to scale.

Qualifications

Required

• 8+ years in channel partnerships, alliances, or business development—preferably in a B2B SaaS or AI/ML company
• Proven track record of building and scaling a partner program from early stage to meaningful ARR contribution ($10M+ influenced or sourced)
• Experience recruiting, structuring, and managing partnerships with VARs, GSIs, ISVs, and technology alliances
• Strong commercial acumen: you can structure deals, negotiate contracts, and manage co-sell motions with large channel partners
• Excellent communication and executive presence—you’re comfortable presenting to C-suite stakeholders internally and externally
• Proficiency with CRM and PRM tools (Salesforce, PartnerStack, Impartner, or similar)
• Experience working in a US-based entity with an understanding of US go-to-market dynamics

Preferred

• Experience in the AI, ML, or data infrastructure space
• MBA or equivalent advanced degree
• Prior team-building experience (hired and led a partnerships team of 3+)
• Familiarity with AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure marketplace and co-sell programs
• Track record of working with SI partners on large enterprise implementations

Responsibilities & Duties

Strategy & Planning

• Define and own the COOL AI channel partner strategy for the US market, including partner tier model, target partner profiles, and go-to-market priorities
• Develop a 12–24 month partner recruitment roadmap aligned to revenue and market expansion goals
• Establish KPIs for the channel program (sourced ARR, influenced ARR, partner-attached deals, partner-sourced pipeline) and report to CRO quarterly

Partner Recruitment & Onboarding

• Identify, recruit, and sign strategic partners including VARs, managed service providers, GSIs, and technology ISVs
• Lead all commercial negotiations for partnership agreements, working with Legal and Finance
• Design and continuously improve the partner onboarding experience, ensuring partners can sell COOL AI effectively within 30 days of signing

Partner Enablement & Co-Selling

• Build and maintain a partner enablement program including sales training, certification tracks, co-marketing assets, and a partner portal
• Work closely with COOL AI AEs on co-sell motions—setting rules of engagement, joint account planning, and deal registration
• Coordinate with Marketing on partner-focused demand generation, events, and co-branded content

Revenue Ownership

• Own and deliver against a channel-sourced and channel-influenced revenue target
• Forecast partner pipeline weekly with accuracy; escalate blockers proactively
• Manage partner incentive programs (rebates, MDF, SPIFs) within approved budget

Team & Operations

• Hire, develop, and lead a partnerships team as headcount is approved (initial hire: Partner Success Manager and Partner Marketing Manager)
• Select and administer PRM software to manage partner records, deal registration, and enablement content
• Create and maintain a Partner Playbook documenting COOL AI’s partner rules of engagement, processes, and best practices

Professional Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
  Able to synthesize market signals, competitive intelligence, and internal data to build a partner strategy that is differentiated and durable. Sees around corners and anticipates how the ecosystem will evolve.
• Commercial Excellence
  Highly skilled negotiator who can structure win-win agreements. Understands unit economics and total-contract-value thinking. Balances partner incentives with COOL AI margin requirements.
• Relationship Building
  Builds authentic, trust-based relationships at all levels—from SDRs at a VAR to the CRO at a GSI. Maintains a strong personal network in the partner ecosystem.
• Cross-functional Leadership
  Operates as a connective tissue between Sales, Marketing, Product, and Legal. Can influence without authority and drive alignment across competing priorities.
• Execution & Accountability
  Sets clear goals, builds operational rigor, and holds the team and partners accountable to commitments. Uses data to diagnose and improve performance.
• Communication & Presence
  Exceptional written and verbal communicator. Can distill complex information into crisp narratives for diverse audiences. Compelling presenter and storyteller.

Cultural Competencies

• Must be able to work primarily between the hours of 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM ET
• Must have a player/coach mentality, willing to both execute and lead. Ability to juggle multiple projects concurrently and set and meet deadlines
• Skilled at receiving and providing direct feedback
• Collaborative mindset and great teamwork skills
• Entrepreneurial & adaptable; great learning skills
• Curious, research-minded, data-informed
• Able to search for possible solutions and apply them
• Creative confidence
• Proactive communicator
• A sense of humor and a love of online culture
• Thrives in a start-up culture

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Annual Performance Bonus
• Paid Time Off
• Company Holidays
• Flexible work schedule
• 401k