Partner Ecosystem Manager, US

About the Role at RobCo RobCo is building the category of Autonomous Industrial Robotics and we're doing it fast. We believe that automating the ordinary frees humans to do the extraordinary, and we're building the end-to-end robotics infrastructure to make that possible - hardware, software, and AI in one stack that just works. At RobCo, we automate the ordinary, so humans can do the extraordinary. To achieve this, we are looking for an ambitious Partner Ecosystem Manager, US to help us establish RobCo as leading provider of automation solutions. In this key role, you will act as RobCo’s first dedicated US partnerships hire, owning the US partner book end-to-end. You will bridge the gap between RobCo and the wider US automation ecosystem, recruiting, developing, and scaling the partners who specify, build, install, and integrate our modular robotics solutions. Your focus will be on driving sustainable, high-value growth and commercial outcomes, beginning with US mid-market machine tending. Your Responsibilities - Own and Scale the US Partner Book: Source, qualify, and develop long-term relationships across our four primary partner types, building directly upon RobCo’s existing US customer and OEM footprint.

• Manage the Partner Lifecycle: Vet, onboard, and guide partners through certification, moving them toward shared success metrics such as registered deals, lighthouse opportunities, and influenced pipeline.
• Drive Cross-Functional Alignment: Collaborate closely with internal teams—including Solutions and Delivery, Product, Marketing, Revenue Operations, and Legal—to streamline partner enablement, joint campaigns, and referral payouts.
• Partner with Regional Sales: Work hand-in-hand with US regional sales teams to incorporate local objectives into the overarching partnership strategy and support localized solution delivery.
• Negotiate Win-Win Agreements: Structure commercial collaborations and partner agreements that ensure both RobCo and the partner have a clear, mutually beneficial stake in the outcomes.
• Represent RobCo at Industry Events: Host partner workshops, design-in sessions, and represent the brand at major US industry trade shows like Automate to connect partners and expand the network.
• Establish Governance and Playbooks: Define, track, and report on the US partner scorecard (covering activation, certification, and ROI) while maintaining clean CRM-backed pipeline data and scalable process documentation.

We're looking for someone who has: - Completed vocational training or a degree in Business, Engineering, Technical Management, or comparable experience.

• Five or more years of experience in partnerships, channel, or ecosystem development roles within industrial automation, robotics, machine tools, or adjacent manufacturing technology.
• Strong technical and commercial literacy, with the ability to confidently discuss design-in integration with engineers and commercial models with executives.
• Experience running or working inside a CRM-backed pipeline with a disciplined approach to qualification and data cleanliness.
• A culture-aligned mindset characterized by strong ownership, a growth-oriented approach, and the ability to manage diverse stakeholder expectations.
• Very good English skills (German is a plus).

Why join RobCo?

• Develop modular, software-defined robotics solutions with us that set new standards in automation.
• Help us build robots equipped with state-of-the-art AI that perceive their environment, analyze data, and make intelligent decisions in real time.
• As part of a very dynamic and fast-growing scale-up, you will take on responsibility from day one, drive your own projects, and see the direct impact of your work.
• Flat hierarchies, open communication, and regular 360° feedback enable fast decisions and support your professional and personal development.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package - including medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus a 401(k) plan.
• Unlimited paid time off incl. major holidays.
• Company-sponsored onboarding and team offsites in Germany.

About RobCo Founded in Munich in 2020, RobCo leads the transition toward fully Autonomous Industrial Robotics. Our mission is to deploy RobCo in every factory - solving the industrial labor shortage through end-to-end robotics that just works. Powered by Physical AI, our solutions combine a scalable modular hardware architecture with intelligent software that adapts to your use case, improves over time, and requires zero upfront investment through our Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) model. We solve our customers' most pressing pain points - labor shortage, cost pressure, workplace safety, and national reshoring - across the full spectrum of Autonomous Industrial Robotics. With $160M raised from investors including Lightspeed, Lingotto Innovation, and Sequoia, 200+ people globally, and 2.5M+ operating hours in the field, we are deploying robots in factories across Europe and the United States - with our US operations headquartered in Austin, TX, and our RobCo Bay Area Demo Lab in San Francisco. Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. At RobCo, applicants are selected regardless of ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation. All decisions throughout the recruitment process are based solely on applicants’ qualifications, skills, knowledge, and experience, as well as relevant business requirements.

• Highlight any experience you have building or managing partner programs in industrial automation, robotics, or AI‑driven hardware; include metrics such as partner pipeline growth, joint‑sell revenue, or time‑to‑market reductions to demonstrate you can “own the US partner book end‑to‑end.”

• Showcase proficiency with partnership‑centric CRMs (e.g., Salesforce Partner Community, HubSpot, or Zoho Partner Portal) and integration tools (Zapier, MuleSoft) by attaching a short screen‑recorded walkthrough of a partner onboarding workflow you designed, emphasizing automation of contracts, enablement content, and performance dashboards.
• Prepare a 2‑page “Ecosystem Playbook” for RobCo that maps the US automation landscape (system integrators, OEMs, distributors, software platforms) and proposes a tiered partner model; bring this to the interview to prove you can “bridge the gap” and think strategically about scaling the partner network.
• During interviews, demonstrate consultative selling and technical fluency by walking through a real‑world scenario: how you would co‑create a joint solution with a US system integrator to integrate RobCo’s hardware‑software‑AI stack into a manufacturing line, covering ROI calculations, joint‑marketing plans, and support escalation paths.
• When discussing compensation, research recent partner‑program manager salaries at fast‑growing robotics or automation firms (e.g., $130‑$155k base + 10‑15% performance bonus) and be ready to negotiate a blended package that includes a quarterly partnership‑growth bonus tied to partner‑generated ARR, reinforcing your commitment to scaling RobCo’s ecosystem.