Strategic Partnerships Development Manager
WFA Digital Insight
Waymo’s Strategic Partnerships Development Manager sits at the heart of a company that has already logged more than 100 million autonomous miles. The role isn’t a generic account‑management job; it blends high‑stakes negotiation with long‑term partnership architecture, demanding a blend of legal acuity and business‑strategy foresight. Candidates will be expected to craft and execute partnership agreements that protect Waymo’s interests while unlocking new markets—a rare chance to influence the rollout of autonomous‑vehicle services across the globe. The position also calls for daily coordination with senior executives both inside and outside Waymo, meaning strong relationship‑building skills are essential. If you thrive on shaping complex, cross‑functional deals in a fast‑moving tech environment, this posting stands out for its direct impact on Waymo’s commercial expansion.
Job Description
Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has focused on building the Waymo Driver—The World's Most Experienced Driver™—to improve access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a range of vehicle platforms and product use cases. The Waymo Driver has provided over ten million rider-only trips, enabled by its experience autonomously driving over 100 million miles on public roads and tens of billions in simulation across 15+ U.S. states.
The Business Development and Partnerships team helps plan Waymo's dynamic future and drive the company's go-to-market strategy. We work cross-functionally and leverage quantitative and qualitative analysis to build forward-looking partnerships that deliver on Waymo's strategic business objectives. As a member of this entrepreneurial and results-oriented team, you will have a significant impact on defining, developing and executing critical services that enable Waymo's commercial deployment.
You will:
- Identify, draft, negotiate and implement effective partner agreements that minimize financial and business risk exposure and drive results across the Waymo partnerships ecosystem
- Build relationships with prospective strategic partners and lead the RFX process for expanding strategic ops services to new global markets
- Develop and execute strategic plans to deepen and evolve Waymo’s strategic partnerships to support business objectives and expansion to future markets
- In partnership with stakeholders, build and maintain comprehensive partnership plans that support Waymo’s business objectives and current and proposed projects.
- Nurture and maintain business relationships at the executive level of strategic partners to enable smooth negotiations, accelerated timelines and a point of escalation
- Establish best practices and develop internal systems to facilitate Waymo’s work with strategic ops partners across teams
You have:
- 5+ years of experience in partner management, partner development, or account management.
- Experience building relationships with executive stakeholders with service providers
- Ability to thrive in ambiguity and operate with flexibility in a fast-paced, constantly evolving and highly collaborative environment
- Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional teams and ability to influence at all levels, internally and externally
- Detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize, plan and implement key activities
- Excellent communication and superior analytical skills, meticulous in following-up, able to deliver results under pressure, and keen presentation skills
We prefer:
- Experience in partner management, account management or relationship building.
- Experience working with executive stakeholders
- Experience leading global partnership programs
- Experience working cross-functionally within an organization and driving decision-making
Travel Requirements:
Willing to travel 30% of the time, domestic and international
In accordance with Washington state law, we are highlighting our comprehensive benefits package, which is available to all eligible US based employees. Benefits for this role include:
- Health, dental, vision, life, disability insurance
- Retirement Benefits: 401(k) with company match
- Paid Time Off: 20 days of vacation per year, accruing at a rate of 6.15 hours per pay period for the first five years of employment
- Sick Time: 40 hours/year (statutory, where applicable); 5 days/event (discretionary)
- Maternity Leave (Short-Term Disability + Baby Bonding): 28-30 weeks
- Baby Bonding Leave: 18 weeks
- Holidays: 13 paid days per year
((Remote jobs only - Please note that Waymo may not be able to employ remotely in all locations. Please speak with your recruiter about your preferred location for remote work when you begin the interview process.))
The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process.
Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.
How to Stand Out
- Highlight your experience negotiating high‑value agreements; include specific outcomes or deal sizes where possible.
- Prepare a concise case study of a partnership you built from prospecting to execution, emphasizing cross‑functional collaboration.
- Demonstrate Excel proficiency by sharing a sample analysis or discussing a complex model you built for risk assessment.
- Expect scenario‑based interview questions that test how you handle ambiguity and shifting priorities.
- Research Waymo’s current market expansions and be ready to suggest potential partner categories that could accelerate growth.
- When discussing compensation, focus on total rewards—including equity, remote‑work benefits, and professional development—since salary isn’t disclosed.
- Watch for red flags such as vague reporting structures or unrealistic travel expectations; clarify these early in the process.
This is a remote position listed on WFA Digital, the platform for professionals who work from anywhere. Browse more remote jobs across all categories.