Founding Strategic Partnerships, Cloud & Alliances
Retell AI is hiring a Founding Strategic Partnerships, Cloud & Alliances. It pays $180k-$230k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Retell AI.
Level's read on this job
- Works on AI ●●●○ is how Level rates this role: the daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- Retell AI mentions visa sponsorship in this posting.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include speech, strategic partnerships and business development.
- Level classifies it as a lead role.
- Level lists 27 other open roles at Retell AI.
AI in this role
Founding Strategic Partnerships lead managing cloud providers and ecosystem alliances for a voice AI platform.
ABOUT RETELL AI
Retell AI is using first-principles thinking to reimagine the call center with cutting-edge voice AI. Thousands of companies now use Retell's AI voice agents to handle sales, support, and logistics calls that once required large teams of human agents. Backed by Y Combinator, Alt Capital, and other leading investors, we've scaled to $80M in ARR with a team of 50, up from $5M at the start of 2025, and are now valued at over $1.5B.
Our vision for 2026 is to build a modern CX platform where entire contact centers are powered by AI. Instead of basic automation that needs constant human tuning, we're creating intelligent AI “workers” that act as frontline agents, QA analysts, and managers, continuously executing, monitoring, and improving every customer interaction.
We're growing fast and looking for ambitious builders who want to tackle hard technical problems, move quickly, and have a real impact on one of the fastest-growing voice AI companies in the world.
Let's build the future together.
Recent recognition:
No. 1 Best Places to Work in the Bay Area, San Francisco Business Times 2026
#3 Fastest-Growing Software Company, G2 Best Software Awards 2026
ABOUT THE ROLE
Retell AI transforms customer experience with voice AI for enterprises, including customers like CVS/Aetna, American Airlines, Lenovo, and Grab. We have more customer stories than we can tell!
We’re looking for a Founding Strategic Partnerships, Cloud & Alliances to help build and scale Retell AI’s ecosystem partnerships and go-to-market alliances.
In this role, you’ll identify, negotiate, and manage strategic relationships across cloud providers, AI platforms, systems integrators, channel partners, and enterprise technology ecosystems. You’ll work directly with founders and GTM leadership to expand Retell AI’s market reach, drive partner-sourced pipeline, and develop long-term strategic relationships that accelerate company growth.
This is a highly cross-functional role that combines business development, partnerships, strategic relationship management, and ecosystem growth. We’re looking for someone who is commercially minded, highly relationship-oriented, and excited to operate in a fast-moving startup environment with significant ownership.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Own a portfolio spanning cloud hyperscalers, CCaaS and CRM platforms, and consultancies, SIs, and BPOs.
Own the outcomes for your portfolio: activated partnerships, partner-sourced SQLs, co-sold pipeline, and closed-won repeatable revenue against quarterly targets.
Run the cloud hyperscaler motion: launch and grow marketplace and co-sell programs (listings, private offers, and co-sell programs that comp partner AEs to sell Retell), manage relationships with PDMs, drive joint outbound with their AEs, deliver field presentations, and show up at partner conferences and kickoffs.
Run the CCaaS and strategic partner motion: build joint offerings with CCaaS and CRM platforms, SIs, consultancies, and BPOs. Establish co-sell, resale, referral, and implementation models; enable partner teams; map shared accounts; and support joint pursuits through deployment.
Vet, sign, and activate strategic partners, consultancies, SIs, and BPOs: develop and launch enablement initiatives (training paths, certification, GTM plays, shared marketing assets) so their consultants can position and deploy Retell in client work, plus joint pursuit support on live deals.
Drive co-marketing across the portfolio and represent Retell in the ecosystem: joint launches, blog posts, demos, industry conferences, joint partner events, and roundtables.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Legal, Sales, FDEs, Product, Engineering, and Marketing to ensure partner performance and alignment with Retell's revenue strategy.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
5+ years of experience in strategic or channel partnerships at a high-growth SaaS company.
Deep experience working with cloud hyperscalers, CCaaS or CRM platforms, consultancies, SIs, or BPOs.
Proven ability to build partner programs from zero and launch successful marketplace, co-sell, resale, or implementation motions.
Strong executive presence with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
Excellent organizational, communication, and relationship-management skills, with the ability to represent Retell across the ecosystem.
YOU MIGHT THRIVE IF
You’re highly relationship-oriented and naturally enjoy building trust with customers, partners, and executives
You’re commercially minded and excited by pipeline generation, partnerships, and business growth
You enjoy operating in ambiguous, fast-moving startup environments with high ownership
You’re comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution
You communicate clearly and can influence both internal stakeholders and external executives
You enjoy networking, attending industry events, and representing the company externally
You learn quickly and enjoy understanding technical products and AI infrastructure ecosystems
JOB DETAILS
Cash: 170k - 230k + Meaningful Equity
Travel: Frequent travel required for conferences, partner meetings, customer engagements, and ecosystem events
Reporting Structure: Directly reports to company leadership and works closely with GTM, Product, and Engineering teams
Location: Redwood City, CA, US
US Visas: Retell AI is open to sponsoring work authorization for qualified candidates, including H1B/H-1B, TN, L-1, E-3, F-1 (OPT/CPT), and O-1 visas.
OTHER BENEFITS
100% coverage for medical, dental, and vision insurance
$70/day DoorDash credit for unlimited breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
$200/month wellness reimbursement (gym, fitness classes, etc.)
$300/month commuter reimbursement (gas, Caltrain, etc.)
$75/month phone bill reimbursement
$50/month internet reimbursement
COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY
High Ownership: Small teams, rapid execution, and meaningful business impact
Performance-Oriented: Success is measured through relationship quality, pipeline generation, and ecosystem growth
Top Talent Density: Work alongside ambitious operators and builders at one of the fastest-growing AI startups
Career Growth: Strong performers will have opportunities to expand into broader strategic partnerships and GTM leadership roles
INTERVIEW PROCESS
Recruiter Screen (15 min): Background, motivations, compensation, and partnership experience.
GTM team member interview (30 min): Overview, sales process and methodology.
CEO Interview (30 min): This call will focus on your experience selling technical products.
Final Onsite (2.5 hrs): Deep dive into past partnerships, strategic thinking, and cross-functional execution.
How we rate this
Founding Strategic Partnerships, Cloud & Alliances at Retell AI rates 65 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Works on AI (AI Level 3 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Works on AI. The daily work is on AI products, without building the model.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Questions you could be asked
- What have you built with speech recognition or text-to-speech, and where did it break?
- Tell me about a project where strategic partnerships was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where business development was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where ecosystem growth was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where alliances was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Speech, Strategic Partnerships, Business Development, Ecosystem Growth, and Alliances. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
- Show where AI is part of your daily process, not a one-off project. This role expects it to be a running habit.
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