Partnerships Manager

As Partnerships Manager, you'll own and scale Instead's most strategic growth channel: partnerships with CPA firms, accounting networks, tax technology companies, and professional services organizations. This is a builder role. You'll be identifying, closing, and operationalizing the relationships that drive Instead's distribution and revenue at scale.

• Own the full partnership lifecycle: identify, pitch, negotiate, close, and operationalize strategic partnerships with CPA firms, accounting networks, and tax technology platforms
• Build and execute co‑selling and reseller motions with partner firms, creating alignment between their practice leaders and Instead's GTM team
• Drive distribution partnerships that embed Instead into accounting firm workflows, making us the default tax automation layer
• Develop joint go‑to‑market programs: co‑branded content, webinars, conference presence, referral programs, and integration partnerships
• Work cross‑functionally with Product, Engineering, and Tax to ensure partner needs are reflected in our roadmap and delivery
• Represent Instead at industry events (AICPA, , state CPA conferences, tax technology summits) and build executive‑level relationships across the ecosystem
• Track partnership performance rigorously: pipeline generated, revenue influenced, firms onboarded, retention impact
• Help define Instead's partner program structure, tiers, incentives, and enablement as we scale from early partnerships to a mature channel

• 5-10+ years in partnerships, business development, or channel sales within accounting, tax, or professional services technology
• Deep existing relationships in the CPA/accounting firm ecosystem. You know the players, the decision‑makers, and how firms actually buy technology
• Proven track record of closing and scaling technology partnerships that drove measurable revenue outcomes
• Experience working with Top 100 or Top 250 accounting firms, regional firms, or CPA networks
• Strong commercial instincts. You can build a business case, structure a deal, and negotiate terms that work for both sides
• Comfort operating in ambiguity at a high‑growth startup; you build the playbook, not follow one
• Executive presence and the ability to build trusted relationships with Managing Partners, CTOs, and practice leaders at major firms
• Bonus:
  Experience with tax technology (CCH, Thomson Reuters, Drake, Intuit Pro Connect) or accounting practice management platforms

$200-250K OTE (base + variable) + equity