Partner Program & Operations Manager

About OpenSesame

OpenSesame is disrupting the workforce development industry, leveraging an AI-powered marketplace of more than 60,000 skills courses, complemented by assessments, content authoring, curation, personalized learning pathways, and virtual coaching. Learning is delivered seamlessly through existing enterprise systems and in the flow of work. More than 2,000 companies, including 150+ of the Global 2000, rely on OpenSesame to develop the world's most productive and admired workforces.

Learn more: www.opensesame.com/about

About the Team

The Partnerships team is responsible for the growth and the health of OpenSesame's global partner ecosystem. We work across technology, channel, referral, reseller, marketplace, and strategic alliances to expand reach of our joint solutions and deliver exceptional experiences for our partners and their customers.

The Partner Program & Operations Manager designs the systems that scale partner-led growth for OpenSesame. From partner programs and strategic planning to operational processes, enablement, automation, and cross-functional initiatives, the team builds the infrastructure that enables our indirect business to thrive.

About the Role

OpenSesame is seeking a strategic, systems-minded, and highly collaborative Partner Program & Operations Manager to design, evolve, and evolve the operating model behind our global partner ecosystem.

Rather than managing partner relationships directly, this role owns the programs, planning frameworks, governance, operational processes, and strategic initiatives that enable those relationships to succeed. You'll translate business strategy into scalable execution by partnering across Sales, Marketing, Product, Customer Success, Revenue Operations, Finance, Business Systems, and Partnerships.

This role is ideal for someone with a proven track record of building and scaling programs in SaaS, simplifying complex business processes, leading cross-functional initiatives, and leveraging automation and AI to drive operational excellence and improve organizational effectiveness.

What You'll Do

Own the Partner Program

• Own and evolve the OpenSesame Partner Program, including structure benefits, incentives, onboarding, lifecycle management, documentation, communications, and governance.
• Continuously improve the partner experience while ensuring the program remains scalable and aligned with business priorities.

Lead Strategic Planning & Programs

• Own annual and quarterly partner planning cycles, executive planning materials, and strategic planning frameworks.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that strengthen the partner ecosystem, improve operational efficiency, enhance the partner experience, and support partner-led revenue growth.
• Develop roadmaps and operating rhythms that align partner initiatives with company OKRs and measurable business outcomes.

Build Scalable Partner Operations

• Design and optimize operational processes across onboarding, activation, referrals, co-sell, OEM, partner lifecycle management, and governance.
• Standardize documentation, templates, and operating procedures that improve consistency while reducing operational complexity.
• Identify opportunities to automate workflows and improve team productivity
• Manage, evolve and enable team on specific GTM and Partner software such as Salesforce, Euler, Crossbeam, Gong, etc.

Drive Performance & Business Insights

• Define partner performance metrics and reporting frameworks, including sourced and influenced revenue, partner activation, partner health, operational KPIs, and program adoption.
• Partner with Revenue Operations and Business Systems to develop dashboards, executive reporting, Board decks and actionable business insights.
• Translate performance data into recommendations that improve partner outcomes and support strategic decision-making.

Strengthen Partner Enablement

• Partner with GTM Enablement to improve partner onboarding, certification, communications, co-sell readiness, and partner activation and engagement.
• Ensure partner-facing resources and internal enablement evolve alongside the Partner Program.

Lead Operational Excellence

• Manage and develop a Partner Program Associate and interns
• Support recruiting and onboarding of new Partner team members.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement through documentation, repeatable processes, automation, and AI-enabled workflows.
• Serve as a trusted operational partner across the organization, improving how teams work together to support partner-led growth.

Key Performance Objectives

Within 30 Days: Learn & Assess

Build a strong understanding of OpenSesame's partner ecosystem, operating model, and strategic priorities while establishing trusted relationships across the business.

Success looks like:

• Develop a deep understanding of the Partner Program, GTM motions, partner lifecycle, and operating model.
• Build relationships with key stakeholders across Partners, Sales, Marketing, Product, Customer Success, Revenue Operations, Finance, and Business Systems.
• Assess current partner planning, onboarding, enablement, reporting, governance, and operational processes.
• Identify opportunities to simplify workflows, improve the partner experience, and increase operational efficiency.
• Align with leadership on priorities, success measures, and long-term objectives.

Within 60 Days: Own & Improve

Begin leading key operational initiatives while delivering measurable improvements to the partner operating model.

Success looks like:

• Assume ownership of the Partner Program operating model and governance.
• Lead strategic initiatives by coordinating stakeholders, communications, timelines, and execution.
• Deliver early improvements to partner planning, onboarding, enablement, or operational workflows.
• Partner with Revenue Operations and Business Systems to evaluate reporting, dashboards, and partner health metrics.
• Identify and prioritize AI and automation opportunities that improve scalability and reduce manual work.
• Begin coaching and developing the Partner Program Associate.

Within 90 Days: Deliver & Scale

Operate as the strategic owner of the Partner Program while establishing a roadmap for continued growth and optimization.

Success looks like:

• Fully own the Partner Program operating model and cross-functional initiatives.
• Deliver measurable improvements to partner planning, operational processes, reporting, governance, or enablement.
• Launch or advance AI and automation initiatives that improve productivity across the Partnerships organization.
• Establish executive-ready reporting that provides visibility into partner activation, program adoption, operational KPIs, and business impact.
• Build a prioritized roadmap for the continued evolution of the Partner Program and partner operating model.
• Be recognized as a trusted operational leader and strategic partner across the business.

Within 6–12 Months: Optimize & Lead

Continue evolving OpenSesame's partner operating model into a scalable, best-in-class foundation for partner-led growth.

Success looks like:

• Continuously improve the Partner Program to support changing business needs and long-term growth.
• Successfully deliver strategic initiatives that improve partner activation, engagement, and partner-led revenue.
• Increase automation while reducing operational complexity across the partner lifecycle.
• Mature annual planning, Quarterly Business Reviews, executive reporting, and governance into repeatable operating rhythms.
• Expand AI-enabled workflows that improve productivity and operational efficiency across the Partnerships organization.
• Enable Strategic Partner Managers to spend more time growing partner relationships and less time navigating operational processes.

What Success Looks Like

• The Partner Program is simple, scalable, and aligned with business strategy.
• Strategic initiatives are successfully launched, broadly adopted across the business, and establish scalable frameworks that can be leveraged for future initiatives.
• Partner planning, onboarding, enablement, and governance operate through repeatable, well-defined processes.
• Leadership has trusted visibility into partner performance, program adoption, operational KPIs, and business impact.
• AI and automation meaningfully reduce manual work while improving operational efficiency.
• Strategic Partner Managers spend more time growing partner relationships and less time managing operational work.
• The Partnerships organization has a trusted operational leader responsible for continuously improving how partner-led growth scales.

Location: This is a remote role open to candidates based in the United States. OpenSesame is a remote-first company, and with some travel required

Compensation: The base salary for this position typically ranges from $135,000 -$148,000 USD annually, depending on experience. This role is also eligible for a bonus. At OpenSesame, we offer a comprehensive benefits package to employees upon hire, including professional development, ISOs, health insurance, 401(k) matching, and paid time off. 

Performance Driven: We're looking for self-starters with a track record of delivering excellent results, and we're highly selective about who we hire. We don't focus on typical job requirements, instead, we're interested in specific examples from your past experiences.

Benefits: Benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible PTO, 401(k) matching, incentive stock options, volunteer time off, Employee Resource Groups, and a generous professional development program with dedicated annual time off for learning and growth.

Equal Employment Opportunity: OpenSesame is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer that values and welcomes diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of various legally protected characteristics, including criminal history, and strive to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. We prioritize safety and security and may use your information accordingly, and you can contact us for assistance or accommodations during the job application process.

Pay Transparency: At OpenSesame, we prioritize pay transparency, fairness, and equity to create a positive and inclusive work environment, regularly reviewing our compensation practices to align with our values and goals. We provide competitive and fair compensation to our employees based on their skills, experience, and performance.

CPRA (California Candidates): When you submit your application, OpenSesame may collect and use your personal information in accordance with our privacy policy and the CPRA. This may include personal details and employment history, and will only be used for employment-related purposes. We may share this information with third-party service providers, but we will not sell it to third parties. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us, and for more information on your rights under the CPRA, refer to our privacy policy or the California Attorney General's website.

We Care About Your Security: We’ve been made aware of a phishing scam involving individuals impersonating OpenSesame recruiters. All legitimate communication from our team will come from @opensesame.com email addresses. If you receive a suspicious message, please contact us directly at careers@opensesame.com. Your security matters to us, thank you for staying vigilant.