About the Role

As the Head of Partnerships at RISC Zero, you'll be the key driver in forging and nurturing strategic partnerships crucial for our growth. In a team of diverse hackers, futurists, and nerds, you'll work closely with our team and noteworthy founders in the crypto space to align these partnerships with our vision.

We've created the world's first zkVM capable of running arbitrary code as a zero-knowledge proof. Your role involves building and driving partnerships that expand our ecosystem, utilizing your market insights and strategic acumen to significantly influence our trajectory. Join us in making the Internet the place we all deserve.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Partnership Development: Cultivate and maintain pivotal partnerships with key projects in the crypto space, focusing on opportunities that align with RISC Zero’s product offerings.

• Focused Planning and Framework Creation: Design and spearhead the strategy process and framework for significant verticals, ensuring they align with RISC Zero’s goals.

• Collaborative Teamwork for Partnership Alignment: Partner with cross-functional teams, including founders, engineering, product and growth, to align partnership initiatives with company objectives.

• In-depth Knowledge of RISC Zero’s zkVM, Bonsai: Acquire comprehensive knowledge and proficiency in discussing RISC Zero and its market positioning.

• Effective Partnership and Team Communication: Communicate strategically with external partners and internal teams to ensure the cohesion and achievement of our growth goals.

• Market Insight and Trend Analysis: Continuously update knowledge on industry trends, the competitive landscape, and emerging partnership opportunities.

• Leadership in Strategic Initiatives: Take charge of large, high-priority, strategic deals involving cross-functional teams, making critical decisions that significantly impact RISC Zero’s direction and growth.

Top Initiatives You’ll Own  (over the first 3-6 months)

• Close High-Priority Partnerships: Successfully negotiate and close strategic partnerships for RISC Zero.

• Proposal and Documentation Development: Draft clear and comprehensive proposals, MOUs, and integration documentation for partners.

• Technical Collaboration: Work closely with founders and technical teams to bridge the gap between partner needs and RISC Zero capabilities.

Long-term (1 year)

• Strategic Partnership Development: Cultivate and strengthen long-term relationships with key partners, contributing significantly to RISC Zero's market positioning and growth.

Minimum Qualifications

• Blockchain Partnership Expertise: Demonstrated track record of forging partnerships in the Web3 space, skilled in crafting mutually beneficial agreements.

• In-depth Blockchain Industry Knowledge: Comprehensive understanding of the blockchain ecosystem, encompassing infrastructure and immediate applications, particularly within the Layer 2 and ZK ecosystems.

• Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Alignment: Demonstrated ability to drive consensus and support from key internal and external stakeholders for strategic decisions.

• Experience in Partnership Development: Minimum of 3 years of experience developing, negotiating, and managing partnership agreements in crypto.

• Collaboration with Crypto Founders and Engineering Teams: Experience working closely with founders in the crypto space to ensure that partnership initiatives are technically viable and align with the strategic vision of our prospective partners.

• Project Management: Proven experience in managing complex projects with a track record of successful outcomes.

• Technical Understanding: Deep familiarity with technical concepts native to the crypto space and the capability to effectively discuss technical issues with engineering teams.

• Effective Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience in proposal and documentation writing and public speaking.

• Strategic Thinking: Demonstrated strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

Ideal Candidate Qualities:

• 🔒 Authenticity: Demonstrates ethical leadership, honesty, and transparency in all interactions.

• 💖 Empathy: Shows understanding and concern for the well-being of team members, demonstrating a humane orientation to leadership.

• 🌟 Resilience: Demonstrates positivity and resilience in the face of challenges, providing inspiration and motivation to the team.

• 🌱 Growth Mindset: Encourages continuous learning and personal development within the team, focusing on the human dynamic and the unique needs and strengths of all stakeholders.

• 🎯 Strategic Thinking: Exhibits the ability to think strategically and act decisively, balancing immediate needs with long-term goals.

• 🌍 Inclusive Leadership: Champions diversity and inclusion, promoting equitable opportunities and treatment for all team members.

• 🤝 Collaborative: Excels at breaking down silos and creating a "one team, one roadmap" culture. Has a strong ability to facilitate productive relationships across teams.

• 👷🏾‍♀️ Builder: You’re a creator and a doer; you understand the vision, formulate the strategy, and take ownership of its execution.

What We Offer

• Salary & Total Cash: Competitive range of $225,000 - $300,000.

• Professional Development: Access to leadership coaching and numerous learning opportunities.

• Work Flexibility: Remote work with up to 20% travel for team meetings and events, plus a Seattle co-working space.

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive coverage with United Health Care Choice Plus (US employee), including significant premium contributions. Gold-level insurance for international employees via Deel.

• Retirement Plan: 401k to support your future or statutory plans in your given country.

• Equity: Generous company equity through Profit Incentive units (PIUs), vesting monthly.

• Vacation: Unlimited PTO, with 3-5 weeks standard.

• Holidays: 11 paid holidays for rest and rejuvenation.

• Culture: A supportive, collaborative, and inclusive work environment.

About Us

We're on a mission to transform the internet for the better. Our team of innovative hackers, visionary futurists, and passionate nerds is devoted to creating a digital space that's safe, inclusive, and empowers everyone. By developing the world's first zero-knowledge virtual machine, we've laid the groundwork for running arbitrary code as a zero-knowledge proof. Utilizing a ZK Coprocessor to assist or enhance the compute of an on-chain application, we have created a unique package - the RISC Zero ZK Coprocessor, comprised of the zkVM, Bonsai, and ETH Relay. Now, we're ambitiously constructing an entire ecosystem around this groundbreaking technology.

To ensure effective collaboration and seamless communication across our global team, all candidates must be available to overlap with the Pacific Standard Time (PST) zone for at least 3 hours during regular business hours. This requirement is essential for maintaining efficient workflow, participating in team meetings, and facilitating timely responses to customer inquiries and internal requests.