Director, Client Partnerships

Director, Client Partnerships – Data, AI & Technology Services

Location: SF Bay Area

Employment Type: Full-time

Reports to: Founder / CEO

Company: NextPhase.ai

About NextPhase.ai

NextPhase.ai helps organizations use AI, automation, and modern software delivery to solve real business problems. We partner with clients from initial opportunity discovery through execution, helping them define high-value initiatives, scope the right solution, and deliver measurable outcomes.

We are looking for a Director, Client Partnerships to own client relationships from first conversation through delivery and expansion. This is a highly consultative, relationship-driven role for someone who can understand business needs, shape opportunities, coordinate with delivery teams, and grow long-term client accounts.

About the Role

The Director, Client Partnerships will be responsible for converting qualified leads into client engagements, leading discovery calls, scoping opportunities, coordinating proposals, and ensuring a smooth transition to the delivery team once work is signed.

This person will remain engaged throughout delivery to ensure client satisfaction, identify risks early, and uncover opportunities for additional work. The ideal candidate is part consultative seller, part account leader, and part engagement strategist.

You should be comfortable speaking with executives and business stakeholders, asking strong discovery questions, translating business needs into solution opportunities, and working closely with technical and delivery teams to shape successful engagements.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Client Development

Own qualified leads from initial conversation through signed engagement.

Lead discovery calls with prospects to understand their business goals, pain points, priorities, timelines, and decision-making process.

Build trusted relationships with client stakeholders, including executives, department leaders, and operational teams.

Guide prospects through the sales process in a consultative, value-driven manner.

Develop a clear understanding of client needs and translate them into potential project opportunities.

Coordinate proposals, statements of work, pricing discussions, and contract follow-up.

Maintain accurate pipeline, opportunity, and account information.

Solution Scoping & Proposal Development

Partner with delivery, product, technical, and leadership teams to define project scope, objectives, timelines, assumptions, and success criteria.

Help shape solutions that are both commercially compelling and operationally deliverable.

Identify client requirements, constraints, dependencies, and risks during the sales process.

Ensure proposed work is clearly documented and aligned with client expectations before signature.

Support creation of proposals, presentations, project briefs, and SOWs.

Client Relationship & Delivery Oversight

Lead the client handoff from sales to delivery after the deal is signed.

Stay engaged with clients throughout delivery to ensure satisfaction and alignment.

Serve as a strategic relationship owner while the delivery team executes the work.

Monitor client sentiment, project health, and potential risks.

Collaborate with delivery leads to address issues, clarify expectations, and keep client stakeholders informed.

Ensure clients feel supported, heard, and confident in the work being delivered.

Account Growth & Expansion

Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships.

Proactively surface new use cases, follow-on projects, and upsell opportunities.

Build account plans for strategic clients.

Maintain regular touchpoints with clients beyond active project delivery.

Partner with leadership to grow revenue from both new and existing accounts.

What We’re Looking For

Required Experience

8 years of experience in consultative sales, client partnerships, account management, business development, or client-facing professional services.

Experience selling or managing services, consulting, technology, software, AI, automation, data, or digital transformation engagements.

Strong ability to lead discovery conversations and uncover business needs.

Experience working with delivery or technical teams to scope client work.

Comfort managing relationships across both pre-sale and post-sale stages.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to manage multiple opportunities and client relationships at once.

Commercial judgment and ability to recognize high-value opportunities.

Preferred Experience

Experience in AI, SaaS, software development, automation, analytics, or technology consulting.

Experience selling project-based or professional services engagements.

Familiarity with proposal writing, SOW development, and solution scoping.

Experience working directly with founders, executives, or senior client stakeholders.

Prior experience in a startup, consulting firm, agency, or professional services environment.

Ideal Candidate Profile

You may be a strong fit for this role if you:

Are excellent at building trust with prospects and clients.

Can quickly understand a client’s business problem and frame a practical path forward.

Are comfortable operating between sales, strategy, and delivery.

Know how to ask thoughtful discovery questions and listen carefully.

Can manage ambiguity and help turn vague needs into scoped opportunities.

Are commercially minded without being transactional.

Care deeply about client outcomes, not just closing deals.

Can identify expansion opportunities naturally through strong relationship management.

Success in This Role Looks Like

Qualified leads are converted into well-scoped, signed client engagements.

Clients experience a smooth transition from sales into delivery.

Delivery teams receive clear context, expectations, and success criteria.

Clients remain engaged, satisfied, and confident throughout execution.

Existing accounts generate follow-on opportunities and expanded work.

Leadership has clear visibility into pipeline, account health, and growth opportunities.

Compensation

Compensation will include a competitive base salary plus performance-based incentives tied to closed revenue, client expansion, or account growth.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and a short note describing your experience building