Director of Data Partnerships at YipitData - $350k OTE in Columbus
Career & Market Insight
This is a high-impact, senior individual contributor role at the Director level — a relatively rare structure that lets you do strategic work without taking on people management. It's particularly well-suited to enterprise sales professionals or bankers looking to pivot into a more intellectually driven, deal-making function without traditional quota pressure.
Compensation: An OTE of $350k is competitive for a Director-level BD/partnerships role in the data/fintech space. Market benchmarks for similar roles at PE-backed analytics firms typically range from $250k–$400k OTE, so this sits in the upper half of that range. Equity is included, adding upside in a Carlyle/Norwest-backed company.
Skills developed in this role are highly marketable:
- Complex enterprise negotiation and deal structuring
- Strategic evaluation of data assets and alternative data ecosystems
- Executive-level stakeholder management (CEO/C-suite engagement)
- Cross-functional leadership without direct authority
Green flags: Growth-driven culture, explicit anti-politics stance, flexible hours, backed by top-tier investors, and a clear success metric (one flagship deal in 12–18 months). The IC structure means your output is directly attributable.
Watch for: Long deal cycles (12–18+ months to first success) mean delayed feedback loops. This suits patient, intrinsically motivated professionals — but may frustrate those who need frequent wins. No visa sponsorship also narrows the talent pool, which can be a positive signal for selectivity.
About Us
YipitData is the leading market research and analytics firm for the disruptive economy. We analyze billions of alternative data points every day to provide accurate, detailed insights across sectors, including e-commerce, ridesharing, payments, and marketplaces.
Our proprietary technology identifies, licenses, cleans, and analyzes third-party data that many of the world's largest investment funds and corporations depend on. We are backed by The Carlyle Group and Norwest Venture Partners and have been recognized multiple times as one of Inc's Best Workplaces. Our culture is focused on ownership, mastery, transparency, and impact.
About the Role
YipitData's product portfolio is underpinned by a growing set of strategic data partnerships. Each partnership acts as a growth driver for the business, unlocking new product development opportunities and expanding our sector coverage.
We currently have ~40 active data partnerships and are looking to hire a senior, Director-level individual contributor to scale this motion. This role sits at the intersection of corporate development, strategy, and product.
The Director, Strategic Data Partnerships, will identify, evaluate, and execute exclusive, long-cycle data partnerships that meaningfully shape our future product direction. This is not a procurement or channel partnerships role. Instead, it requires strong strategic judgment, executive presence, and deep curiosity about how data creates competitive advantage.
In This Role, You Will
- Identify and evaluate potential data partners with high strategic and product value
- Engage directly with CEOs and senior executives — many of whom have not previously monetized their data — to assess opportunity and build alignment
- Lead discovery and diligence processes to understand data quality, defensibility, and long-term product applicability
- Develop strategic and economic business cases for partnership opportunities
- Negotiate and execute complex, enterprise-level agreements, including exclusive arrangements
- Coordinate cross-functionally with legal, product, compliance, engineering, and executive leadership
- Exercise strong judgment in prioritizing opportunities and determining when to pursue, pause, or walk away
This role owns partnerships through signature. Ongoing relationship management and renewals are handled by a separate team.
What Success Looks Like
- Signing one flagship, exclusive partnership within the first 12–18 months
- Building a repeatable executive-level pipeline of high-quality partnership opportunities
- Establishing clear internal conviction around which opportunities merit investment
You Are Likely to Succeed If
- You have Director-level (or equivalent) experience in enterprise sales, strategic partnerships, corporate development, investment banking, or strategy consulting with operating exposure
- IC focused — ideal for enterprise sellers looking to transition into a non-traditional sales role without quota attainment.
- You have experience evaluating and executing complex, multi-stakeholder transactions
- You are comfortable engaging and influencing C-suite executives
- You demonstrate strong judgment when evaluating ambiguous, high-stakes opportunities
- You thrive in environments with less structure and enjoy carving new paths
- You have grit and resilience to sustain momentum through long-cycle negotiations
- You are genuinely curious about the data ecosystem and how data enables competitive advantage and new product innovation
What We Offer
Our compensation package includes a competitive base salary, performance incentives (OTE $350k), and equity.
We also offer:
- Flexible work hours and an open vacation policy
- Generous 401(k) match and parental leave
- Wellness and work-from-home benefits
- Learning and professional development support
Your growth at YipitData is determined by the impact you make — not tenure, unnecessary facetime, or office politics. Everyone at YipitData is empowered to self-improve and master their skills in an environment built on trust and accountability.
YipitData is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
This role may be performed fully remotely within the United States. Please note that our US headquarters are located in NYC. We also have office hubs in Austin, Miami, Denver, Mountain View, and Seattle. If the remote work is performed outside of these offices, income may be subject to New York State tax withholding.
Please note that for this position, we are not able to consider candidates who currently or in the future will require visa sponsorship.
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this role fully remote or does it require working from a specific office?
What is the compensation for the Director, Strategic Data Partnerships role?
Is visa sponsorship available for this position?
Does this role involve managing a team or is it purely individual contributor?
What does the partnership lifecycle look like — does this role manage ongoing relationships?
