Partnerships Lead

Unit21, INC | Full time

San Francisco, United States | Posted on 01/16/2026

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• Date Opened 01/16/2026
• Job Type Full time
• Industry Technology
• City San Francisco
• State/Province California
• Country United States
• Zip/Postal Code 94102

​For many people, the most important aspect of a new role is mission alignment. At Unit21, we’re dedicated to fighting financial crime. We’re building out a suite of AI tooling to make detection & investigation so efficient that many vectors of wrongdoing will be eliminated. Our calling card in the industry is customizability and putting control in the hands of Fraud & AML agents to help them work with speed, accuracy, and trust. Unit21 is a place to work for those who want to make a difference.

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About the Role

We’re hiring a Partnerships Lead to help build and scale Unit21’s strategic partner ecosystem at the intersection of AI, data, and financial services. In this role, you’ll work closely with Product, Engineering, and GTM teams to develop partnerships that extend the reach of Unit21’s AI-powered risk and investigation platform.

This role is ideal for someone early in their career who is AI-native, analytically strong, and intellectually curious, and who wants to grow into a senior partnerships leader by helping define how modern AI systems are commercialized and brought to market in regulated environments.

What You Will Be Doing

Help define and execute Unit21’s partnerships strategy with a focus on AI-driven risk, data, and workflow platforms

Identify, evaluate, and build relationships with AI-forward fintechs, data providers, infrastructure platforms, system integrators, and research-driven startups

Develop joint value propositions and partner narratives that clearly articulate how Unit21’s Agentic AI, data pipelines, and human-in-the-loop workflows outperform legacy, rules-only systems

Collaborate closely with Product, Engineering, and Data teams to support partner integrations, proofs of concept, and technical evaluations with clear success criteria (e.g., improved detection accuracy, reduced false positives, faster investigations)

Partner with GTM teams to support AI-centric co-marketing and go-to-market initiatives, including events, content, and joint customer engagements

Engage with partner stakeholders across business, product, engineering, and data science functions to align on shared objectives

Track and analyze partner performance metrics, including pipeline influence, product adoption, and strategic impact

Support partnership negotiations and agreements, developing fluency in commercial, legal, and technical considerations

Represent Unit21 at AI, fintech, and financial services events, conferences, and academic or startup-focused forums

What We’re Looking For

2–5 years of experience in partnerships, business development, strategy, technical GTM, or research commercialization, ideally within AI, data, fintech, or enterprise software environments

AI-native technical fluency: comfort discussing modern AI and machine learning concepts (e.g., model-driven decisioning, data pipelines, human-in-the-loop systems, evaluation metrics) and translating them into real-world business impact

Strong academic background in a technical or analytical discipline (e.g., computer science, data science, engineering, applied math, economics, or related fields)

Ability to engage in credible, structured conversations about complex AI-powered systems with both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Curiosity about how modern AI approaches outperform legacy, rules-based systems, particularly in regulated or high-stakes environments

Analytical, metrics-driven mindset, with interest in assessing partnership value through experimentation, signal, and outcomes

Comfort operating in fast-moving, ambiguous environments where products, messaging, and markets are still evolving

High levels of intellectual curiosity, humility, and hustle, with clear interest in growing into a long-term partnerships leadership role

Bonus Points

Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field

Exposure to fraud, AML, compliance, or broader risk ecosystems

Experience working at early-stage or high-growth startups

Hands-on experience with AI, data, analytics, or workflow platforms (technical, commercial, or academic)

Familiarity with structured frameworks for evaluating complex deals, partnerships, or technical initiatives

Work Location

Hybrid - San Francisco

Compensation

The base salary range for this role is $180,000–$220,000 annually, depending on experience and location.
This range does not include bonuses, equity, or other incentives.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and pre-IPO equity

• 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance (employee)

• Unlimited PTO and generous leave programs

• 401(k), learning & development stipend, and home office setup support

• Inclusive, high-ownership culture focused on impact, innovation, and growth

Equal Opportunity

Unit21 is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates to apply even if they do not meet every listed requirement. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive workforce.

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