Vice President, Emerging Tech Alliances in McLean, Virginia at Merlin International Inc
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Job Description
About Merlin Group
Merlin Group operates at the intersection of cyber innovation, national security, and technology-driven transformation. With a mission to accelerate the adoption of high-impact technologies across the U.S. public sector and regulated commercial markets, Merlin is uniquely structured around three core tenets – Invest, Enable, and Scale – each designed to address a specific stage of the technology lifecycle. Together, our affiliates – Merlin Ventures, CGC, and Merlin Cyber – form a flywheel that builds enduring capability for customers, partners, and the broader cyber ecosystem, operationalizing technological advancement into mission-ready, enterprise-grade solutions.
At Merlin, we believe our strength lies in our people. Team members are encouraged to be creative, collaborative, and nimble, pursuing paths to deliver the cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions that our customers rely on. From next-generation cyber defense to secure cloud and AI, we are united by one purpose – transforming innovation into mission impact.
The Opportunity
The Vice President of Emerging Tech Alliances is responsible for developing, managing, and scaling Merlin Group’s strategic technology partnerships to drive qualified pipeline, revenue growth, and market differentiation. This role will lead engagement with priority and emerging ecosystem partners (e.g., hyperscalers, cybersecurity platform providers, and mission-aligned technology firms) to co-develop go-to-market strategies, expand joint offerings, and accelerate deal flow across federal and commercial sectors.
This executive will also serve as Merlin's primary relationship owner for a portfolio of high-potential, not-yet-market-channel-ready emerging technology companies - particularly founder-led, early-stage firms navigating the path to federal revenue. Acting as the principal Merlin interlocutor with co-founders, CEOs, CTOs, and technical leadership, this leader will provide strategic guidance, market insight, and cross-functional orchestration to help these companies mature over a 12–18-month horizon toward their initial federal ARR. This responsibility includes, but is broader than, Merlin Ventures portfolio companies and extends across Merlin’s broader emerging technology ecosystem.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
Alliance Strategy & Growth
- Define and execute the enterprise-wide technology alliance strategy aligned to Merlin’s growth priorities, with a focus on revenue generation and pipeline acceleration
- Identify, prioritize, and mature high-impact partnerships across hyperscalers, cybersecurity platforms, and emerging technology providers
- Establish measurable alliance KPIs (pipeline contribution, influenced revenue, joint wins, etc.) and track performance against targets
Pipeline Development & Deal Acceleration
- Drive co-sell motions with partners to generate qualified opportunities and expand pipeline
- Partner with Business Development and Capture teams to integrate alliance partners into opportunity shaping, capture strategy, and proposal efforts
- Enable joint account planning and coordinated engagement across target accounts
Partner Relationship Management
- Build and maintain executive-level relationships with strategic partners
- Serve as the primary escalation and governance point for alliance-related matters
- Negotiate partnership agreements, teaming constructs, and joint investment initiatives
Emerging Company Relationship Management
- Serve as the senior Merlin relationship lead for a portfolio of emerging technology companies that are not yet market-channel ready, helping position them for successful entry into federal and regulated markets
- Build trusted advisory relationships with founders, CEOs, CTOs, and executive leadership teams, providing strategic guidance on market readiness, federal go-to-market pathways, partnership strategy, and enterprise adoption
- Act as the principal Merlin interlocutor and internal orchestrator across the company’s 12–18-month journey toward initial federal ARR, coordinating support across Merlin’s Invest, Enable, and Scale functions
- Assess technical maturity, product-market fit, and commercialization readiness to determine the most effective path for growth and market acceleration
- Facilitate executive access, customer introductions, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem engagement necessary to accelerate federal adoption and revenue realization
- Support companies within and beyond the Merlin Ventures portfolio, ensuring Merlin’s broader emerging technology ecosystem is effectively cultivated and scaled
Go-to-Market & Offering Development
- Collaborate with internal practice leaders to develop joint solutions and integrated offerings leveraging partner technologies
- Lead joint marketing initiatives, campaigns, and events to increase brand visibility and demand generation
- Ensure alignment of alliance activities with Merlin’s core capabilities (e.g., cyber, cloud, digital transformation)
Internal Enablement & Cross-Functional Leadership
- Establish alliance engagement models, processes, and playbooks for internal teams
- Educate and enable sales, capture, and delivery teams on partner capabilities and co-sell strategies
- Coordinate across Sales, Delivery, Marketing, and Executive Leadership to ensure unified execution
Market Intelligence & Innovation
- Monitor technology ecosystem trends to identify emerging partnership opportunities
- Assess partner capabilities and roadmap alignment to inform Merlin’s strategic positioning
- Drive innovation through partner-enabled solutions and differentiated offerings
Qualifications
Required- Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree (MBA or related) preferred
- 12+ years of experience in technology alliances, partner management, business development, or growth strategy within the federal or commercial technology sectors
- Demonstrated success building and scaling strategic partnerships that drive measurable revenue and pipeline growth
- Experience working with major technology ecosystems (e.g., cloud providers, cybersecurity platforms, enterprise SaaS providers)
- Proven ability to influence and engage executive stakeholders internally and externally
- Strong understanding of federal procurement, capture processes, and go-to-market strategies
- Experience negotiating partnership agreements and managing complex partner relationships
- Exceptional communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills
Preferred
- Existing relationships with key technology partners relevant to Merlin’s portfolio
- Experience working directly with founder-led, early-stage technology companies and guiding organizations from product maturity through initial enterprise or federal revenue generation
- Experience in cybersecurity, cloud, or digital transformation environments
- Track record of leading co-sell motions and joint go-to-market initiatives
- Familiarity with partner programs (e.g., hyperscaler partner tiers, marketplace strategies)
- Experience in high-growth or mid-market consulting environments
Success Attributes
- Ability to operate in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment
- Willingness to travel as needed to support partner engagement and business development efforts
- Strong collaboration across distributed teams
Benefits & Perks
We want to empower and inspire employees to be and do their best. Our workdays are dynamic, collegial, and fun. Our office features multiple places to work unconstrained by typical office barriers. Our wellness package provides access to an on-site gym and includes medical, dental, and vision insurance along with options for FSA and EAP. We offer 401(k) with employer match, unlimited PTO, and a culture respectful of the reality that not everything in one’s personal life is guaranteed to happen only after hours.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local, or international law.