Strategic Partnerships Manager - AI/API

Mercury is looking for a technically-fluent partnerships leader to own our presence in the AI and developer ecosystem. This isn't a traditional BD role and it's not a Developer Relationships role either, it lives at the intersection of both. You'll use a technical background to build credibility with developers and AI platform teams, then translate that credibility into deep, strategic partnerships that bring Mercury's financial infrastructure into the tools and workflows where the next generation of founders actually operate. This is a Hunter role: identifying which AI companies, developer tools, and related AI ecosystem players Mercury should be embedded in, and then going out and making it happen. The best partnerships you close will feel less like vendor deals and more like co-building something new. What You'll Do: Hunt and close new partnerships Proactively identify, target, and close high-leverage partnerships across the AI and developer ecosystem: AI coding assistants, agent frameworks, MCP-native tooling, and developer communities Own the full partnership lifecycle: from sourcing and outreach through negotiation, integration scoping, and activation Build Mercury's presence in developer communities, attending and speaking at conferences, engaging in online communities, and becoming a known, credible voice in the AI/developer ecosystem. Build the playbook Define and exe...