Head of Partnerships

About Six RoboticsAt Six Robotics, we build intelligent software that gives Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) the ability to collaborate, adapt on the fly, and execute missions that were previously impossible.From our base in Oslo, our team of 90+ engineers, researchers, and defence specialists develops our autonomy and swarm platform, used by both government and industry. Working closely with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and end users, we move quickly from ideas to field deployment, solving problems where software meets the real world.The challenges we work on don’t come with existing playbooks. They demand deep technical thinking, close collaboration across disciplines, and the ability to learn quickly as both the technology and the company evolve.At Six Robotics, every person executes with precision, adapts to changing conditions, and strengthens the team. If you’re excited about building systems that matter and growing alongside talented people that push boundaries every day, you’ll find no better place to deliver real-world impact.About the roleSix Robotics is a software-first company. We deliver autonomy and swarm software that runs on someone else's hardware, which means we rarely reach the end user alone. Some customers we contract with directly. Others we reach through a prime contractor, and others through an OEM that integrates our software into its platform. Each route has different economics, different responsibilities, and different expectations of us. As we scale internationally, how well we work with partners will shape how far and how fast our software reaches the field.We are looking for a Head of Partnerships to own this part of the commercial organisation. You will be responsible for building and managing strategic partnerships with OEMs, primes, and other ecosystem players, in a way that creates lasting value for both parties. This is a senior role for someone who sees a partner relationship as a commercial engine to be designed, not just a contact to be maintained.Your first and most important task is to build the framework for how Six Robotics works with partners. That means defining how we go to market together, how we co-sell, how we co-deliver, and how we co-price: who leads, who owns the customer, how value and risk are shared, and what each side commits to. You will turn what is today a set of individual relationships and one-off arrangements into a clear, repeatable model that colleagues and partners can both understand and work from. You will then take ownership of running it, from selecting the right partners to managing the relationships day to day.You will work closely with our Strategic Account Executive, Business Developer, and leadership team, and with product, engineering, delivery, legal, and security. You will be the person who ensures that when a pursuit runs through an OEM or a prime, our position, our pricing logic, and our delivery commitments hold together. We have not yet fixed how partnership success will be measured. Defining the right metrics, together with leadership, is part of the job.This is a “Head of” role, but also a founding one. There are no partner managers today, so for the first phase you will carry existing partner relationships yourself – while building the framework around that work and scaling the function as the pipeline justifies it. You will beboth the head of partnerships and the first partner manager, and we want someone energised by that combination. You will have real freedom to shape the approach, and real accountability for the results. Formal targets and incentive structures will be developed as the function matures.Success after six months looks like a clear partnership strategy with defined partner categories and priorities; a first version of the framework for go-to-market, co-selling, co-delivery, and co-pricing, agreed with leadership and tested in live opportunities; active, trusted relationships with our priority OEM and prime partners; and an agreed way of measuring partnership performance. Colleagues and partners alike will see you as the person who makes working with Six Robotics easy and worthwhile.What You Will Do● Develop and own the partnership strategy: which partners matter, in which markets and segments, and what role each plays in how Six Robotics reaches customers ● Design the partner operating framework, covering go-to-market, co-selling, co-delivery, co-pricing, and the commercial and contractual principles behind each ● Define partner categories and engagement models, including OEM integration, prime contractor teaming, and direct-with-end-customer arrangements, and set out when each route is the right one● Act as the day-to-day partner manager for existing priority partners until the function is staffed: joint planning, pipeline reviews, escalations, and follow-through ● Lead negotiation of partnership agreements, teaming arrangements, licensing and revenue-sharing models, and other commercial terms, working with legal and finance ● Align product, engineering, and delivery with partners on integration, support, and delivery responsibilities, so that what we commit to together can be delivered ● Propose and agree with leadership how partnership performance is measured, and report on pipeline influenced, partner health, and risks● Scale the function: define the roles, hiring plan, and ways of working for a partner team, and build and lead it as partner volume and revenue justify the investmentWhat we are looking forWe're looking for a commercially sharp, mission-driven partnership leader who has built and run strategic partnerships that produced real revenue. You combine the judgement of a senior deal-maker with the patience and diplomacy that long defence and industrial relationships require. You understand that a good partnership is one where both sides win, and you know how to structure it so they do.You are comfortable building the model rather than inheriting one. Instead of waiting for a playbook, you create the structure, make sound decisions, and bring colleagues and partners along. You are energised by time with partners and customers, and should expect to travel regularly, to build the relationships that matter.Must-have qualifications:● 8+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, alliances, or strategic sales in B2B technology, defence, aerospace, or another complex regulated environment● A track record of building strategic partnerships with OEMs, primes, system integrators, or similar partners, and of turning them into measurable commercial outcomes● Experience designing partner frameworks or programmes, including go-to-market models, co-selling, co-delivery, and pricing and revenue-sharing structures ● Strong commercial and contractual judgement, including negotiating teaming agreements, licensing, and complex multi-party deals● Experience working with multi-party defence or industrial procurement, where the customer, the prime, and the technology supplier all have a stake in the outcome ● Ability to influence and align senior stakeholders, both externally at partners and internally across product, engineering, delivery, legal, and leadership● An established network in relevant defence and industry circles, or the ability to build trusted senior relationships quicklyThe Persona we are looking for:● Intrinsically motivated, resilient, and accountable; you take ownership of outcomes and find a way through obstacles● A builder who can bring structure, clarity, and pace to an area that is still taking shape● A trusted counterpart who is credible with partner executives and engineers alike, and who can hold a firm position while keeping the relationship strong ● Able to influence without authority and to see a deal from both sides of the table ● Motivated to join a fast-paced scale-up, take ownership of a strategically important function, and build something from an early stage● Comfortable being both strategist and operator: equally at home designing the model and doing the partner work yourself, without seeing either as beneath the roleNice-to-have:● A background in the military, including officer training or equivalent, is a strong plus ● Experience with NATO, Nordic, or major European defence markets, primes, and procurement environments● Experience working with or at an OEM, drone or unmanned systems manufacturer, or defence prime● Experience with software licensing or platform business models, or with selling software that runs on a partner's hardware● Experience selling or partnering around autonomy, robotics, AI, or other technically sophisticated capabilities● An academic background is not a requirement, but may be beneficial. In this industry, experience, judgement, and credibility outweigh formal educationPersonal fit matters just as much as the CV. We're looking for a specific type of person. Someone with the right instincts, credibility, and presence to operate in this environment, so personal suitability will weigh heavily in our assessment.Why You Should JoinBuild at the edge of what’s possible: You’ll work on problems the industry hasn’t solved yet, alongside people who are pushing the boundaries of autonomy, AI, and robotics.Grow as fast as the company: We believe that chance favours those in motion. The role you’re hired into is just the starting point. As Six Robotics evolves, so will your scope, your responsibilities, and your opportunities.Work with exceptional people: Surround yourself with people who raise your own standards. You’ll join a team of ambitious engineers and operators who care deeply about the quality of their work. Expectations are high, but so is the willingness to help each other improve.Ship work that matters. The things you build don't stay in a demo environment. They get deployed, tested, and used where reliability and performance genuinely matter.Supported by great benefits. Alongside meaningful work, we offer competitive compensation, equity potential, strong pension and insurance plans, gadget budgets, modern equipment, panoramic offices, and the flexibility you need to do your best work.Our Recruitment ProcessWe want hiring to be transparent and respectful of your time. We aim to move with momentum while making thoughtful hiring decisions - because every new team member matters.Our process typically includes:Initial phone screening (30 min): A conversation about your background, motivation, and the role.First interview (45 min): Meet the hiring team, learn more about Six Robotics, and discuss your experience.Second interview (60–90 min): A technical discussion, typically including a take-home assignment or case presentation.Final interview (45 min): Meet members of our leadership team to align expectations and answer any remaining questions.Reference checks are conducted before an offer is finalized. We review applications continuously, so don't leave us hanging. Send us your application today!Our Commitment to InclusionAt Six Robotics, we are committed to creating a workplace built on respect, integrity, and collaboration. We value different perspectives and experiences, and we believe that diversity within our team strengthens both our work and our culture. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply and help us build technology that makes a real impact.Security Clearance RequirementAll employees at Six Robotics must be eligible for security clearance. Some roles might require a high level of clearance, depending on the nature of the work. If you are hired, we’ll guide you through any required authorization or clearance process as part of your onboarding. Previous authorization or clearance is not required, but all candidates must be eligible to obtain the necessary approvals if required for their role.