Business Development Manager/Director-Data Partnerships

Engagement: Freelance / Independent Contractor
Work Mode: Remote
Compensation: Performance-based or negotiated commercial arrangement
Experience Level: Senior Business Development Manager, Director, Partnerships Lead, or Enterprise Sales Professional

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Freelance Business Development Manager / Director to build and develop strategic data partnerships for AI training and evaluation projects.

The ideal candidate will have a strong network of enterprise decision-makers, experience negotiating commercial partnerships, and the ability to identify organizations that can provide valuable datasets, operational documentation, or real-world workplace video data.

This is a business development-focused role requiring someone who can independently identify prospects, initiate conversations, negotiate terms, and convert opportunities into signed partnerships and revenue-generating agreements.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and develop qualified leads for data partnerships across target countries and industries.

• Build relationships with business owners, C-suite executives, founders, data owners, operations leaders, and enterprise decision-makers.

• Source and negotiate partnerships with companies that can provide relevant data for AI training and evaluation.

• Develop partnership proposals, commercial terms, and deal structures.

• Manage the full business development cycle, from prospecting and outreach to negotiation and agreement closure.

• Build a pipeline of qualified companies, maintain CRM records, and provide regular progress reports.

• Coordinate with internal teams on partner onboarding, data requirements, compliance, and delivery.

• Ensure that all proposed partnerships have appropriate authorization, data ownership or licensing rights, privacy safeguards, and contractual permissions.

• Establish repeatable partnership acquisition strategies and expand the partner network across international markets.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in business development, enterprise sales, strategic partnerships, data licensing, or commercial deal-making.

• Demonstrated ability to engage senior decision-makers and close complex B2B deals.

• Strong prospecting, negotiation, presentation, and relationship-management skills.

• Experience developing international business partnerships.

• Ability to work independently and manage a measurable sales pipeline.

• Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.

• Familiarity with enterprise data, AI, data licensing, technology services, or digital transformation is highly desirable.

• Existing networks across relevant industries and target markets are a strong advantage.

Preferred Background

Candidates with experience in any of the following areas are particularly encouraged to apply:

• Enterprise business development and strategic partnerships.

• AI, machine learning, and data services.

• Data licensing, data marketplaces, and information services.

• Corporate restructuring, insolvency, liquidation, or distressed-business transactions.

• Enterprise SaaS, consulting, and technology partnerships.

• Video production, workforce operations, or industrial data collection.

• Commercial agreements involving sensitive business information.

Compensation and Engagement Terms

This is a freelance engagement suitable for an experienced professional who can work independently and deliver measurable business development results.

Compensation may be structured as:

• Commission or success fees on completed partnerships.

• Milestone-based payments.

• A negotiated retainer plus performance incentives.

• A mutually agreed hybrid commercial arrangement.