Head of Partnerships / BD: skills & capabilities the market requires
Based on 1,855 real Head of Partnerships / BD job postings, here is what companies actually require for this role today: the capabilities that define it, the hard skills named most often, the scope expected, typical experience and pay. The market leans hardest on Go-to-Market & Sales (70%) and Strategic Leadership (69%).
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Core capabilities for a Head of Partnerships / BD
- Go-to-Market & Sales — required in 70% of postings
- Strategic Leadership — required in 69% of postings
- Executive Communication — required in 53% of postings
- Customer & Relationships — required in 44% of postings
- Negotiation & Vendor — required in 41% of postings
- Domain Expertise — required in 30% of postings
- Data & Analytics — required in 28% of postings
Most-required hard skills
- Business Development
- Market Analysis
- Contract Negotiation
- Account Management
- Client Relationship Management
- Sales Strategy
- Strategic Planning
Leadership & soft skills
- Strategic Thinking
- Communication
- Leadership
- Relationship Building
Scope, experience & pay
Head of Partnerships / BD roles expect deal / M&A experience in 3% of postings, IPO or capital markets in 2%, and transformation in 6%. Typical stated experience: 10 years. Pay signal from postings (base): $170K–$207K.
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