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Partner sales

Sales Lead

Mercor logoMercor$160,000–$180,000/yrSan FranciscoFull-timeListed 3mo ago
Apply on Mercor (shows the role here)Before you apply: what we know about Mercor

Taken at the midpoint of its range, $170,000/yr, this role pays less than the middle Partner, Channel & Alliances opening on the board today ($185k/yr); the usual band for that kind of seat is $140k–$320k/yr.

The posting

About Mercor

Mercor's mission is to organize human intelligence to power the AI economy. We're a leading AI data company, building the layer between human expertise and frontier models. Millions of domain experts on the platform are paid over $4 million per day to train frontier AI models. Mercor's APEX benchmark family measures AI's real-world impact on professional work. Mercor Enterprise brings this same infrastructure to Fortune 500 companies: helping companies capture how their best people actually work, translating that expertise directly back into agents.

Mercor is creating a new category of work where expertise powers AI advancement. Achieving this requires an ambitious, fast-paced and deeply committed team. You’ll work alongside researchers, operators, and AI companies at the forefront of shaping the systems that are redefining society. Mercor is a profitable Series C company valued at $10 billion. We work in-person five days a week in our San Francisco, NYC, or London offices.

About the Role

As Sales Lead you will build and scale Mercor’s external partnerships from zero to one. You’ll own the full lifecycle - from identifying opportunities and sourcing partners to negotiating contracts and managing long-term relationships.

This role sits at the intersection of business development, data strategy, contracting, and stakeholder management. It is highly autonomous, deeply strategic, and intentionally scrappy. You will be trusted to figure things out, move fast, and create leverage where none exists yet.

What You’ll Do

  • Build Partnerships from Scratch (0 → 1) Identify, outreach, design, and launch new partnership models with external organizations, networks, and institutions
  • Test and iterate on partnership structures before scaling what works
  • Create early frameworks and playbooks where none exist today
  • Business Development & Deal Ownership Lead outbound and inbound partnership conversations end-to-end
  • Qualify partners, define mutual value, and drive deals to close
  • Structure commercial terms that align incentives and support long-term collaboration
  • Contracting & Negotiation Own negotiations across pricing, scope, timelines, and obligations
  • Work closely with Legal and Finance to move quickly without sacrificing rigor
  • Balance speed, flexibility, and scalability in early-stage agreements
  • Stakeholder Management Act as the primary point of contact for external partners and senior stakeholders
  • Manage complex, multi-party relationships with clarity and credibility Align internal teams (Product, Research, Ops, Legal) around partnership priorities
  • Operate Scrappily, Then Systematize Start hands-on: build lists, run outreach, draft docs, close deals yourself
  • Identify patterns and convert them into repeatable processes over time
  • Help shape the tools, metrics, and systems needed as the function scales

What We’re Looking For

  • Experience 5+ years in Business Development, Strategic Partnerships, or Commercial Roles
  • Proven experience negotiating and closing contracts
  • Track record of managing high-stakes external stakeholders
  • Direct experience working with data products
  • Mindset & Skills Builder mentality: excited by ambiguity and 0→1 problems
  • Scrappy, resourceful, and comfortable doing unglamorous work early
  • Strong commercial instincts and negotiation skills
  • Clear, concise communicator with executive presence
  • Able to operate independently while partnering closely with internal teams
  • Nice to Have Experience in marketplaces, platforms, or high-growth startups
  • Exposure to data-driven products, AI, or technical stakeholders
  • Background working cross-functionally with legal and finance teams
  • Familiarity with compliance and data rights

Benefits

  • Bi-annual performance bonus structure
  • Generous equity grant vested over 4 years
  • Up to $15k Relocation bonus
  • $10K housing bonus (if you live within 0.5 miles of our office)
  • $1.5K monthly stipend for meals
  • Free Equinox membership
  • $200 monthly laundry reimbursement
  • $200 monthly personal wellness reimbursement
  • Health, Dental, Vision insurance

Taken from Mercor's own posting, last seen live on 2 Nov 2026.

Apply on Mercor (shows the role here)

The application

Your details, CV and LinkedIn, then 6 questions.

Have readyCVLinkedIn
  1. 1.
    Are you legally authorized to work in the United States?Yes or no
  2. 2.
    Will you require work sponsorship now and/or in the future?Yes or no
  3. 3.
    Mercor follows an on-site work culture. Are you willing to work in the office Monday-Friday?Yes or no
  4. 4.
    What is your earliest potential start date?Date
  5. 5.
    Are you located in San Francisco or NYC, and/or willing to relocate?Yes or no
  6. 6.
    Which office are you applying to? (Select both if appropriate)Pick any: San Francisco HQ - 181 Fremont Street · New York City - 1 World Trade

From Mercor's apply page, checked 2 Nov 2026.

About Mercor

Human data, evaluations and benchmarks produced by a paid network of domain experts, sold to frontier AI labs and enterprises, plus a new AI-run recruiting line for large employers.

Pay schedule: OTE with commission and equity for the account executives; salary, a twice-yearly performance bonus and equity vesting over four years for the partnership seats, with a $1,500 monthly meal stipend, up to $15,000 for relocation and a $10,000 housing bonus for living within half a mile of the office.

Mercor's sales postings, in full Live feed of Mercor openings The Mercor company page

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