Key Account Director

Were a global team of over 400 people working together to push the boundaries of open-source technology and multi-cloud solutions. Our vision is to become the trusted Data & AI Platform for everyone leveraging the most popular open-source technologies like Apache Kafka Aiven for PostgreSQL Aiven for Clickhouse and Aiven for OpenSearch. to help companies accelerate time-to-market drive efficiency and build innovative solutions across any cloud. Right now were looking for a to join our team who shares our passion for forward-thinking and innovative approaches.

Who we are

So how do we become the trusted open source data platform for everyone By listening closely to our customers and taking action to ensure they achieve their business goals. You see the software we create is merely a means of delivering value. Our thinking is customer-first. Thats why our customers are at the front and center of all we do. And in the spirit of sideways thinking were by their side as well. Actively helping them solve their challenges. Collaborating. Sharing. And innovating. In other words it really isnt just about who we are. Its about who our customers are and where they want to be.

Our Crabby Principles

Aiveners use the V2MOM framework to set and align on business goals. In order to achieve those business goals we live by our Crabby Principles which unite us in our ways of working globally.

These principles are embedded in our business processes and support us in collaborating and role modelling positive and productive behaviours in our daily work something you will have the opportunity to demonstrate throughout your interview journey with us.

The Role:

Were seeking a highly motivated and relationship-focused Key Account Director OEM to cultivate and expand strategic partnerships within our OEM ecosystem. This critical role demands a blend of strong negotiation skills business development expertise and a deep understanding of the DBaaS market. You will be responsible for managing the full partnership lifecycle from initial contract negotiation with both existing and prospective OEM partners to driving the ongoing expansion and success of their DBaaS offerings powered by Aiven. This includes not only negotiating and securing favorable commercial terms but also actively contributing to partners GTM strategies ensuring they are effectively positioned to maximize the value of their DBaaS solutions. A core element of this role is fostering deep technical and GTM alignment enabling partners to seamlessly integrate and build their offering with Aiven Data Platform ultimately delivering stable secure and scalable industry solutions to their end customers.

What Youll Do:

Partner Development & Growth

• Existing Partner Expansion: Develop a comprehensive understanding of partners strategic goals initiatives and execution plans. Identify key areas where Aivens partnership can contribute to their success and create a collaborative action plan for implementation. Drive adoption and accelerate sales growth within existing OEM partnerships by identifying opportunities to expand their offerings with new Aiven services optimizing joint marketing investments and developing innovative go-to-market strategies.
• Business Forecasting: Develop and maintain accurate forecasts for OEM business providing clear visibility into projected revenue and growth and the drivers behind these projections.
• Commercial Negotiation and renewal: Proactively manage and renew commercial agreements to ensure long-term success. This involves gaining a deep understanding of partners business models cost structures and target margins. Collaborate closely with partners to develop and deliver mutually beneficial commercial terms.
• New Partner Acquisition: Proactively identify qualify and onboard prospective OEM partners that align with Aivens target profiles expanding market reach and revenue streams. Employ advanced presentation proposal development and negotiation skills to cultivate and close new OEM partnership opportunities ensuring mutually beneficial agreements.

Strategic Alignment & Enablement

• Roadmap Collaboration: Work closely with TAM and SA and OEM partners to align product roadmaps ensuring Aivens platform meets evolving partner needs and facilitates the expansion of their customer offerings. Collaborate with partners to analyze data identify top-performing services and use cases and refine go-to-market strategies to accelerate the growth of these offerings.
• Partner Enablement: Analyze partners sales marketing and product operations to identify opportunities for enhancing their DBaaS service positioning within their go-to-market activities. Develop and implement comprehensive enablement programs for OEM partners encompassing technical training sales methodologies and marketing strategies to drive successful adoption and market penetration.
• GTM Strategy: Collaborate with partners to design review and execute joint Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies maximizing market penetration and revenue generation. Agree on targets KPIs and measurable activities to achieve these goals.
• Co-Marketing Initiatives: Develop and manage co-marketing initiatives with OEM partners amplifying demand generation and new service adoption.
• Portfolio Alignment: Ensure seamless alignment between Aivens service portfolio and partner offerings creating compelling and integrated solutions for end customers.

Operational Excellence

• Implementation & Support: Oversee the setup alignment and implementation of new OEM partnerships ensuring a smooth and efficient onboarding process. Proactively identify inefficiencies in partnership administration and collaboration and propose improvements.
• Stakeholder Management: Establish and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders both within Aiven and partner organizations. Foster effective collaboration and communication channels for timely issue resolution and escalation. Partner closely with internal teams such as Product Engineering Support and Legal to deliver comprehensive and proactive support to OEM partners ensuring their needs are consistently met.
• Business review cadence: A consistent business review cadence is vital for partnership success. This includes scheduling weekly check-ins for quick updates monthly reviews for performance analysis and activity tracking and quarterly business reviews with leadership for strategic alignment and long-term planning. These meetings ensure ongoing progress goal achievement and timely adjustments to maximize partnership outcomes.

Dont worry if your experience doesnt line up perfectly we still encourage you to apply! We believe in investing in our crabs professional growth.

Our Offer

If you ask us whats the best thing about working for Aiven many will probably say its the high concentration of talent from around the world that we have here. Enjoy the agile environment of a hyperscale scale-up where you can truly make an impact and have fun while at it.

We invest in you

• Participate in Aivens equity plan.
• With Aiven locations spanning the globe we want all of our crabs to find the right balance with our hybrid work policy.
• Get the equipment you need to set yourself up for success.
• Step up your career game with real employer support (use one of our learning platforms annual learning budget and more).
• Get holistic wellbeing support through our global Employee Assistance Program.

Make a difference at Aiven

• Contribute to open source projects that you find meaningful outside of work - and get paid for it! Our Plankton program recognizes extra work to the open source ecosystem for developers and non-developers alike.
• Use up to 5 days per year to volunteer for a good cause of your choice.
• Join one of our team member resource groups - empower yourself and others in missions that resonate with you.

What else

• Need insurance Weve got you covered - benefit from our: Medical Insurance and Travel insurance

Amazing! Whats next

Once applying you should hear from our Talent Experience team within 5 days regarding the status of your application. If you are selected to move forward you can generally expect 4 stages with us

1. 30-45 minute call with one of our Talent Partners
2. 45 minute Depth of Expertise Interview with the hiring manager
3. Skills interview and or presentation for 1 hour with the wider team
4. Company values interview for 1 hour

How to Recognise and Avoid Employment Scams

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Here at Aiven all of our emails relating to recruitment come from an @ @ or @ domain and all of our interviews are conducted over video call or in person our interviews will never occur over text or chat. If youre unsure of the legitimacy of a job opportunity/offer pertaining to Aiven please dont hesitate to reach out to us at

Equal Opportunities

Aiven provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for employment without regard to age gender identity national or ethnic origin religion sexual orientation physical and mental ability marital and family status or without regard to any other similar personal attributes. Aiven complies with applicable local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company operates. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment including recruiting hiring placement promotion termination layoff transfer leaves of absence compensation training and any other terms and conditions related to employment.

At Aiven we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities or special needs in our working environment and job application procedures. We make all reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities or who otherwise need support to thrive in the workplace. We are committed to continuously improving workplace accessibility. There is an option to request a discussion in the application process but if you have any questions before applying please write to us at