Strategic Account Manager

About the role

This position involves managing key commercial relationships with leading AI organizations. You will be responsible for cultivating deep partnerships and driving significant value, focusing on long-term growth rather than short-term transactions.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Manage a small portfolio of 2-4 major AI development accounts from initial contact through to ongoing expansion.
• Understand the organizational structure and key decision-makers within each account, including researchers, technical leads, and executives.
• Identify and develop new opportunities within existing accounts by understanding their evolving data needs and project pipelines.
• Coordinate with internal teams such as DataLab, Solutions, and Partnerships to ensure customer success and deliver on commitments.
• Develop and maintain strategic account plans that outline relationship health, future revenue potential, and ongoing opportunities.
• Structure multi-year agreements that foster deeper customer relationships and align with Protege's data supply and product strategies.
• Represent Protege at industry events and research gatherings to build and strengthen relationships.

Requirements

• Demonstrated success in managing and growing large, complex enterprise accounts, ideally within the foundation lab or frontier AI sectors.
• Proven ability to close multi-million dollar deals and sustain those relationships over time.
• Sufficient technical understanding of AI model training, data quality, and data privacy to build credibility with AI researchers and data scientists.
• Experience building relationships across various levels of an organization, from individual contributors to executive sponsors.
• Skill in structuring long-term commercial agreements, such as multi-year licensing or data access frameworks.
• Strong operational discipline, including accurate forecasting and effective handoffs to delivery teams.
• High emotional intelligence and sound judgment in managing sensitive relationships.
• Adaptability and composure in dynamic environments with shifting priorities and tight deadlines.

Skills & tools

• Account planning
• Deal structuring
• Relationship management
• Forecasting
• Cross-functional collaboration

Practical notes

• Protege is a fast-moving, high-trust environment for individuals who thrive on ambiguity and ownership.
• The company is backed by prominent investors and is working with leading AI teams.