Head of Compute Offtake

About the role

As the Head of Compute Offtake, you will spearhead the commercial strategy for XFRA, SPAN's pioneering distributed edge compute network. Your primary mandate is to drive the adoption of our decentralized GPU capacity by securing high-value partnerships with major players across the AI ecosystem. By transforming underutilized grid resources into a robust, high-performance infrastructure for AI inference, you will play a pivotal role in scaling our network and redefining the economics of compute.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Architect and execute a comprehensive sales strategy targeting hyperscalers, emerging neo-clouds, and managed inference providers to drive rapid network adoption.
• Manage the full lifecycle of complex commercial partnerships, from initial outreach and technical discovery to final contract negotiation and signature.
• Design sophisticated compute capacity purchase agreements that clearly define critical parameters such as volume commitments, tiered pricing, service level agreements (SLAs), and grid preemption protocols.
• Position SPAN as a premier compute supplier by articulating the technical and financial advantages of distributed edge compute, specifically focusing on latency reduction and cost efficiency.
• Partner closely with the XFRA engineering and deployment teams to ensure that our commercial promises are perfectly synchronized with the actual, evolving capacity of our distributed network.
• Cultivate and manage long-term strategic relationships with key stakeholders at frontier AI labs, infrastructure teams, and inference platforms to ensure recurring revenue and network growth.
• Synthesize market trends and buyer feedback into actionable insights that directly influence the XFRA product roadmap and long-term strategic direction.
• Build the foundational commercial infrastructure for the business unit, including the development of scalable pricing models, standardized contract templates, and rigorous pipeline management systems.
• Represent the company at industry conferences and high-level meetings to establish SPAN's authority in the decentralized infrastructure space.
• Monitor and analyze competitive dynamics in the GPU-as-a-service market to adjust our go-to-market approach in real-time.

Requirements

• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in enterprise infrastructure sales, cloud-based partnerships, or high-stakes AI and compute business development, with a documented track record of closing major deals.
• A robust, pre-existing network of contacts within the cloud infrastructure, AI compute, or managed inference sectors, allowing for immediate market entry.
• Demonstrated success in structuring, negotiating, and finalizing large-scale B2B infrastructure agreements, including multi-year capacity contracts.
• Advanced knowledge of the economics governing AI infrastructure, including the nuances of GPU utilization, the specific requirements of inference workloads, and dynamic pricing models.
• Sufficient technical literacy to engage in high-level discussions with infrastructure buyers, engineers, and CTOs regarding network performance and hardware integration.
• Exceptional commercial creativity, with the ability to design novel deal structures that account for the unique characteristics of a decentralized compute network.
• Superior communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to influence external partners and collaborate effectively with internal technical teams.
• A commitment to travel at least 25% of the time, with the flexibility to increase this frequency if you are not currently based in the California Bay Area.

Nice to have

• Prior professional exposure to energy offtake agreements, power purchase agreements (PPAs), or the management of distributed energy resources.
• Direct experience working within a neocloud provider, a specialized inference platform, or the infrastructure division of a major hyperscaler.
• A proven ability to build a commercial function from the ground up, particularly within a high-growth, ambiguous, or rapidly evolving startup environment.
• The agility to thrive in a fast-paced setting where you are expected to develop processes, frameworks, and workflows from scratch.

Skills & tools

• Enterprise infrastructure sales
• Cloud partnerships
• AI/Compute business development
• B2B infrastructure deals
• AI infrastructure economics
• GPU utilization
• Inference workload characteristics
• Spot vs. reserved pricing
• Commercial structuring
• Relationship management

Practical notes

This role provides a highly competitive compensation package, including significant equity grants and performance-based commissions. We offer a comprehensive benefits suite, featuring 100% employer-paid premiums for base medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as a generous parental leave policy of up to 24 weeks. Our office is centrally located in San Francisco's SoMa neighborhood, offering convenient access to BART and Caltrain for commuters. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive company culture, supported by active Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), regular social gatherings, and a flexible approach to working hours and time off to ensure a healthy work-life balance.