JD - Global Growth Partner
Company Overview
Sakar Robotics is a deep-tech startup (founded May 2023) developing intelligent mobile manipulator robots for industrial automation. With a growing portfolio of prestigious customers including Indian Railways, Serum Institute of India, KK Nag, etc we're at an exciting inflection point in our growth journey.
Position Overview
We're seeking an experienced industrial professional to lead our strategic partnerships and market development initiatives. This role is critical to our expansion strategy as we transition from R&D to commercialization.
Location: Pune
Employment Type: Full-time
Experience Required: 5-15 years in industrial automation, robotics, or related B2B technology sectors
Reports To: Founder & CEO
Role Purpose
Identify high-potential market gaps in industrial automation, source innovative solutions from global partners, establish strategic partnerships to bring these products to India, and drive customer discovery and adoption to create new revenue streams for Sakar Robotics.
Key Responsibilities
1. Market Intelligence & Opportunity Identification (30%)
- Conduct systematic market research to identify unmet needs and gaps in Indian & International industrial automation across diverse sectors
- Analyze industry trends, emerging technologies, and pain points across verticals
- Build a prioritized pipeline of market opportunities based on market size, customer willingness to pay, competitive intensity, and strategic fit
- Develop business cases for each opportunity including TAM/SAM/SOM analysis, revenue potential, and implementation feasibility
- Maintain ongoing dialogue with customers (existing and potential) to understand evolving needs
2. Global Product Scouting & Evaluation (25%)
- Research and identify international companies developing solutions that address identified market gaps
- Evaluate products across technical specifications, commercial viability, regulatory compliance, and market fit for Indian conditions
- Assess partnership potential including company stability, product roadmap, existing partnerships, and cultural fit
- Create detailed product evaluation frameworks and comparison matrices
- Present recommendations to leadership with clear rationale and risk assessment
3. Partnership Development & Management (25%)
- Initiate and lead partnership discussions with identified companies
- Negotiate partnership agreements including distribution rights, pricing structures, support terms, and exclusivity clauses
- Structure partnerships as distributorships, reseller agreements, joint ventures, or technology licensing as appropriate
- Manage onboarding of partner products including technical training, marketing collateral adaptation, and sales enablement
- Maintain strong ongoing relationships with partner companies and serve as primary liaison
- Track and report on partnership performance metrics
4. Go-to-Market Strategy & Customer Development (20%)
- Develop market entry strategies for partner products including positioning, pricing, and channel strategy
- Lead customer discovery activities including interviews, pilots, and proof-of-concept projects
- Work with sales and marketing teams to create campaigns, case studies, and sales materials
- Support sales cycles for partnership products including technical presentations and customer negotiations
- Gather customer feedback to inform product adaptation requirements and partnership discussions
- Drive early adoption and build reference customers for new product lines
Required Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, or related field)
- MBA or advanced degree in Business, Strategy, or related field preferred
Experience
- 5-15 years of progressive experience in industrial automation, robotics, or related B2B technology sectors
- Proven track record in business development, partnerships, or strategic alliances
- Experience with market entry strategies and launching new products or solutions
- Background in technical sales or solution selling to industrial customers
- Experience working with international partners and managing cross-border relationships
- Prior exposure to startups or high-growth environments is a strong plus
Industry Knowledge
- Knowledge of industrial automation technologies including robotics, IoT, AI/ML applications, and Industry 4.0 concepts
- Familiarity with regulatory frameworks, compliance requirements, and certification processes for industrial equipment
- Understanding of B2B sales cycles, procurement processes, and decision-making hierarchies in large enterprises
Required Skills & Competencies
Strategic & Analytical
- Strategic thinking with ability to identify market opportunities and develop actionable plans
- Strong analytical skills for market sizing, business case development, and ROI analysis
- Ability to synthesize complex information and make data-driven recommendations
- Commercial acumen including pricing strategy, contract negotiation, and P&L understanding
Relationship Building & Communication
- Exceptional relationship-building skills with ability to establish credibility with C-level executives
- Outstanding negotiation skills with experience structuring win-win partnerships
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English (additional languages a plus)
- Ability to present complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
- Cross-cultural sensitivity and experience working with international stakeholders
Execution & Project Management
- Strong project management capabilities with ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously
- Results-oriented with track record of meeting revenue and partnership targets
- Detail-oriented with systematic approach to documentation and process
- Entrepreneurial mindset with comfort in ambiguity and ability to build from ground up
Technical Aptitude
- Ability to understand technical specifications and evaluate product capabilities
- Comfort engaging in technical discussions with engineers and customers
- Quick learner who can develop working knowledge of new technologies
Success Metrics (First 12-18 Months)
- Identify and prioritize 8-10 high-potential market opportunities with validated demand
- Establish 3-5 strategic partnerships with international product companies
- Generate 15-20 Crore in pipeline from partnership products
- Successfully launch 2-3 partner products in Indian market with initial customer wins
- Build systematic framework for ongoing market intelligence and partnership evaluation
What We Offer
- Opportunity to shape the strategic direction of a high-growth deep-tech startup
- Direct collaboration with founder and senior leadership team
- Autonomy to build and execute partnership strategy
- Competitive compensation including equity/ESOP participation
- Exposure to cutting-edge robotics and automation technologies
- Chance to build something from scratch and see direct impact of your work
- Work with prestigious customers including Fortune 500 companies and government organizations
Work Environment & Travel
- This is In-Office role
- Significant travel expected (40-50%) for customer meetings, partner visits, and industry events
- Participation in domestic and international trade shows and conferences
- Some international travel may be required for partner discussions
