VP, Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

Who we are:

As the largest privately held service provider in our industry, Thomas & Company stands at the forefront of delivering innovative and comprehensive solutions that help businesses optimize their operations and manage critical aspects of human resources. We specialize in offering unmatched unemployment cost control, employment verification, and tax credit services, all designed to reduce financial risk, streamline processes, and drive cost efficiency for our clients.

Our culture:

We believe that success starts with people. We are committed to fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and growth. Our mission is to empower our employees to thrive both professionally and personally, offering an environment where creativity and diverse ideas flourish.

We are not just a company-we are a community of passionate individuals dedicated to making a real impact. From dynamic team-building opportunities to leadership development programs, Thomas & Company invests in its people at every level. Our supportive workplace is built on the foundation of our core values a shared vision for enabling success. Our winning culture has earned us recognition as a five-time Tennessean Top Workplace and two (and counting) USA Today Top Workplace.

Whether you're looking for a challenge, a place to grow your career, or a team that values your contributions, Thomas & Company offers endless opportunities to make a difference. Join us and become part of a team where your ideas are heard, your potential is recognized, and your career can truly flourish.

The position:

The Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Alliances is responsible for identifying, developing, and scaling strategic partnerships that accelerate company growth, expand market reach, enhance service offerings, and drive revenue. This executive will lead the partnership strategy across payroll, HRIS, ATS, verifier, technology, and complementary service provider ecosystems, while creating mutually beneficial alliances that support the company's long-term strategic objectives. The role serves as the primary relationship owner for key partners and is accountable for partnership performance, revenue contribution, and strategic outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the development, execution, and optimization of strategic partnership and alliance programs including:
  • System integrations with client employers and third-party payroll, ATS, and HRIS platforms
  • Complementary employer service providers
  • White / Grey labeling engagements
  • Government agency data exchanges and interfaces
  • Verifier partners with specific responsibility for:
    • Identifying and pursuing the most profitable commercial verifier opportunities
    • Collaborating with our internal Verifier Relations team through contracting, implementation, and onboarding
    • Remaining engaged after handoff to remove barriers, maintain momentum, and create urgency when delays or negotiation stalemates arise
• Own partnership-generated revenue growth, pipeline development, and strategic expansion opportunities.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive partnership strategy, including target market prioritization, partner segmentation, financial analysis, and growth objectives.
• Establish partnership management processes, reporting, and performance visibility through Salesforce and related business systems.
• Ability to explain company resources and tools to develop integrated system partnerships.
• Negotiate with alliance partners on business needs and technology integration projects.
• Partner with Implementation, Operations, and Technology teams to ensure successful onboarding, integration, and ongoing partner enablement.
• Lead negotiations while coordinating internally with other stakeholder groups and personally conduct all partnership communications to ensure mutual understanding.
• Be accountable for the revenue performance of partners, including monitoring results, identifying opportunities to improve performance, and driving actions needed to meet or exceed partner revenue targets.
• Responsible for reporting on all partnership-related activity, including pipeline movement, strategic partnership activity, management updates, and financial results.
• Manage and expand strategic relationships with existing partners while identifying opportunities to increase mutual value and business impact.
• Expand and diversify the pipeline of prospective collaborations.
• Create and drive a relationship management program to support partners and internal stakeholders.
• Serve as the executive sponsor and internal advocate for strategic partners, driving organizational alignment and partner success.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including but not limited to operations, verifications, technology, privacy & security, legal, and finance resources to structure and execute business initiatives, lead analysis, and develop and communicate final recommendations for growing partner relationships.
• Form and manage partner agreements.
• Deliver professional presentations to potential partner organizations with the ability to persuade and close.
• Research trends, competition, and funding sources to strategically drive the business development pipeline.
• Establish and monitor KPIs related to partner-generated revenue, implementation success, partner engagement, and strategic growth objectives.
• Assist with special projects and perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in strategic sales or business development.
• 7+ years of experience within HR technology, payroll, employment verification, workforce solutions, or related industries.
• Experience negotiating and managing complex strategic partnerships, technology alliances, channel partnerships, or enterprise commercial agreements.
• Strong financial and business acumen with experience building business cases, evaluating ROI, and managing partnership performance.
• Able to travel to meet and liaise with potential partners.
• Proficient in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and best practices.
• Ability to manage and organize considerable amounts of information into actionable items.
• Ability to drive operational initiatives and achieve goals with little to no supervision.
• Ability to co-create and execute an integrated strategy spanning multiple stakeholders.
• Exceptional relationship-building and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence executive leaders and external partners.
• Ability to translate complex data and business insights into executive-level recommendations and presentations.
• Ability to not only ideate and design but also ensure execution of strategic initiatives.
• Strong understanding of relevant systems and workflows.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered

Special Considerations and Prerequisites

• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain the confidentiality of sensitive company, client, employee, and business information.
• Demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and accountability in all interactions and business decisions.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across internal teams, executive leadership, clients, and external partners.
• Strong organizational, project management, and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities, including the capacity to evaluate complex information and develop actionable recommendations.
• Outstanding written, verbal, negotiation, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to influence and drive results across multiple stakeholders while fostering alignment and accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing business priorities, navigate ambiguity, and lead through organizational growth and change.
• Commitment to quality, accuracy, and continuous improvement in work processes and outcomes.
• Must be able to travel as required to support partnership development, client engagement, and business objectives.
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.