Director, Business Development Alliance Operations & Governance
At SAP, we keep it simple : you bring your best to us, and we'll bring out the best in you. We're builders touching over 20 industries and 80% of global commerce, and we need your unique talents to help shape what's next. The work is challenging but it matters. You'll find a place where you can be yourself, prioritize your wellbeing, and truly belong. What's in it for you? Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed.
Join the worldwide leader in corporate travel & expense management services as a Director, Business Development Alliance Operations & Governance for our new strategic alliance with American Express GBT. SAP Concur is the world's leading provider of business services that automate Corporate Expense Management. Established in 1993, Concur's solutions are used in over 90 countries around the world and are trusted by more organizations than any other provider of Expense Management solutions. SAP Concur has established a transformative strategic alliance with American Express Global Business Travel (GBT), creating an industry-leading integrated solution for travel and expense management. This partnership combines SAP Concur's best-in-class spend management platform with GBT's world-class travel management services to deliver exceptional value, savings, and control to Enterprise and SMB customers. This pivotal role will serve as the operational leader responsible for building and running the engine that powers this partnership and is accountable for establishing and leading the core operational functions : Program Management and Governance, Business Analytics, Deal Administration, and Contract Management and Compliance. A key aspect of this role includes providing dotted-line coaching and mentoring to the team members who support these critical functions. This position requires a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on execution, and strong people development skills to ensure scalable processes, data-driven decision making, and measurable alliance value.
Responsibilities :
- Program Management & Governance :
- Design, implement, and continuously improve the alliance governance model (steering committees, QBRs, risk / issue management, change control).
- Define program milestones, KPIs, budgets, and resource plans; monitor progress and escalate risks to executives.
- Lead cross-functional governance reviews with product, sales, legal, privacy / compliance, security, and services to ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
- Maintain the alliance charter, decision rights, and escalation paths; ensure governance cadence is followed across SAP Concur and GBT.
- Business Analytics & Performance Management :
- Establish Framework : Design and implement a comprehensive analytics framework to provide a single source of truth for alliance performance, including pipeline generation, revenue attainment, win rates, and customer satisfaction metrics.
- Deliver Insights : Develop and maintain executive-level dashboards and performance scorecards, translating raw data into actionable business insights to guide strategic decisions.
- Optimize Performance : Conduct regular analysis to identify trends, pinpoint operational bottlenecks, and recommend data-driven improvements to the go-to-market strategy and sales motions.
- Deal Administration & Commercial Operations :
- Govern Deals : Oversee the operational aspects of the sales cycle, including deal registration and validation, order form processing and rules of engagement to ensure a frictionless co-sell motion.
- Streamline Processes : Standardize procedures and workflows for Deal Administration working closely with IT and Business Operations, Finance, Billing and Legal.
- Contract Management & Compliance :
- Manage Negotiations : Support negotiations of major agreements (Definitive, Solution Extension, Managed Service Provider, SLAs) with emphasis on risk management and value capture.
- Ensure Compliance : Act as the primary liaison with Legal, Security, and Data and Privacy teams to ensure all contractual obligations and regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) are met.
- Manage Lifecycle : Develop and maintain a contract management system, including a repository of all agreements, and proactively manage renewals, expirations, and amendments.
- Dotted-Line Coaching & Mentoring :
- Develop Talent : Provide influential coaching, mentoring, and professional development guidance to junior and mid-level employees supporting the alliance's operational functions.
- Foster Growth : Create informal development opportunities, share expertise, and build a high-performing culture rooted in accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
- Scale Knowledge : Document and share best practices to build organizational expertise in alliance management, empowering team members to grow in their roles.
- Stakeholder Management & Communication :
- Build and maintain relationships with senior leaders across SAP Concur and GBT; communicate strategy, risks, and progress clearly.
- Translate complex concepts into concise communications for executives, product leaders, and field teams.
- Lead change management to adopt the alliance operating model across the broader organization.
Education, Experience & Training required :
7+ years of progressive experience in business development, strategic alliances, program management, or sales / business operations within the enterprise software, SaaS, or travel technology industry.A minimum of 4 years of direct experience leading the operational aspects of a large-scale, complex strategic partnership.Demonstrated experience in negotiating and managing significant commercial agreements.Proven experience providing mentorship, coaching, or influential leadership to team members in a matrixed environment.Bachelor's degree in business, Finance, Law, or a related field is required.Job Specific Specialized Knowledge & Skills :
Alliance Governance : Expert-level knowledge in designing and running governance frameworks for complex, multi-layered strategic partnerships.Contractual & Commercial Acumen : Deep expertise in structuring, negotiating, and managing complex commercial contracts.Analytics & Data Fluency : Ability to translate data into strategic guidance; experience building and interpreting dashboards and performance reports. Proficiency with financial models, ROI analyses, and KPI-driven decision making.Travel & Expense Ecosystem : Strong understanding of the corporate travel landscape, the role of TMCs, and the interplay between travel booking and expense management platforms.Cross-Functional Leadership : Mastery in leading and influencing cross-functional teams (Sales, Product, Legal, Finance, Marketing) without direct reporting authority.Executive Communication : Effective storytelling and presentation skills; ability to influence at the executive level.Coaching & Development : Ability to mentor and develop talent within a matrix organization.Critical Performance Competencies :
Strategic & Operational Alignment : Ability to balance long-term strategic objectives with rigorous day-to-day execution.Executive Presence & Influence : Comfort communicating with and influencing senior leaders and negotiating with key partners.Accountability & Results Orientation : Strong focus on delivering measurable business outcomes and driving performance against KPIs.People Leadership & Development : Commitment to coaching, mentoring, and developing high-potential talent.Adaptability & Resilience : Ability to navigate ambiguity, manage change, and maintain momentum under pressure.Preferred location(s) : USA
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