Head of Systems Integrators

The Role: SIs are Fireworks' highest-leverage GTM channel and this function does not exist yet. The person in this role originates and structures the deals, builds the partners, makes them technically capable, and embeds Fireworks into how they sell. The weight is upstream: strategy and origination, not day-to-day partner management. What You Will Own: Originate and Structure Source and close first-of-a-kind commercial agreements with Tier-1 SIs - framework deals, global MoUs, joint offering structures - where no playbook exists Define the multi-practice value proposition; align SI executive and line-of-business leadership on why Fireworks and how joint delivery creates margin for both sides Navigate matrixed GSI org structures to secure internal mandates for dedicated practices or CoEs, aligning competing service lines on governance and delivery standards Define co-delivery swimlanes and market ownership to prevent channel conflict and protect delivery quality as the partner ecosystem scales Recruit and Develop Identify and recruit Tier-1 SI partners with credible AI practices, client access in target verticals, and appetite to build a Fireworks capability Build conviction at every level - make the commercial and technical case from alliance desk to equity partner Connect Fireworks engineers, sales, and product to their counterparts at the partner; establish functional working relationships, not just an alliance desk Guide partners through standing up a Fireworks service offering: capability definition, staffing model, pricing, and GTM positioning Enable Design and own FDE certification: inference, fine-tuning pipelines, production deployment - with a track covering SFT, RLHF, and model adaptation Build the operating model: how projects flow to partners, support tiers, escalation to the Fireworks technical bench, and commercial attribution Run the direct interface desk - standing technical bridge between partner delivery teams and Fireworks engineers for in-flight engagements Own model update continuity: when Fireworks ships, re-certify partners before delivery is disrupted Embed Place Fireworks in SI practice playbooks and internal solution frameworks - the default inference layer when their AI practices architect for clients Produce joint innovation content with named Fireworks placement: reference architectures, solution briefs, and thought leadership under partner credentials Develop case studies with specific, attributable outcomes - latency, cost reduction, model quality - with named clients where possible Build at practice lead and delivery principal level across all active SI partners, not just alliance managers Who You Are: What matters is that you are a practitioner - close enough to how SIs work to know where the leverage is and where the friction lives. You are technical enough to earn credibility with FDEs and ML engineers - you understand what SFT and RL mean in production and can design enablement that builds those capabilities in others. GSI experience is a strong plus, not a requirement. What is required: you have closed non-standard strategic agreements before, and you build things that do not exist yet. What You Bring: 8-10 years across top-tier consulting, enterprise technology or AI/ML vendor roles, or senior SI alliance leadership - with direct exposure to how GSIs structure, sell, and deliver Track record closing non-standard strategic agreements: MoUs, framework deals, joint offering structures with major GSIs or consulting firms Working knowledge of how GSIs operate - practice formation, CoE funding, delivery authority, internal service line competition - from the inside or from working alongside them closely ML stack fluency sufficient to design and assess technical enablement: fine-tuning, inference, deployment pipelines Demonstrated 0-to-1 program or function builds; not inherited playbooks Operates at C-suite and equity partner level; measures success by pipeline originated and practice maturity, not activity Bonus: Time inside the AI practice of a leading GSI or MBB firm Hands-on post-training experience: SFT, RL, or RLHF in delivery or program management Existing relationships at practice lead or delivery principal level within major consulting or SI AI practices