Application Guide

How to Apply for Sr. Director of Partnerships

at Crux Climate

About Crux Climate

Crux Climate is at the forefront of sustainable finance, creating a marketplace that simplifies tax credit transactions to accelerate clean energy projects. Working here means joining a mission-driven team that's building the infrastructure for a greener economy, with the agility of a startup and the impact of a major climate initiative.

About This Role

As Sr. Director of Partnerships, you'll own the strategy and execution of a partner-sourced referral engine, focusing on legal and tax/accounting advisors. You'll personally manage top-tier institutional relationships, build scalable programs, and lead a team, directly driving revenue through partner channels. This role is pivotal in expanding Crux's reach and establishing it as the go-to platform in the clean energy finance space.

A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve a morning call with a Big 4 partner to discuss co-marketing opportunities, followed by a team stand-up to review pipeline and campaign performance. Afternoon could be spent analyzing partner attribution data, preparing for an executive review, or meeting with the legal team to ensure compliance in a new partner enablement program.

Who Crux Climate Is Looking For

  • You have 12+ years in partnerships/BD, with a proven track record of scaling partner programs and leading teams, ideally in fintech or professional services.
  • You have deep relationships and experience with Big 4 and AmLaw firms, understanding their business development dynamics and compliance constraints.
  • You are commercially savvy, with experience owning partner-sourced revenue, building attribution models, and negotiating complex commercial terms.
  • You possess executive presence and can engage C-level partners, while also being hands-on in building processes and enabling a small team.

Tips for Applying to Crux Climate

  1. 1

    Highlight specific examples of building and scaling partner programs from scratch, including metrics like partner-sourced pipeline and revenue.

  2. 2

    Showcase your experience with legal and tax/accounting firms, mentioning any existing relationships or successful initiatives with Big 4 or AmLaw.

  3. 3

    Quantify your achievements: e.g., 'Grew partner-sourced revenue by 150% YoY' or 'Managed partnerships with 3 of the Big 4 firms.'

  4. 4

    Tailor your resume to emphasize leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and your role in developing enablement programs.

  5. 5

    In your cover letter, explicitly connect your experience to Crux's mission of accelerating clean energy through finance, showing you understand the industry.

What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Emphasize your passion for climate tech and how your partnership expertise can directly contribute to Crux's growth.", 'Detail your experience with legal and tax/accounting partnerships, including specific examples of negotiating deals and driving co-marketing.', "Highlight your leadership style and how you've built and mentored high-performing teams.", "Mention your strategic vision for scaling a partner ecosystem and how you would apply it to Crux's unique market."]

Generate Cover Letter →

Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • Understand Crux's platform and how it facilitates tax credit transactions. Read recent news or press releases.
  • Research the clean energy tax credit market, including the Inflation Reduction Act and its implications.
  • Look into Crux's competitors and how they approach partnerships.
  • Review the backgrounds of Crux's leadership team to understand their vision and values.

Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

  1. 1 How would you design a tiered partner framework for legal and tax/accounting firms? What criteria would you use?
  2. 2 Describe a time you managed a complex partnership with a Big 4 or AmLaw firm. What were the challenges and outcomes?
  3. 3 How do you build an attribution model for partner-sourced leads? What metrics would you track?
  4. 4 How would you gain buy-in from internal teams (legal, research, events) to support partner initiatives?
  5. 5 How do you stay informed about tax credit regulations and their impact on the clean energy market?
Practice Interview Questions →

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't be vague about your partnership experience; provide concrete examples and metrics.
  • Don't overlook the importance of compliance in professional services; show you understand the constraints.
  • Don't focus solely on business development; emphasize your ability to build scalable systems and enablement programs.

Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

  1. 1

    Application Review

    1-2 weeks

  2. 2

    Initial Screening

    Phone call or written assessment

  3. 3

    Interviews

    1-2 rounds, usually virtual

  4. ✓

    Offer

    Congratulations!