Partnerships: New Verticals Associate

The Problem

Harper is an AI-native commercial insurance company in San Francisco. We're not bolting AI onto insurance - we're rebuilding the entire business as software, on a simple bet: turning expert human judgment into compute is one of the largest transitions left to make, and a trillion-dollar industry still run 90% by hand is the place to prove it. We've grown ~100x in the last year and we move at that speed - on-site, in person, long days, very high standards. Almost no one joins Harper for insurance; they join to build the company that replaces how it works.

The Role

This role reports into Head of Partnerships and owns opening new markets and partner channels from zero. The partnerships motion already exists in early form - the job is not to invent company strategy from scratch. It's to take unproven markets and channels, get in the field, build the relationships, and turn first signal into a real motion. Early does not mean there is revenue yet. Early means the play is being built, and you are the person building it on the ground.

There is no inherent pipeline waiting for you. That's not a warning - it's the design. You will not inherit a book of partners or a warmed-up funnel. You report into someone who already set the direction; your job is to execute in market, run a clear distribution scoreboard, and make progress visible week to week. What you do here meaningfully moves whether a new market becomes real - or stays a thesis.

What You’ll Do

• Open new markets and partner channels from zero. First meetings, first relationships, first referrals - before there is money to point at.
• Travel is a core part of this job, not an occasional add-on. You will be on the road regularly; San Francisco is home base.
• Run the distribution scoreboard. Outreach, meetings, referrals, conversion - make the motion measurable even when revenue is still early or zero.
• Build 0>1 channel motions. Turn a cold market into a working partner or channel path under clear direction from Special Projects.
• Bridge partnerships, sales, and ops. Make handoffs clean so nothing dies when you leave the room.
• Own problems end-to-end within your markets. Gather signal, map the constraint, propose the next move, drive it to done.
• Codify what works. When a market starts to click, write it down so it can scale beyond you.

You Might Be a Fit If

• High agency - you move toward execution, not away from it.
• Energized by building from zero rather than rattled by it.
• Comfortable traveling constantly and operating from the field.
• Experienced in high-pace environments - typically ~2-3 years in startups, GTM, BD, partnerships, ops, or equivalent, with real ownership already under your belt. Years at a startup are not the same as years elsewhere; we care about what you owned, not how senior your last title looked.
• You want serious ownership and career capital - not a Head title on day one, not a desk job, not a hand-holding Associate seat.

Requirements

• 2-3 years in partnerships, business development, GTM, new markets, field sales, operations, or a high-intensity startup role, with demonstrated ownership (startup experience weighted heavily)
• Evidence you can own messy work end-to-end
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Ability to operate autonomously and context-switch rapidly
• Track record of delivering under pressure with high standards
• Based in San Francisco or willing to relocate immediately
• Able and willing to travel heavily on a regular basis

Nice to Have

• Experience in insurance, fintech, or regulated industries
• Prior work with founders or small teams
• Familiarity with AI/automation tools and workflows
• Prior startup or 0>1 experience

Compensation

• Salary: $125,000 - $150,000 + performance bonuses & equity
• Location: San Francisco, in-office

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Team meals and snacks

The Process

• Lead screen - initial fit and alignment
• Partnerships screen - how you think about opening a market from zero
• On-site day - Meet the team, work through real scenarios

To Apply

Send your resume and tell us about something you built or own from early/incomplete - what was unproven, what you did, and what moved. If you're okay with heavy travel, no inherent pipelines, and real ownership, apply!