Vice President Strategic Development Jobs in Minnesota

At Shutterfly, we make life’s experiences unforgettable. We believe there is extraordinary power in the self-expression. That’s why our family of brands helps customers create products and capture moments that reflect who they uniquely are.

About the role

Shutterfly is redefining its role in consumers’ lives, evolving from a photo products company into the platform that powers the full memory ecosystem: from capture and curation to creation, storage, and sharing.

Partnerships are a critical growth engine in that transformation. Today, partnerships represent one of Shutterfly’s most capital-efficient customer acquisition channels, and the opportunity ahead is to expand that impact by unlocking new sources of growth, new audiences, and new pathways to engagement.

The VP, Strategic Partnerships & Business Development is a senior leadership role responsible for building, leading, and scaling Shutterfly's partnerships function — owning the full-cycle partnership strategy from identification through execution and long-term growth.

This is a general management role with a strong business development orientation. The ideal candidate is a strategic, operationally excellent leader who can define the partnership roadmap, originate and close high-impact deals, and manage and grow a portfolio of existing partnerships — all while building and developing a high-performing team. They are a player/coach: equally comfortable in the room closing a deal as they are setting the vision, prioritizing the portfolio, and leading through influence across cross-functional teams to deliver results for customers and partners. 

What you’ll do

• Develop and lead the strategic partnerships and business development roadmap in support of Shutterfly’s growth priorities.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize new partnership opportunities across digital, retail, brand, technology, manufacturing, and business channels.
• Own the full partnership lifecycle from sourcing and diligence through negotiation, launch, governance, and ongoing performance management.
• Oversee the health and performance of Shutterfly's existing partnership portfolio, ensuring each partnership delivers against its potential
• Lead the evaluation of portfolio partnership opportunities, including those connected to the broader Apollo ecosystem, and recommend the right path to implementation.
• Strengthen and expand existing strategic partnerships by identifying new ways to grow customer value, brand relevance, and revenue contribution.
• Expand Shutterfly’s presence upstream in the customer journey by embedding into high-frequency consumer experiences
• Structure partnerships through creative models (co-marketing, barter, value exchange), maximizing impact without reliance on large cash investments
• Partner with Shutterfly Business Solutions to support relationship development and partner-sourced commercial opportunities where relevant.
• Build business cases for new opportunities, including strategic fit, customer impact, financial upside, operational requirements, and implementation complexity.
• Lead cross-functional planning for launches and integrations, including milestones, operating model decisions, budget considerations, and executive updates.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, Customer Support, and internal business leads to ensure partnerships are operationally sound and positioned for long-term success.

What success looks like

• A clear partnership strategy tied to Shutterfly’s growth priorities and long-term brand relevance.
• A strong pipeline of well-qualified partnership opportunities supported by thoughtful prioritization and disciplined evaluation.
• Existing strategic partnerships that are growing, delivering value, and operating effectively across the business.
• Smoother launches and integrations driven by strong cross-functional planning and clear accountability.
• A scalable business development function that helps the company move faster and make better decisions on where to place its bets.

This is a high-impact, fast-moving role with an expectation of early momentum. 

First 30 Days 

• Assess the current partnership portfolio, team capabilities, and pipeline health
• Build relationships across internal stakeholders and understand cross-functional dynamics
• Develop a clear point of view on partnership priorities and strategic gaps
• Initiate conversations with high-priority partnership targets

First 60 Days 

• Advance multiple new partnership opportunities into active deal development
• Establish a strong outbound pipeline across key verticals
• Begin shaping the team structure and capability plan to support the full partnership mission

First 90 Days 

• Close or be in late-stage negotiation on at least one meaningful new partnership
• Demonstrate measurable contribution to growth initiatives across both new and existing partnerships
• Build a credible forward-looking pipeline that provides visibility into sustained partnership momentum
• Have a clear team development plan in place, with defined roles and accountability across the function

What you’ll bring

• 15+ years of experience in partnerships, business development, or strategic alliances — with meaningful experience in general management or P&L ownership — ideally within consumer, digital platform, or commerce environments
• Proven track record of both originating/closing high-impact partnerships and managing and growing existing partner relationships over time
• Strong executive presence with experience building trusted relationships at the senior leadership level, both externally and internally
• Demonstrated ability to lead a team as a player/coach — setting vision and strategy while personally driving key deals and initiatives
• Excellent cross-functional leadership skills; able to lead through influence without direct authority and drive action across multiple teams
• Demonstrated ability to identify opportunity, structure creative deals, and navigate complex negotiations
• Experience working across or with platform businesses, ecosystems, or large-scale consumer networks is a strong plus
• Experience in brand partnerships, sponsorships, or commercial partnerships is preferred
• Strong commercial instincts, with the ability to evaluate partnerships through both a P&L and strategic lens
• Analytical and strategic thinker, comfortable building business cases, defining success frameworks, and managing portfolio-level performance
• Entrepreneurial mindset — thrives in ambiguity, operates with speed, builds teams, and drives results

Preferred qualifications

• Experience in consumer, ecommerce, retail, digital marketplace, or technology-driven businesses.
• Exposure to strategic integrations, joint business planning, or broader corporate development work.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or other advanced degree preferred.

Supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce is important to Shutterfly not only because it directly reflects our value of Embracing our Differences, but also because it’s the right thing to do for our business and for our people. We welcome all applicants and evaluate them based on their qualifications. Learn more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on our Career Site.

This position will accept applications on an ongoing basis until filled.