Now Brewing - account director, Market Partnerships - North America Licensed Coffeehouses #tobeapartnerThe account director, market partnerships - North America Licensed Coffeehouses (NALC) role contributes to business success by leading the strategy and execution of key licensee partnerships within the market partnership archetype across the United States and Canada. This role is responsible for driving strong business performance, strengthening licensee relationships, leading strategic business negotiations, accelerating coffeehouse development, identifying new business opportunities and ensuring consistent, high-quality customer and partner experiences across a diverse portfolio of hospitality, hospital, college & university and business & industry licensees.
This leader oversees a team of account managers, as well as a coffeehouse development team and serves as the primary steward of these partnerships-balancing relationship management, contract and business negotiations, operational execution, and growth opportunities-while connecting licensee needs with enterprise priorities.
As an account director, market partnerships you will...
- Lead a team of account managers, and coffeehouse development people leaders responsible for the day-to-day management of licensees, providing coaching, direction, and performance oversight to drive consistent outcomes.
- Own the health and performance of the market partnership portfolio, identifying opportunities to accelerate growth, improve operational execution, and strengthen partner and customer experience.
- Develop segment-specific strategies across hospitality, healthcare, C&U, and business & industry channels, balancing unique operational models while leveraging scalable best practices across the portfolio.
- Own the market partnership development strategy, partnering with licensees and internal stakeholders to identify, negotiate, prioritize, and accelerate new coffeehouse opportunities across North America.
- Connect account management and development planning to create multi-year growth strategies that strengthen existing partnerships while expanding the licensed coffeehouse footprint
- Lead the coffeehouse development portfolio through site selection, prioritization, pipeline management, and execution readiness, ensuring projects align with enterprise growth objectives and licensee business strategies.
- Build and sustain strong licensee partnerships, acting as a trusted advisor and primary point of escalation while aligning on mutual goals, business terms, expectations, and long-term success.
- Drive business reviews and performance routines with licensees, using data and insights to identify trends, diagnose challenges, and implement action plans.
- Translate enterprise strategies into actionable plans for licensees, ensuring successful execution of programs, promotions, and key initiatives.
- Partner across licensed coffeehouse functions (strategy, enablement, operations, and product) to bring forward field insights and ensure solutions are practical and scalable.
- Champion consistency within the market partnership archetype, helping define and scale best practices across similar licensee models.
- Navigate complexity across US and Canada markets, ensuring alignment with unique licensee specific nuances while maintaining enterprise standards.
We'd love to hear from people with:
- Proven experience in account management, relationship management, business development, and commercial negotiations, ideally within retail, hospitality, hospital, C&U or licensed/franchise environments.
- Strong ability to lead and develop high-performing teams, including coaching and performance management
- Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-unit or partner-operated businesses, including growth initiatives, business expansion, and strategic partnership negotiations.
- Executive-level communication, negotiation, and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust and drive alignment with internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience using data and insights to drive business performance and decision-making
- Ability to balance relationship management with operational rigor and accountability
- Strong cross-functional collaboration skills within a matrixed organization
- Experience working across North American markets (US and Canada) is a plus
- 8+ years of experience leading accounts, partnerships, business development initiatives, or large-scale business segments, including experience negotiating complex business agreements.
As a Starbucks partner, you (and your family) will have access to medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, and other voluntary insurance benefits. Partners have access to short-term and long-term disability, paid parental leave, family expansion reimbursement, paid vacation from date of hire*, sick time (accrued at 1 hour for every 25 hours worked), eight paid holidays, and two personal days per year. Starbucks also offers eligible partners participation in a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, a discounted company stock program (S.I.P.), Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock), incentivized emergency savings, and financial well-being tools. Additionally, Starbucks offers 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor's degree through Arizona State University's online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan, student loan management resources, and access to other educational opportunities. You will also have access to backup care and DACA reimbursement. Starbucks will comply with any applicable state and local laws regarding employee leave benefits, including, but not limited to providing time off pursuant to the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, and in accordance with its plans and policies. This list is subject to change depending on collective bargaining in locations where partners have a certified bargaining representative. For additional information regarding partner perks and more detailed information about benefits, go to starbucksbenefits.com.
*If you are working in CA, CO, IL, LA, ME, MA, NE, ND or RI, you will accrue vacation up to a maximum of 120 hours (190 in CA) for roles below director and 200 hours (316 in CA) for roles at director or above. For roles in other states, you will be granted vacation time starting at 120 hours annually for roles below director and 200 hours annually for roles director and above.
The actual base pay offered to the successful candidate will be based on multiple factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge/skills, experience, geographical location, and internal equity. At Starbucks, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role, and compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.
Join us and inspire with every cup. Apply today! 
