There are 21,518 partnership roles across APAC. 73% of the people in those roles are open to leaving within 12 months. And the most expensive people - Directors - are the ones most likely to walk. The data from the 2026 APAC Partnerships Salary Survey paints a picture of a function that has arrived, but hasn't yet figured out how to keep the people who run it.
Partnerships Have Gone Mainstream
Let's start with scale. According to data from Firmable, there are 21,518 partnership roles across APAC - and that number is growing.
| Company Size (Global Employees) | Partnership Roles |
|---|---|
| 1–10 | 1,613 |
| 11–50 | 3,343 |
| 51–250 | 4,046 |
| 251–500 | 1,734 |
| 501–1,000 | 1,685 |
| 1,001–5,000 | 3,910 |
| 5,001–10,000 | 1,668 |
| 10,001+ | 3,519 |
Nearly a quarter of all partnership roles are in companies with fewer than 50 employees. Partner-led growth is no longer just an enterprise strategy - startups are hiring for it from day one.
Strategic Partnerships Manager has climbed to the #15 fastest-growing role in Australia for 2026 on LinkedIn. The median years of prior experience is 8.3 years, the gender split is 45.75% female / 54.25% male, and 50% of roles offer hybrid work with 14.29% fully remote.
Where Partnership Professionals Come From
The talent pipeline into partnerships is overwhelmingly sales-led.
| Previous Function | % of Partnership Professionals |
|---|---|
| Sales | 53% |
| Other | 17% |
| Customer Success or Similar | 16% |
| Marketing | 14% |
This is consistent across all company stages. The function attracts commercially-minded, relationship-oriented people - which makes sense. Partnership roles sit at the intersection of sales, strategy, and relationship management. The top roles people transition from are Business Development Manager, Account Manager, and General Manager.
The implication for employers: your partnership talent pool is broader than you think. A strong AE or BDM with the right collaborative instincts can make an excellent partnership professional - especially with the right strategic framework to guide them.
The Most Common Partnership Titles
The most prevalent partnership-related titles in APAC tell a story about where the function sits in its maturity curve.
Manager-level roles dominate the ecosystem. The function skews execution-heavy, suggesting that most companies are still early in formalising structured partner programs. This isn't necessarily a problem - but it means the operators doing the work often lack the strategic framework to make it effective.
"The survey shows that manager-level roles currently dominate the ecosystem, suggesting that many APAC programs remain 'execution-heavy' and early in their formalisation. To move from a reactive function to a reliable growth engine, organisations must align their hiring with a clear operational framework." - Bryan Williams, Founder, Hockey Stick Advisory
The 73% Problem: Mobility Is Sky-High
Here's the number that should keep every partnership leader awake: 73% of partnership professionals are open to changing roles within the next 12 months.
| Likelihood of Changing Jobs | % |
|---|---|
| Maybe, open to opportunities | 41% |
| Yes, actively looking | 32% |
| No, staying put | 26% |
That's not a talent market. That's a talent carousel.
Directors Are the Highest Flight Risk
48% of Directors are actively looking for new roles - the highest of any level. This is the most expensive and strategically important cohort in the function, and nearly half of them have one foot out the door.
The largest tenure cohort across all levels is 1–2 years. Layer that onto a typical 3–6 month search process and 3–6 month ramp period, and you're looking at a scenario where a senior partnership hire might be thinking about their next move before they've delivered meaningful value.
Premium Report Data
Detailed benchmarks from the 2026 APAC Partnerships Salary Survey Comprehensive Report. Talk to our partnership team to access the full data.
Contact Us for the Full ReportWhy People Leave
| Reason | % |
|---|---|
| Higher base salary | 32% |
| Career advancement/promotion opportunities | 26% |
| Lack of growth opportunities at current company | 14% |
| Company culture or management issues | 13% |
| Other reasons | 11% |
| Better bonus/commission structure | 3% |
Compensation is number one - higher base salary is the top reason for leaving. But career growth is arguably the bigger strategic lever. Career advancement and lack of growth opportunities together account for 40% of reasons people leave. That's addressable. Base salary requires budget. Career pathways require design.
Team Growth: The Function Is Expanding
Despite the mobility challenges, companies are investing in partnerships - not retreating.
| Team Size Change (Last 12 Months) | % |
|---|---|
| Grown | 46% |
| Remained the same | 36% |
| Shrunk | 18% |
Growth is strongest in enterprise (50%) and scaleup (47%) organisations. Startups show the most stability - 52% maintained team size with only 10% shrinking.
Partnership hiring peaks around mid-year - likely aligned to new FY budgets - and then stabilises through Q3–Q4 rather than dropping off. This isn't project-based hiring. This is long-term capability building.
"If partnerships were experimental, we'd see short spikes. Instead, stable hiring suggests long-term capability building. Companies are planning for ongoing partnership capacity, not one-off roles."
The Confidence Gap
When asked how confident they are in their organisation's ability to manage and scale partnerships:
| Confidence Level | % |
|---|---|
| Very Confident | 7% |
| Confident | 57.2% |
| Neutral | 22.1% |
| Not Very Confident | 11.6% |
Only 7% are very confident. The majority sit in the "on track but could improve" camp. The barriers? Lack of dedicated resources, partnerships being managed as a secondary function, and poor internal alignment. Companies with structured processes and PRM tools report higher confidence.
Premium Report Data
Detailed benchmarks from the 2026 APAC Partnerships Salary Survey Comprehensive Report. Talk to our partnership team to access the full data.
Contact Us for the Full ReportWhat This Means for Employers
Stop Treating Partnership Hiring as a One-Off
The data shows consistent, recurring hiring across the year. If you're building a partnership function, plan for ongoing capability investment - not a single senior hire who's expected to do everything.
Build Career Pathways Before You Need Them
With 40% of departures driven by growth and advancement concerns, the companies that retain partnership talent are the ones that provide clear progression blueprints. Map growth to specific capabilities and milestones - not just revenue targets.
Pay Competitively at the Base Level
Variable comp is nice. Equity adds upside. But under-market base salary is the number one trigger for talent churn. Benchmark against the APAC salary data and close the gaps.
Get the Strategy Right Before You Hire
Don't hire an operator and ask them to figure out strategy. The Hockey Stick Partnerships Framework provides a structured system across five pillars - Align, Validate, Activate, Optimise, Accelerate - that sets up both the function and the people inside it for success.
What This Means for Partnership Professionals
You Have Leverage - Use It Wisely
73% mobility means employers know you have options. But "I'll leave for more money" is a short-term play. Look for roles with genuine strategic clarity, career progression, and a structured approach to partnerships.
Know Your Number
The salary benchmarks in this report give you real data to negotiate with. A Partnerships Manager at $122K when the market median is $164K is being underpaid. A Director at $222K with no commission and shrinking team size might be in the wrong seat.
Bet on Structured Programs
The companies investing in partnership frameworks, enablement, and career pathways are the ones where you'll build the most valuable experience. The ones hiring reactively and expecting you to "figure it out" are the ones you'll leave in 18 months.