Forward Deployed Strategist

Before you read further: this is not a 9-to-5. There is no territory handed to you, no script to follow, and no one to ask for permission. If you need to be managed to close deals, this role is not for you. If you think in pipelines, move at founder speed, and put agents to work so you can focus on what only you can do, keep reading.

Why Now

Enterprise software buying is being disrupted from the bottom up. The most influential technical decision-makers in 2026 are not enterprise IT committees. They are founders, CTOs, and lead engineers at AI-native startups who evaluate tools in hours, not quarters. They are launching on CreateOS before their Series A closes.

At the same time, the AI agents wave is creating a new category of infrastructure buyer: teams who need execution to be as fast and intelligent as the applications they are shipping. No one has fully claimed this category. CreateOS has the product, the traction, and the narrative to own it. What we need now is the field operator who can turn that opportunity into revenue before the window closes.

About CreateOS

CreateOS is the unified AI execution layer for the enterprise. One platform to route, govern, validate, and observe AI applications across models and clouds, with sovereignty over where workloads run, backed by NodeOps orchestration across a global compute network. We build production AI for teams that can't afford to ship something that doesn't work.

The Role

A Forward Deployed Strategist (FDS) is our most customer-proximate strategic role. You are not a sales rep. You are not a consultant. You are an embedded operator who takes ownership of outcomes from first conversation to contract to expansion.

You understand technical infrastructure well enough to earn credibility with CTOs. You understand business well enough to negotiate ACV and design expansion plays. You are fluent in both boardrooms and developer Discord servers.

What You'll Do

• Own strategic accounts across the full lifecycle: discovery, solution design, close, expand.
• Identify and pursue partnership opportunities with AI tooling companies (Claude Code, Cursor, emerging LLM players).
• Build account-specific deployment strategies and present them as business cases to decision-makers.
• Run velocity demos, a 30-minute founder-led format, that compress deal cycles.
• Translate field intelligence into GTM playbooks, ICP refinements, and competitive positioning.
• Operate as the voice of the customer inside CreateOS, feeding market signals to product and BD.
• Develop and manage a pipeline of 20 to 40 strategic accounts with documented progression in our CRM.
• Represent CreateOS at key developer conferences (YC Demo Day, AI Engineer Summit, Web Summit).
• Use AI agents and automation to work your pipeline at a scale a traditional rep simply cannot match.

What We're Looking For

Must Have:

• 4 to 8 years in a BD, strategic sales, or consulting role at a B2B SaaS or infrastructure company.
• A demonstrable track record of closing $50K to $500K ACV deals.
• Technical fluency: you understand deployment pipelines, APIs, and developer workflows even if you cannot code everything yourself.
• Strong async communication; you write proposals that close without a follow-up call.
• Comfort operating in 0-to-1 environments with minimal playbook.

Strong Plus:

• Experience selling into AI-native companies, YC startups, or enterprise dev teams.
• Background in developer tools, cloud infrastructure, or platform ecosystems.
• International market experience across the US and Asia-Pacific developer ecosystem.
• Experience with a PLG to sales-assist motion (free tier to Pro upsell).

Metrics You'll Own

• Monthly pipeline generated (target: $200K+ MRR pipeline by month 3).
• Demo-to-close rate (benchmark: 25%+).
• Average deal cycle (target: under 21 days for SMB, under 60 days for enterprise).
• Expansion ARR from existing accounts.

What You'll Get

• Competitive base salary plus a meaningful equity stake in the company.
• Uncapped commission structure with no artificial ceiling.
• Performance bonuses tied to pipeline milestones and strategic partnership closures.
• A direct line to founders and product leadership.
• Health benefits, flexible PTO, and a team that operates at full intensity.

How to Apply

• Email hiring@nodeops.xyz with the subject line FDS - [Your Name].
• Include your most complex deal close, your ideal ICP, and one partnership you would pursue for CreateOS on day one.