Sr. Director, Analyst Relations
AvePoint · New York City · $220,000–$290,000 (stated in the posting)
Overview
AvePoint is seeking a strategic and results-oriented Senior Director of Analyst Relations to lead and evolve our global analyst relations program. This role will define and execute a multi-year strategy that strengths AvePoint's position with leading industry analysts, advances our presence in flagship research such as Gartner Magic Quadrants, Forrester Waves, and Omdia-Canalys Leadership Matrices, and translates analyst insights into meaningful business impact. Working closely with executive leadership, Product, Marketing, Sales, and Communications, the Senior Director will build trusted analyst relationships, shape market perception, influence category positioning, and ensure analyst validation is leveraged across go-to-market initiatives to support brand growth, customer confidence, and revenue outcomes.
Key Responsibilities:
Analyst Strategy & Program Leadership
- Define and execute AvePoint's multi-year analyst relations strategy and roadmap, prioritizing engagements based on category importance, revenue impact, and competitive positioning
- Build and manage a structured AR program architecture — including tiered analyst segmentation, engagement cadences, briefing frameworks, and annual planning cycles aligned to product launches, earnings, and GTM priorities
- Set clear AR goals and KPIs that connect analyst engagement to business outcomes: category positioning improvement, research inclusion, analyst sentiment shifts, and GTM activation metrics
- Partner with the VP, Content & Communications on AR's role in the broader Content & Communications strategy, ensuring AR intelligence informs content narrative, PR messaging, and brand positioning
- Manage the AR budget including analyst firm subscriptions, advisory services, event sponsorships, and research investments
Marquee Research Advancement
- Lead AvePoint's strategy and execution for marquee analyst evaluations — Gartner Magic Quadrants, Forrester Waves, IDC MarketScapes, and equivalent — across priority categories including data protection, data resilience, data governance, and AI-driven platforms
- Personally own high-stakes evaluation submissions, coordinating cross-functional teams on positioning strategy, customer references, product demonstrations, and analyst Q&A preparation
- Develop long-cycle advancement plans for each priority evaluation, identifying the specific capability gaps, messaging shifts, and analyst relationship investments needed to improve AvePoint's position over 2–3 year evaluation cycles
- Coordinate with Product Management and Product Marketing to ensure analyst feedback is translated into roadmap priorities and competitive positioning adjustments
- Ensure evaluation submissions reflect AvePoint's evolving platform narrative — particularly the shift from point product to unified Confidence Platform positioning
Analyst Relationship Building & Advocacy
- Build durable, trust-based relationships with top-tier analysts at Gartner, Forrester, IDC, Canalys, Omdia, and influential boutique firms — becoming the analyst community's primary point of contact at AvePoint
- Develop analyst champions who reference AvePoint proactively in research, inquiry responses, conference presentations, and client advisory sessions
- Execute a structured engagement cadence including regular briefings, strategy days, advisory sessions, inquiry calls, and informal relationship-building touchpoints
- Host and coordinate analyst events, advisory days, and executive roundtables that deepen analyst understanding of AvePoint's strategy, roadmap, and market traction
- Ensure AvePoint's executive team is prepared and confident for analyst interactions through structured briefing prep, talking point development, and post-engagement follow-up
Measurement, Impact & GTM Enablement
- Track and report AR KPIs including: research mentions and positioning, inquiry volume and sentiment, analyst champion development, evaluation advancement, and GTM activation metrics
- Produce executive-ready AR reporting that connects analyst engagement to business outcomes — not activity volume
- Activate analyst validation across demand generation, sales enablement, content, and PR — including reprints, gated assets, quote integration, and campaign amplification
- Partner with Sales Enablement to ensure analyst insights and research are integrated into sales motions, competitive battle cards, and customer-facing materials
- Coordinate with PR and Social Media on analyst-related earned media amplification — press releases, social coverage, and event promotion tied to research milestones
Cross-Functional Leadership & Executive Readiness
- Serve as the voice of the analyst community internally — synthesizing analyst feedback and market intelligence into actionable recommendations for Product, Marketing, and Executive Leadership
- Partner directly with the CEO, CTO, CPO, CMO, and CRO on executive briefing preparation, spokesperson readiness, and strategic narrative alignment for analyst interactions
- Build and manage the AR team as it scales: setting standards, coaching team members, and ensuring execution quality
- Collaborate with Content and Thought Leadership on research-driven content that reinforces analyst narratives — original research, executive bylines, and category POV content
- Coordinate with Brand on category positioning and naming conventions that align with how analysts define and segment the market
Required Skills & Capabilities
- Analyst relations strategy leadership — proven ability to build, lead, and scale a global AR program from foundational to mature, with clear strategic planning, tiered analyst segmentation, and measurable outcomes tied to business impact
- Marquee research expertise — deep, hands-on experience managing Gartner Magic Quadrant, Forrester Wave, IDC MarketScape, and equivalent evaluation cycles — including multi-year advancement strategies, submission orchestration, and positioning under competitive pressure
- Senior analyst relationship management — established, trust-based relationships with analysts at Gartner, Forrester, IDC, and adjacent firms, with a reputation for credibility, responsiveness, and strategic engagement
- Executive communication and briefing — comfort preparing and advising C-level executives for high-stakes analyst interactions, with the ability to push back constructively and maintain quality standards
- Cross-functional influence — proven ability to partner with Product, Marketing, Sales, and executive leadership without direct authority, driving alignment through clarity, credibility, and shared outcomes
- Long-cycle strategic discipline — patience and rigor to execute 2–3 year evaluation advancement plans while delivering short-term engagement wins that maintain organizational confidence in the AR investment
- People leadership — experience building, managing, and developing an AR team, setting standards, and coaching team members through complex research cycles and stakeholder dynamics
- Market and competitive intelligence — deep understanding of the data protection, data governance, resilience, and AI-driven platform landscape — including competitor positioning, analyst firm dynamics, and category evolution
Qualifications
- 10–12+ years of experience in analyst relations, product marketing, or competitive intelligence — with at least 5 years in a dedicated AR leadership role
- Direct, hands-on experience leading Gartner MQ, Forrester Wave, or equivalent evaluation cycles from strategy through submission and post-evaluation advancement planning
- Established relationships with analysts at Gartner, Forrester, IDC, Canalys, and/or Omdia in relevant categories (data protection, backup/recovery, data governance, information security, SaaS management)
- Experience managing or building an AR team of 2–4 professionals
- Strong executive-facing communication skills with experience preparing C-level leaders for analyst interactions
- Experience in B2B SaaS, enterprise software, data management, cybersecurity, or adjacent technology categories
- Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, business, or a related field — or equivalent professional experience; MBA or advanced degree is a plus
Benefits we offer:
- Competitive market-based compensation (salary + yearly bonus)
- Career progression and internal mobility opportunities across our global footprint in North America, EMEA, and APAC
- Unlimited PTO
The Salary Range for this role is $220,000 - $290,000. At AvePoint, we strive to offer competitive, fair, and equitable total rewards. The listed salary range represents a good faith estimate, with final offers based on location, experience, skills, and qualifications. The listed range reflects base salary only; our total rewards include base salary, comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with match, unlimited PTO), and depending on the role, bonuses, commissions, or equity (RSUs). We welcome compensation discussions—apply even if your expectations fall outside the range.