Strategic Business Development Jobs at Whatnot with Visa Sponsorship
Strategic Business Development jobs at Whatnot involve driving partnerships, expanding seller ecosystems, and building the commercial infrastructure behind its live shopping platform. The company has a track record of sponsoring international talent across multiple visa categories for this function, making it a realistic target for visa-dependent applicants.
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đ Join the Future of Commerce with Whatnot!
Whatnot is the largest livestream shopping platform in North America and Europe to buy, sell, and discover the things you love. Whether it's trading cards, fashion, electronics, or live plants, our sellers are building real businesses across hundreds of categories. We're building live commerce at a scale that's never been done in the West, and there's no playbook to copy. The people here are shaping how an entirely new industry develops. As a remote co-located team, we're inspired by our values and anchored in hubs across the US, UK, Ireland, Poland, Germany, and Australia. We move fast, stay close to our users, and focus on the work that drives the most impact. We're one of the fastest growing marketplaces and were recently named the #1 Best Startup Employer in America by Forbes. Check out the latest Whatnot updates on our news and engineering blogs and join us as we enable anyone to turn their passion into a business and bring people together through commerce.
đ» Role
The Strategic Partnerships team builds deep, long-term relationships with Whatnot sellersâguiding them to scale efficiently, elevate buyer experience, and innovate on the platform. This role sits at the intersection of partnership management, category strategy, and go-to-market execution. Youâll partner closely with your Category Lead, Marketing, Trust & Safety, and Product teams to turn seller insights into action and ensure your team delivers exceptional results for sellers and buyers. Youâll own a book of up to 200 sellers, applying a structured, data-informed approach to coaching, engagement, and performance improvement. By combining automation, AI-powered insights, and a deep understanding of seller behavior, youâll help sellers reach key growth milestones and scale their business successfully on Whatnot. This role requires sharp and ruthless prioritization, strong operational judgment, and the ability to translate data into actionable outreach at scale. Youâll act as both strategist and operator â ensuring every seller receives the right level of guidance at the right time, while balancing efficiency and impact across your portfolio.
- Manage a scaled book of business. Own relationships with high-potential sellers, balancing proactive outreach with data-driven prioritization.
- Drive growth and account health at scale. Use AI tools and analytics (Salesforce, ChatGPT, Gong) to identify performance trends, automate communication, and execute structured coaching programs that improve seller performance.
- Prioritize ruthlessly. Focus time and energy on sellers with the highest engagement potential and growth opportunity, applying a clear prioritization framework to drive results efficiently.
- Deliver structured communication. Execute scaled outreach campaigns, monthly education seminars, and automated growth treatments that improve seller account health and business fundamentals.
- Leverage AI for insights and efficiency. Utilize Whatnotâs AI-enabled toolset to summarize seller performance, generate outreach content, and automate repetitive tasks, freeing capacity for strategic engagement.
- Collaborate cross-functionally. Partner with Category Leads, Marketing, and Product to surface seller trends, share feedback, and align scaled interventions with category priorities.
- Track, measure, and report. Maintain high data hygiene in Salesforce, logging outreach, treatments, and seller milestones to inform team-level metrics and continuous improvement.
- Build scalable best practices. Share insights, pilot learnings, and scaled comms templates to strengthen team-wide effectiveness and inform future Development playbooks.
We offer flexibility to work from home or from one of our global office hubs, and we value in-person time for planning, problem-solving, and connection. Team members in this role must live within commuting distance of our San Francisco, New York City, or Los Angeles hubs.
đ You
People who do well at Whatnot tend to be comfortable figuring things out as they go, biased toward action, and genuinely curious about what they're building. They care more about outcomes than credit and stay close to the product and the people using it. As Our Next Strategic Development Manager, You Should Have 3â5+ Years Of Experience In Account Management, Partnerships, Client Success, Or Operations â Ideally In Ecommerce, Marketplaces, Or a Creator Platform, Plus
- Proven ability to manage a large, complex portfolio while driving measurable business outcomes.
- Advanced organizational and prioritization skills; capable of navigating competing demands with structure and focus.
- Comfort with AI tools (ChatGPT, Salesforce automation, Gong AI, etc.) and demonstrated ability to use them to improve efficiency and decision-making.
- Analytical mindset and strong command of metrics to diagnose performance and inform outreach.
- Excellent communication skills for scaled messaging and seller engagement.
- A high degree of ownership, accountability, and adaptability in a fast-moving environment.
Nice to Have
- Experience supporting SMBs or creators at scale through digital or AI-driven programs.
- Background in operational improvement, training, or coaching in a high-volume environment.
- Passion for live commerce, seller communities, and Whatnotâs core categories (collectibles, sports, fashion, vintage).
đ Benefits
- Generous Holiday and Time off Policy
- Health Insurance options including Medical, Dental, Vision
- Work From Home Support + Home office setup allowance + Monthly allowance for cell phone and internet
- Care benefits + Monthly allowance for wellness + Annual allowance towards Childcare + Lifetime benefit for family planning, such as adoption or fertility expenses
- Retirement; 401k offering for Traditional and Roth accounts in the US (employer match up to 4% of base salary) and Pension plans internationally
- Monthly allowance to dogfood the app + All Whatnauts are expected to develop a deep understanding of our product. We're passionate about building the best user experience, and all employees are expected to use Whatnot as both a buyer and a seller as part of their job (our dogfooding budget makes this fun and easy!).
- Parental Leave + 16 weeks of paid parental leave + one month gradual return to work *company leave allowances run concurrently with country leave requirements which take precedence.
đ EOE
Whatnot is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by local law. We believe that our work is better and our company culture is improved when we encourage, support, and respect the different skills and experiences represented within our workforce.
Compensation Range: $134K - $180K
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Strategic Business Development Jobs at Whatnot
Frame your experience around marketplace growth
Whatnot operates a live commerce marketplace, so position your BD credentials around supply-side acquisition, seller onboarding, or category expansion. Interviewers respond to candidates who can speak to scaling merchant networks, not just traditional enterprise sales cycles.
Verify your visa type is on their sponsorship list
Whatnot sponsors H-1B, E-3, TN, F-1 OPT, F-1 CPT, J-1, and EB-2/EB-3. Before applying, confirm your current status is supported. If you're on OPT, calculate your remaining authorization window against a realistic offer-to-start timeline to avoid gaps.
Target roles that align with Whatnot's category expansion
Whatnot frequently opens BD roles tied to specific verticals like collectibles, sneakers, or electronics. Applying to a role that matches a category you have direct commercial experience in significantly strengthens your candidacy and makes sponsorship easier to justify internally.
Prepare your credentials for a specialty occupation case
USCIS requires H-1B petitions to demonstrate the role is a specialty occupation. Gather transcripts, degree equivalency documents if your qualification is non-U.S., and any credentials showing strategic or analytical specialization relevant to business development in digital commerce.
Understand how PERM timing affects your green card path
If you're targeting long-term sponsorship through EB-2 or EB-3, PERM labor certification can take 12 to 18 months before USCIS even reviews the I-140. Start those conversations with the recruiting team early, not after you've already accepted an offer.
Use Migrate Mate to find open BD roles at Whatnot
Whatnot's Strategic Business Development openings move quickly and vary by seniority and vertical. Use Migrate Mate to filter specifically for Whatnot roles that are open to visa sponsorship, so you're only spending time on positions where international candidates are actively considered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Whatnot sponsor H-1B visas for Strategic Business Developments?
Yes, Whatnot sponsors H-1B visas for Strategic Business Development roles. The company has a consistent pattern of filing on behalf of international candidates in this function. If you're applying, confirm the specific role qualifies as a specialty occupation under USCIS standards, which typically requires a directly related bachelor's degree or higher as a standard entry requirement for the position.
Which visa types does Whatnot commonly sponsor for Strategic Business Development roles?
Whatnot sponsors a broad range of visa categories for this function, including H-1B, E-3 visa for Australian citizens, TN visa for Canadian and Mexican nationals, F-1 OPT and CPT for recent graduates, J-1 visa for exchange visitors, and EB-2 or EB-3 for those pursuing permanent residency. The right category depends on your nationality, current status, and career stage.
What qualifications does Whatnot expect for Strategic Business Development roles?
Whatnot generally looks for candidates with experience in partnership development, marketplace or platform businesses, or category-level commercial strategy. A bachelor's degree in business, economics, or a related field is typically expected, and experience with high-growth consumer technology or e-commerce environments is a strong differentiator. For senior roles, prior experience managing seller or vendor relationships at scale is common.
How do I apply for Strategic Business Development jobs at Whatnot?
Start by browsing open Strategic Business Development positions on Migrate Mate, where you can filter Whatnot roles by visa sponsorship eligibility. Tailor your application to Whatnot's live commerce context, highlighting any marketplace, platform, or seller-side experience. Once you receive an offer, Whatnot's recruiting and legal team will walk you through the sponsorship filing process, which varies depending on your visa category.
How do I plan my timeline if I need Whatnot to sponsor an H-1B?
H-1B cap-subject petitions can only be filed after winning the annual lottery, with registration typically opening in March and employment starting no earlier than October 1. If you're on F-1 OPT, confirm you have enough remaining authorization to bridge the gap. Premium processing through USCIS can reduce the adjudication window to around 15 business days once the petition is filed, which helps with planning your start date.