About this General Manager - OS Platform Business Unit role at Shakudo
Shakudo · Onsite · Toronto, ON
About Shakudo
Shakudo is the operating system for data and AI, providing enterprises with production-ready AI and data infrastructure that combines the flexibility of custom-built stacks with the reliability of managed platforms. Founded in 2021, our Toronto-based company has raised $11.1M in funding and serves enterprise customers across aerospace, automotive, financial services, healthcare, and technology sectors.
We're executing a strategic pivot from small-account software licensing to enterprise-scale platform deployments, targeting $10M+ ARR within 24 months. Our platform integrates 200+ best-in-class data and AI tools, enabling organizations to transition from notebook to production with zero DevOps overhead.
The Opportunity
As our OS Platform General Manager, you'll lead the core business unit representing Shakudo's primary value proposition - the Data & AI Operating System itself. This is the flagship business unit in our NVIDIA-inspired organizational structure, where each GM operates with full P&L responsibility and autonomous decision-making authority.
The OS Platform business unit focuses on core Shakudo Data & AI Operating System licensing and infrastructure, targeting enterprise customers requiring full platform capabilities for comprehensive data and AI operations. This represents the largest revenue opportunity and strategic foundation for all other business units.
Key Responsibilities
P&L Management
- Own complete P&L responsibility for the core OS Platform business unit
- Drive the majority of company revenue through platform licensing and infrastructure
- Manage enterprise customer relationships for $100K-$300K annual contract values
- Report directly to CEO with full autonomy over platform business decisions
Platform Strategy & Product Leadership
- Define and execute product strategy for the core Shakudo Data & AI Operating System
- Drive platform roadmap decisions based on enterprise customer requirements
- Ensure platform capabilities support and enable other business unit offerings
- Balance innovation with enterprise stability and reliability requirements
Enterprise Customer Success
- Own relationships with enterprise customers requiring full platform capabilities
- Ensure successful deployments in on-premises and air-gapped environments
- Drive platform adoption metrics: active users, stack component utilization, production use cases
- Establish customer success frameworks measuring time-to-value improvements
Technical Leadership & Architecture
- Collaborate closely Principal Engineers on platform architecture
- Ensure platform scalability, security, and performance for enterprise deployments
- Drive integration capabilities that support Stack and Professional Services units
- Maintain competitive positioning against major cloud providers and data platforms
Market Leadership
- Position Shakudo as the leading Data & AI Operating System in the enterprise market
- Develop competitive strategies against Databricks, Snowflake, and major cloud platforms
- Build thought leadership in data and AI platform modernization
- Drive enterprise market expansion and strategic customer acquisition
Cross-Unit Coordination
- Collaborate with other GMs to ensure platform supports their service offerings
- Provide platform capabilities that enable Applications and Professional Services success
- Maintain platform integrity while allowing business unit customization and extension
- Balance resource allocation between core platform and enabling other units
Required Qualifications
Ex-Founder Preferred
We strongly prioritize candidates who are ex-founders with either:
- Raised $1M+ in venture funding, OR
- Generated $500K+ in revenue for their company
Ex-founders align perfectly with our GM strategy because they're naturally autonomous problem-solvers accustomed to full P&L responsibility, experienced building from zero with limited resources, and understand the urgency required in venture-scale growth.
Core Requirements
- 8+ years of experience in enterprise data platforms, infrastructure software, or operating systems
- Proven track record of building and scaling platform businesses with $10M+ ARR
- Deep understanding of data and AI infrastructure, modern data stacks, and enterprise requirements
- Experience with enterprise software sales cycles, customer success, and platform adoption
- Strong technical background with ability to engage with engineering and customer technical teams
Platform & Infrastructure Expertise
- Understanding of Kubernetes, container orchestration, and cloud-native architectures
- Experience with data platforms, data lakes, data warehouses, and modern data stack technologies
- Knowledge of AI/ML infrastructure, MLOps, and production AI deployment requirements
- Familiarity with enterprise security, compliance, and on-premises deployment models
- Experience with platform APIs, extensibility, and ecosystem development
Business & Leadership Skills
- Demonstrated ability to operate independently with full P&L responsibility for $10M+ business units
- Experience managing complex enterprise customer relationships and deployments
- Strong communication skills for C-level executives and technical decision makers
- Proven ability to build and manage cross-functional teams including engineering, sales, and customer success
- Track record of scaling platform businesses in competitive enterprise markets
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous experience at major data platform companies (Databricks, Snowflake, Palantir, etc.)
- Background in enterprise infrastructure software or developer platform companies
- Experience with air-gapped and on-premises enterprise deployments
- MBA or equivalent business strategy experience in technology platforms
- International market expansion experience with enterprise software
- Background in open-source platform development and ecosystem building
Industry Experience
- Financial services, healthcare, aerospace, or other highly regulated industries
- Understanding of data governance, privacy, and compliance in enterprise environments
- Experience with digital transformation initiatives and enterprise technology adoption
- Background in DevOps, SRE, or infrastructure operations
What Success Looks Like
90 Days
- Complete comprehensive analysis of current platform business performance and opportunities
- Define platform strategy and competitive positioning against major market players
- Establish relationships with key enterprise customers and strategic prospects
- Align with engineering leadership on platform roadmap and investment priorities
6 Months
- Drive measurable improvement in platform adoption metrics across customer base
- Launch major platform capabilities that differentiate against competitive alternatives
- Build dedicated platform team including product management, customer success, and technical resources
- Achieve consistent quarter-over-quarter growth in platform-driven revenue
12 Months
- Scale OS Platform business unit to $5M+ ARR with healthy unit economics
- Establish Shakudo as recognized leader in data and AI operating system market
- Build scalable platform business with repeatable sales processes and customer success
- Enable successful growth of Applications and Professional Services through platform capabilities
Platform Focus Areas
Core Platform Capabilities
-Data & AI Operating System: Core platform licensing, deployment, and enterprise infrastructure
-Stack Component Ecosystem: Management and optimization of 200+ integrated data and AI tools
-Enterprise Security & Compliance: On-premises, air-gapped, and regulated industry deployments
-Platform APIs & Extensibility: Developer experience and platform customization capabilities
Customer Success Metrics
-Platform Utilization: Active users per environment (targeting 50% by H1 2026)
-Stack Component Adoption: Number of components actively used (targeting 7+ by H1 2026)
-Production Use Cases: Live business applications (targeting 4+ by H1 2026)
-Time-to-Value: Deployment to first production use case (targeting <60 days by H1 2026)
Enterprise Market Focus
-Large Enterprise: 1000+ employees with complex data and AI requirements
-Regulated Industries: Financial services, healthcare, aerospace with compliance needs
-Data-Driven Organizations: Companies with significant data science and AI initiatives
-Digital Transformation: Enterprises modernizing data and AI infrastructure
Our Culture & Values
NVIDIA-Inspired Organization
-Flat, mission-driven structure with minimal hierarchical layers
-Autonomous leadership with full accountability and decision-making authority
-Platform-first thinking that enables ecosystem growth and customer success
Global Talent Strategy
-Worldwide recruitment to attract the best platform talent regardless of geography
-Immigration support through Canada's Express Entry program for strategic hires
-Remote-friendly culture with comprehensive relocation assistance
Enterprise Excellence
- Customer-obsessed approach to platform development and support
- Continuous innovation balanced with enterprise stability and reliability
- Long-term thinking about platform evolution and market leadership
Compensation & Benefits
-Equity: Substantial equity package aligned with venture-scale growth
-Performance Bonus: Tied to OS Platform revenue, adoption metrics, and customer success
-Immigration Support: Comprehensive visa and relocation assistance for international candidates
-Professional Development: Platform and infrastructure conference attendance, continuous learning budget
-Health & Wellness: Comprehensive health coverage and wellness programs
Next Steps
This role represents the opportunity to lead the core business unit of a high-growth data and AI platform company. You'll own the primary revenue driver while enabling the success of complementary business units, positioning Shakudo for market leadership in the data and AI operating system space.
Ready to lead the OS Platform business unit and drive Shakudo's core platform to market dominance? We want to hear from exceptional platform leaders.
**Apply now** or reach out directly to discuss how your platform business experience and technical leadership align with this strategic opportunity.
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*Shakudo is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and encourage international talent to apply for our comprehensive immigration support program.*
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