Partner Development Manager

Are you a strategic partner leader who can shape long-term growth with some of Microsoft's largest and most complex partners? As a Partner Development Manager in Global Partner Solutions, you'll set the long-range vision for a portfolio of high-profile partners. You'll build trusted-advisor relationships with C-suite leaders and coach partners to grow their Microsoft practice through consumption, co-selling and digital transformation.

In this role you'll sell the account vision to senior decision makers. You'll spot market opportunities based on industry gaps and new trends, and design go-to-market (GTM) and co-sell strategies that drive Microsoft's and our partners' sales goals. You'll also make sure partners invest in world-class teams that have the skills, enablement and incentives to sell. When partners need you most, you'll resolve complex, urgent escalations for them.

Responsibilities

Strategic vision and executive leadership

• Lead a long-range strategic vision for each partner, based on their impact and potential across segments.
• Sell the account vision to senior business decision makers by aligning Microsoft's value propositions with each partner's business goals.
• Build new market partnerships with market makers, define what the partnership could become, and secure deeper long-term commitments.
• Lead executive roundtables and briefings on Microsoft's cloud and industry strategies, including preparing executives and writing backgrounders.
• Keep deep end-to-end knowledge of products, channels, end customers, and industry and security trends, and share it with partners.
• Uphold Microsoft policies, procedures and legal compliance standards.

Trusted-advisor relationships

• Use a Challenger mindset to build and own trusted-advisor relationships with C-suite leaders, achieving strategic alignment and driving growth.
• Align partners' priorities and goals with Microsoft's to build account plans that benefit both sides.
• Run partner reviews, MBRs and QBRs to track how plans are executing, find gaps and agree on fixes.
• Influence a complex stakeholder map, and clearly explain current and future business opportunities.

Portfolio strategy and business planning

• Review the partner portfolio to find patterns, opportunities and gaps. Recommend existing or new solutions that partners can co-invest in.
• Lead Business Design briefings that set the partnership framework and advise partner leadership on building a high-impact Microsoft practice.
• Develop and execute World-class Account Plans and Quarterly Execution Plans that support GPS priorities, cloud consumption and digital transformation. Make sure these plans meet security and privacy requirements.
• Set up a Rhythm of Business (RoB) with each partner at every level.

Partner capability and readiness

• Lead skills, capability and capacity planning across the partner business, and build a learning culture through sales and technical training, bootcamps and Centers of Excellence.
• Turn partner capacity into revenue through clear targets, coaching and local strategies to win share for Microsoft solutions.
• Make sure partners build well-staffed, enabled and incentivized teams. Act as a trusted advisor to partner CROs on cloud sales transformation, including readiness, compensation and territories.
• Build and scale partner digital selling capabilities.

Partner recruitment and qualification

• Develop recruitment plans to bring in new partners or expand current ones, so the portfolio stays balanced and covers market opportunities.
• Use your knowledge of the ecosystem, disruptors, influencers and the investment community to land big wins.

Partner performance and advocacy

• Resolve complex, urgent escalations on the partner's behalf by coordinating fast action from internal teams.
• Advocate for partners internally. Connect them with Microsoft executives, build relationships with Channel Sales counterparts (PDM, PTS, PMA-MW), and show their value across Microsoft.

Partner sales, GTM and consumption

• Lead joint campaigns with Microsoft functional teams and partner marketing teams. Design offers and incentives with security-first messaging, and secure GTM funding and resources.
• Develop GTM and co-selling strategies that set out the activities and expectations needed to meet shared sales goals.
• Ensure Launch Excellence through sales readiness and marketing plans, including campaigns, incentives and promotions.
• Coach and challenge partners to change their plans around consumption and key targets, and help them understand consumption economics.
• Lead reviews of partner pipeline, top deals and consumption targets. Own the pipeline in MSX precisely, with strong deal control and forecasting.
• Build and launch integrated, industry-specific offerings on Azure Marketplace, and put Marketplace first for co-selling and customer transactions.

Qualifications

Required/minimum qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Business Operations, Computer Science or a related field AND 8+ years experience in partner management, sales, business development, or partner channel development in the technology industry or related experience OR equivalent experience.

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.