Strategic Partner Director

Strategic Partner Director

Job Description:

About Us

SUSE is a global leader in innovative, reliable and enterprise-grade open source solutions, relied upon by more than 60% of the Fortune 500 to power their mission-critical workloads. We specialize in Enterprise Linux, Kubernetes Management, and Edge solutions, and collaborate with partners and communities to empower our customers to innovate everywhere — from the data center, to the cloud, to the edge and beyond. SUSE puts the “open” back in open source, giving customers the agility to tackle innovation challenges today and the freedom to evolve their strategy and solutions tomorrow. The company is headquartered in Nuremberg, Germany, and employs nearly 2000 people globally. SUSE is listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Reports In To Sales Director

Objective of the role

Identify, manage and close new business for SUSE solutions in large accounts (install base) through and with partners.

The Partner Executive will develop, manage and grow new business model with strategic partners for SUSE product portfolio to achieve or exceed Business Unit expectations. In line with company goals, they are the expert in developing business model with strategic partners such as server hardware vendors (both global and local), systems integrators, ISVs and CSPs (cloud service providers) or distributors/VAR’s, in the area of the latest open source technologies.

Partner Executives are senior business development professionals who understand how to match business solutions with partners. These individuals will also have strong internal networks and a proven ability to creatively apply those resources to meet partner needs. They are an expert in account management and to assure the partners achieve their strategic goals in a win-win relationship.

Focus Area

• Make & exceed quota
• Sell the right mix of products/solutions
• Forecast accurately according to SUSE’s playbooks
• Thoroughly understand SUSE’s capabilities and positioning in the market and have a good understanding of related and / or competitive products and solutions
• Understand the products and/or solutions sold by his/her assigned partners, and are able to articulate how SUSE’s solutions can be integrated with those products and/or solutions.
• Are focused on top partners assigned to them in the market and acquiring significant new sales opportunities.
• Have a proven network of CxO level contacts into target partners.
• Actively support SUSE’s strategic indirect sales model by acting as “master orchestrator” of the sale in the ecosystem.
• Maintain and expand a strong internal network and have a proven ability to creatively pull teams together to meet and address assigned partners’ needs.
• Are a role model and mentor for others in the organization and are a trusted advisor both internally and externally, by demonstrating highest levels of integrity, the right intent, capabilities and results (see below – mindset and sales skills).
• Actively seeks continuous improvement, ensuring their 3S certification and selling skills are current at all times.

About You

• University degree in a business related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience, preferably in IT / Data Center sales.
• Demonstrates experience & success in selling new business through partners and their respective initiatives/projects at senior executive level.
• Brings a solid understanding of the Open Source, Software Defined Infrastructure or Cloud market and related customer needs.
• Role specifics may include related industry knowledge including but not limited to Linux, SDS, SDN, other open source software in infrastructure layer, HPC and SAP HANA. For example, an experience of selling a server hardware on which SAP and/or Linux O/S was running, may not be sufficient to meet the requirement – to be specified for a particular role.
• Experienced in selling in teams across organizational boundaries.
• Excellent relationship building skills – truly engages with contacts (including the sourcer) and knows how to tell a compelling story
• Understand and use the power of social selling (social media)
• In-depth and comprehensive knowledge of usual sales methodologies and channel / partner models.
• In-depth knowledge of and/or relationship with the assigned partners (relevant for the specific role)
• Fluent written and verbal communication in English
• Willingness to travel and flexibility in working hours required – you just get it done.

Job:
Sales

SUSE is a global leader in innovative, reliable and enterprise-grade open source solutions, relied upon by more than 60% of the Fortune 500 to power their mission-critical workloads. We specialize in Enterprise Linux, Kubernetes Management, and Edge solutions, and collaborate with partners and communities to empower our customers to innovate everywhere — from the data center, to the cloud, to the edge and beyond. SUSE puts the “open” back in open source, giving customers the agility to tackle innovation challenges today and the freedom to evolve their strategy and solutions tomorrow. The company is headquartered in Nuremberg, Germany, and employs nearly 2000 people globally. SUSE is listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.