Partner Development Managers think differently than traditional Channel Account Managers. Definitely look at a new hiring profile for this new role – more business savvy, more sales-oriented and an entrepreneurial spirit.
But don't get us wrong, full props to Channel Account Managers. Our recent projects and research has shown these traditional channel liaisons are deeply embedded in the day-to-day upkeep of existing partner accounts and sales tasks. It would be unfair and unrealistic to pile on the added responsibility of recruiting and building an engagement model around a new breed of partner.
By adding Partner Development Managers to the mix, vendors can better compete for prospective partners' time and attention. It takes a seasoned business manager to engage tomorrows cloud first partner. A Partner Development Manager should not only have the ability to research, identify, qualify, sell-to and recruit cloud providers, but also to establish a team relationship where the vendor and the partner can build solutions together.
Partner Development Manager should embrace the hunt and have a desire to promote the vendor to partners, help uproot the competition, and be tech savvy. As vendor technologies and partner business models focus more heavily on on-demand and subscription services, new conversations develop around software and services. Engagement has become the most crucial in determining channel relationship success.
Interesting? Read the full brief:
