Director, Partner Programs

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Washington.

📋 Description

• Take ownership and enhance five partner programs: VAR, ISV, OEM, Services, and Alliance.

• Optimize program structure and realign incentives to focus on growth, adoption, and customer outcomes.

• Develop a reliable partner data and attribution model.

• Expand the ISV and marketplace initiatives for the AI era.

• Create and manage program standards, eligibility criteria, tiers, benefits, requirements, and operational guidelines.

• Control program roadmaps and annual update cycles.

• Maintain governance documents, program manuals, policies, and FAQs.

• Conduct compliance reviews and audits.

• Build automation for the prospective partner pipeline and initial qualification processes.

• Oversee partner onboarding, offboarding, and transitions between programs.

• Coordinate legal agreements, amendments, and addendums with the Legal team.

• Manage deal attribution, conflict resolution, payment regulations, and exception approvals.

• Handle program economics, including margins, discounts, incentives, rebates, MDF, referral fees, revenue sharing, and contra-revenue.

• Model P&L impact and oversee the incentive lifecycle through calculation, accrual, audit, reporting, and payment processes.

• Collaborate with Finance on forecasts, payment accuracy, audit readiness, and margin objectives.

• Equip account managers with scorecards, segmentation, business-plan frameworks, and a monthly performance cadence.

• Maintain consistent partner data models and metrics across Sales, Finance, and Marketing.

• Report on partner-sourced and partner-influenced revenue, customer engagement, partner health, retention, and program ROI.

• Manage VAR tier, margin, discount, and profitability frameworks.

• Define VAR productivity, concentration, and time-to-productivity metrics, conducting portfolio reviews.

• Align VAR incentives with net-new ACV, installed-base growth, retention, and product attachment.

• Establish geographic and segment coverage and perform white-space analysis.

• Make decisions regarding ISV admissions, certification standards, and the marketplace listing lifecycle.

• Govern referral, resale, and revenue-sharing models.

• Conduct strategic ISV business reviews.

• Manage Alliance referral frameworks, co-sell regulations, lead and opportunity tagging, referral fees, and payment timing.

• Own the ecosystem strategy and long-term planning.

• Facilitate partner advisory boards and executive sponsor programs.

• Manage the partner technology stack, including PRM, CRM, deal registration, certification, marketplace listings, referral tracking, and reporting.

• Act as the channel liaison to Finance, FP&A, Revenue Accounting, Deal Desk, and Legal.

• Build, lead, and develop the programs and operations team.

• Complete a current-state audit within 90 days, launch a simplified framework within 12 months, and demonstrate measurable improvements within 24 months.

• Report to the SVP, Partner Strategy and Programs.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 10 years of experience in partner programs, channel operations, or channel management at a software company.

• More than 5 years of experience in a leadership role.

• Proven track record of managing VAR or reseller programs, including tier, margin, and incentive design.

• Experience in overseeing ISV programs.

• Direct experience in managing an ISV or technology partner program, including eligibility criteria, solution certification, marketplace listing, and ISV agreements.

• Strong financial modeling capabilities involving margins, discounts, and incentive structures.

• Experience presenting financial models to senior finance leaders and executives.

• Proficient in PRM and CRM platforms, as well as partner reporting.

• Proficiency in AI and Excel or equivalent analytical tools.

• Experience drafting and managing partner agreements and program policies in collaboration with Legal.

• Background in a company where the majority of revenue is generated through indirect channels.

• Familiarity with services-led partners that implement the product.

• Experience rationalizing or discontinuing program elements and managing partner transitions, including grandfathering and communication.

• Strong executive communication skills, including the ability to create board-ready materials and clear written program documentation.

• Working knowledge of revenue recognition and control considerations for channel incentives, or the ability to collaborate effectively with Revenue Accounting.

• Preferred: experience in designing referral programs and alliance or systems integrator programs.

• Preferred: experience in ERP, SaaS, or vertical software channels.

• Preferred: marketplace or app store platform experience and technical certification of partner solutions.

• Preferred: experience with international or multi-region programs.

• Experience managing the contract negotiation process for redlining is a plus.

🏝️ Benefits

• Eligibility for an annual bonus.

• Stock eligibility.

• Sales incentives based on revenue or utilization for certain roles.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for US-based employees and their dependents.

• Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability coverage.

• Basic life insurance coverage.

• 401(k) plan with company matching.

• Flexible time off policy.

• Sick and safe leave.

• Opportunities for professional and financial growth.

• Option for remote work.