At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead partnerships with major hardware brands and drive their success using Canonical's software.
- Company: Canonical is a pioneering tech firm revolutionising open source with Ubuntu, the platform for AI and cloud.
- Benefits: Enjoy remote work, a personal development budget, annual bonuses, and wellness support.
- Why this job: Join a fast-growing company that values innovation and offers opportunities to travel and learn.
- Qualifications: Experience in sales management, strong communication skills, and a passion for open source technologies.
- Other info: Work in a diverse environment that promotes equality and values unique perspectives.
The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.
Hardware brands - Dell, HPE, IBM, Lenovo, Cisco, Ericsson and many more - are major partners for Canonical. These companies often build software-defined solutions which they take to market and Ubuntu is a key ingredient in cloud-native and edge or IoT solutions. More and more of those solutions depend on open source. Canonical Ubuntu is the best platform for rapid open source innovation.
The IHV Alliance Sales Director is responsible for IHV partner success - we want them to thrive and grow their business with Canonical software, solutions and services. This is a leadership and management role, responsible for a team who cover all IHV Alliances worldwide. Reporting to the VP Global Alliances & Channels, our IHV Alliance Sales Director will work closely with strategic partners across their complex organizations to engage with their innovation teams and ensure that they consider and integrate Ubuntu stacks and solutions. For example, private clouds, container solutions, and vertical solutions for industries like telco and automotive, are increasingly built on open source and Ubuntu. We are the challenger platform, but we are growing quickly in the industry.
The Director is responsible to build trusted relationships with IHV partners, increase Canonical market share and attach rate, evangelize the partnership and lead all business interactions from engineer to CxO. They will often run customer workshops focused on particular initiatives at that customer, attend sales events, give public presentations and lead executive engagements.
As an IHV Alliance Sales Director you will:
- Build strategic relationships with IHV partners at levels
- Grow their awareness of open source capabilities on Canonical Ubuntu
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of the Linux and cloud software ecosystem
- Negotiate contracts and commercial business terms
- Demonstrate a deep understanding of large and complex organizations
- Lead partnerships in APAC with companies like Lenovo, Huawei, Quanta, Fujitsu, Inspur, H3C, NEC, Asus etc.
- Lead partnerships in EMEA with companies like Ericsson, Nokia, Bull, Siemens
- Lead partnerships in the Americas with companies like Dell, HPE, IBM, Supermicro
- Work closely with marketing, sales engineering and product management
- Deliver on targets, objectives and provide a voice of the partner
- Lead executive interlocks between IHV and Canonical leadership
- Travel regularly - sometimes internationally - to drive partnerships in person
Valued Skills And Experience:
- Experience in alliance or indirect sales management roles
- Autonomous, disciplined, hands-on, get-it-done mentality
- Ability to capture customer requirements, evaluate gaps, identify and create opportunities
- Passionate about Ubuntu products and mission
- Comfortable in fast-paced and high pressure environments with measurable goals
- Experience with Linux, virtualization, containers, and other cloud technologies.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
What We Offer:
- Colleagues: We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognize outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. We provide all team members with additional benefits which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.
- Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person
- Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year
- Annual compensation review
- Recognition rewards
- Annual holiday leave
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Team Member Assistance Program & Wellness Platform
- Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
- Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events
About Canonical:
Canonical is a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open-source projects and the platform for AI, IoT, and the cloud, we are changing the world of software. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence; in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since our inception in 2004. Working here is a step into the future and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.
Canonical is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.
Partner Sales Director - IHV Alliances employer: Canonical
Contact Detail:
Canonical Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Partner Sales Director - IHV Alliances
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Canonical's partnerships and the specific IHV partners mentioned in the job description. Understanding their business models and how they integrate Ubuntu into their solutions will help you engage effectively during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your experience in alliance or indirect sales management roles by preparing examples of successful partnerships you've built in the past. Be ready to discuss how you can replicate that success with Canonical's IHV partners.
✨Tip Number 3
Brush up on your knowledge of open source technologies, particularly Linux and cloud software ecosystems. Being able to speak confidently about these topics will demonstrate your passion for Ubuntu and its applications.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your approach to building trusted relationships with CxOs and innovation teams within large organisations. Highlight your communication and presentation skills, as these are crucial for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Partner Sales Director - IHV Alliances
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in alliance or indirect sales management roles. Emphasise your understanding of the Linux and cloud software ecosystem, as well as any experience with open source technologies.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for Ubuntu products and the mission of Canonical. Discuss how your skills align with the responsibilities of the IHV Alliance Sales Director role, particularly in building strategic relationships and leading partnerships.
Showcase Your Communication Skills: Since excellent communication and presentation skills are crucial for this role, consider including examples of past experiences where you successfully engaged with partners or led workshops. This will demonstrate your ability to convey complex information effectively.
Highlight Leadership Experience: As this is a leadership position, be sure to detail your previous management experience. Discuss how you've led teams, driven results, and fostered collaboration within complex organisations, especially in high-pressure environments.
How to prepare for a job interview at Canonical
✨Understand Canonical's Mission
Before the interview, make sure you have a solid grasp of Canonical's mission and values, especially their commitment to open source. This will help you align your answers with their goals and demonstrate your passion for Ubuntu products.
✨Showcase Your Alliance Experience
Be prepared to discuss your previous experience in alliance or indirect sales management roles. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully built strategic relationships and driven partner success, as this is crucial for the Partner Sales Director role.
✨Demonstrate Technical Knowledge
Since the role involves working with complex cloud solutions and Linux ecosystems, brush up on your technical knowledge. Be ready to discuss how you can leverage your understanding of cloud technologies, containers, and virtualization to benefit Canonical's partners.
✨Prepare for Executive Engagement Scenarios
Expect to be asked about how you would handle executive engagements and customer workshops. Prepare scenarios that showcase your ability to communicate effectively with CxOs and lead discussions that drive partnerships forward.