Channel & Alliance Lead - Americas

Digital Realty Global•Dallas, MA

About The Position

Digital Realty is seeking a dynamic and experienced Sr. Director, Channel & Alliance Lead - Americas to join our growing Global Channels leadership team and lead a team of Partner-facing salespeople. We specialize in providing foundational digital infrastructure and data center solutions, catering to the ever-evolving needs of businesses worldwide as they seek to achieve their network optimization, hybrid cloud and AI ambitions. The Senior Director of Channels and Alliances for the Americas will report to the SVP of Global Channels.

Requirements

Motivating manager of people, capable of inspiring followership
Practiced at change management and leading through transitions of business models, unchartered territory
Excited to operate in “build” mode and play a part in Digital Realty’s early-stage Channel journey
Ability to de-complexify problems and efficiently chart solutions
Active listening and passion for bringing the voice of the partner back internally to help accelerate Digital Realty’s addressing partner needs
Superior communication skills
Adept at conflict resolution
Natural focus on partner satisfaction
Superior presentation skills
Entrepreneurial and commercial thinking
Negotiation skills
Ability to work independently with little supervision
Strong team player able to enfranchise others
Ability to foster long-term mutually rewarding relationships with peers at Alliances and Partners
Advanced understanding of Channel Sales, Partner Programs and technology Partner Ecosystems with particular experience with Global Systems Integrators and large VARs and service providers
Knowledge of Data Center, Networks, Cloud, Hybrid IT, AI technologies
Intermediate level Microsoft Office, familiarity with SFDC, Clari and other leading business management systems

Responsibilities

Chart and steer joint success for Digital Realty and Partners headquartered in the Americas.
Establish and maintain strategic relationships with senior partner executives, securing sponsorship and preference for Platform Digital.
Coach a team of Channel & Alliance Account Managers to execute against agreed plans to facilitate maximum collaboration with the Digital Realty Field Sales force in service to mutual end customers, driving shared production from prioritized partners that help both companies achieve their business objectives.
Be a compelling ambassador for Digital Realty, capable of articulating joint value propositions to senior executives and modeling that for your team.
Drive the leading indicators of assigned Partner and Alliance engagement with a particular focus on driving Deal Registration, Enterprise New Logos and Top of Funnel activities that beget the joint pipeline development that paves the way to exceeding indirect sales targets both by Alliance or Partner and for the Region in total.
Navigate partner organizations and internal matrixed teams, acting as a powerful and trusted bridge to benefit both.
Help identify the most promising Enterprise-grade partners for Digital Realty, and where not yet engaged, lead strategy to engage at senior levels and recruit.
Take responsibility to achieve the overall indirect channel sales targets via a range of Partner profiles.
Generate internal channel sales forecast reliably, demonstrating command of the business and its KPIs.
Establish external funnel cadences the team runs with top partners and ensure a path back that shares insights for forecasting indirect Enterprise sales.
Maintain and recruit an effective channel salesforce.
Ensure the proper performance of channel sales personnel through training, incentives, and motivation.
Conduct complete annual performance reviews to ensure high performance, actively train and coach partner sellers with joint model calls, and work with each direct report to achieve necessary execution.
Act as escalation point on issues for Americas Channel Account Management as needed.
Institute standard Partner Sales Plans for Top Partners, ensuring those are completed, routinely updated by Partner Sellers, and shared with appropriate colleagues internally and appropriate partner leaders externally.
Emphasize the requirement that Partner sellers know their partners’ organizations and business and coach to close gaps so that each Partner seller becomes a subject matter expert on assigned partners.
Engage Digital Realty cross-functional team members in support of Digital Realty’s evolving indirect motion, providing continuous feedback and input on the impact of our partner strategy.
Oversee Partner Senior Executive and Sales Leadership Engagement strategies for prioritized Partners and Alliances, collaborating with the Partner Sales Reps assigned to make sure we create and sustain plans.
Maintain personal relationships through systematic external-facing contact with top partners.
Manage the team to maximum engagement between Digital Sellers and peer Partner / Alliance Sellers on Accounts-in-common.
Partner with our Technical Sales Leadership and Solutions Enablement in the design and execution of Technical Seller Enablement plans to build Digital Realty a Technical Seller Community in the Americas
Evangelize Digital Realty to prioritized Alliance and Partner seller community members through events, in person gatherings, digital comms, webinars.
Coordinate closely with Partner Marketing to recommend the optimal Partner Marketing investments to grow Partner/Alliance Seller mindshare, establish preference for Platform Digital and reach Partner’s end customer base with solutions that integrate Partner & Digital Realty competencies.
Team closely with peer Field Sales Leaders to educate and reinforce Digital Realty Seller Rules of Engagement during sales pursuits.
Lead and participate in internal and external Partner Business Reviews (PBRs)
Recommend and participate in setting external partner commission and bonus structure and levels.
Expertly present all relevant aspects of Partner Programs and key Partner Operational processes and act as voice for continuous improvement of these
Align tightly with peers leading Channel Sales & Alliances in EMEA and APAC to uplevel Global Channel progress and production and support each other’s partners for Global Channel growth