Partner Sales Manager

Kong•Austin, TX

4d•$155,000 - $182,000

About The Position

The Partner Sales Manager is a quota-carrying, senior individual contributor responsible for driving revenue through partners across an AMER territory. The role owns the partner business in the territory across resellers, systems integrators, and consultancies, and works with the territory’s sales leader to run it as a business. The manager builds joint business plans, grows partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline, and closes business alongside Kong Account Executives. The role sells Kong’s full portfolio—including products, renewals, professional services, and support—and coordinates co-selling, co-marketing, and co-solutioning with focus partners. It also works with internal sales, engineering, marketing, enablement, operations, and finance teams to support partner readiness, pipeline, and shared revenue targets.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in partner, channel, or alliances sales, with a track record of driving go-to-market through resellers and systems integrators or consultancies.
Drive to source net-new business and grow it with partners.
Organization skills to run multiple partners and activities in parallel.
Experience selling infrastructure, developer platforms, or API and AI technology to enterprise buyers.
Experience selling open-source solutions.
Experience with B2B sales, deal registration, partner quoting, and co-selling.
Experience with Salesforce and partner management systems, such as a partner portal.
Clear written and verbal communication, strong interpersonal skills, and a steady presence under pressure.
An established industry network.
A results-oriented approach.
Interest in Kong and open-source software, and the ability to use Kong.
Shares Kong’s values and works in accordance with them.
Ability to travel up to 50% and comply with the company’s travel policy.

Nice To Haves

Prior Partner Sales Manager or partner leadership experience at an API, integration, or open-source-led company.
Hyperscaler co-sell experience, such as AWS ISV Accelerate, Azure IP Co-sell, or GCP Partner Advantage.
Existing relationships with AMER systems integrators, regional consultancies, or value-added resellers.
Sales methodology training, such as MEDDPICC or Command of the Message.

Responsibilities

Act as a business advisor to partners in the territory, own the number, and create joint business plans with focus partners that set shared pipeline and revenue goals.
Sell Kong’s full portfolio—including products, renewals, professional services, and support—through and with partners.
Partner with Kong Account Executives to increase partner attach, bring partners into active deals, align on target accounts, and help AEs win with partners.
Orchestrate co-selling, co-marketing, and co-solutioning with focus partners, coordinating the Kong teams that support these activities.
Sign new partners where there is room to grow and map the territory to identify new joint opportunities.
Drive partner-sourced pipeline by setting targets, maintaining a regular cadence with each partner, and focusing on net-new business.
Coordinate deal registration, lead sharing, and co-selling for Kong Gateway, Kong AI Gateway, Kong Mesh, and Konnect, and resolve route conflicts fairly.
Create joint partner assets, such as reference architectures, blueprints, and solution briefs, for field teams to use.
Run joint marketing events and campaigns that build pipeline.
Learn how partners make money, where Kong fits, and what it takes to win together.
Work with Partner Sales Engineers to ensure partners are technically ready to sell and deliver Kong.
Build relationships with Kong Account Sales Managers and geographic leadership, involving sales leadership and support as needed to meet shared targets.
Contribute to quarterly business reviews and annual planning for the Partner organization.
Share a weekly forecast and keep partner and opportunity data current in Salesforce and the partner portal.
Raise critical business issues early with Partner Sales leadership.
Collaborate with Finance, Partner Operations, and Sales Operations, and prepare territory plans, presentations, and reports as needed.