Senior Director, Sales- Channel Partners

Valvoline Global•Lexington, KY

About The Position

At Valvoline Global Operations, we’re proud to be The Original Motor Oil, but we’ve never rested on being first. Founded in 1866, we introduced the world’s first branded motor oil, staking our claim as a pioneer in the automotive and industrial solutions industry. Today, as an affiliate of Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies, we are driven by innovation and committed to creating sustainable solutions for a better future. With a global presence, we develop future-ready products and provide best-in-class services for our partners around the world. For us, originality isn’t just about where we began; it’s about where we’re headed and how we’ll lead the way. We are originality in motion. Our corporate values—Care, Integrity, Passion, Unity, and Excellence—are at the heart of everything we do. These values define how we operate, how we treat one another, and how we engage with our partners, customers, and the communities we serve. At Valvoline Global, we are united in our commitment to: • Treating everyone with care.• Acting with unwavering integrity.• Striving for excellence in all endeavors.• Delivering on our commitments with passion.• Collaborating as one unified team. When you join Valvoline Global, you’ll become part of a culture that celebrates creativity, innovation, and excellence. Together, we’re shaping the future of automotive and industrial solutions. The Senior Director, Channel Partners designs overall strategic leadership, direction, and accountability for Valvoline Global’s channel partner strategy in North America. This role is responsible for building and strengthening long-term distributor relationships, ensuring alignment to corporate growth objectives, and driving differentiated value for both direct and indirect channels. The Senior Director oversees all aspects of channel partner sales and development, including regional management, distribution strategy, and field sales execution. The position requires a balance of strategic vision, operational execution, financial acumen, and team leadership to optimize channel performance, profitability, and customer satisfaction.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
12+ years of progressive experience in distribution, sales leadership, and/or channel partner management.
Deep understanding of the lubricant, automotive aftermarket, or related industries.
Proven track record of leading large-scale sales teams and developing high-performing leaders.
Demonstrated success in building and maintaining strategic distributor and channel partner relationships, including with executive-level stakeholders.
Strong financial, business, and marketing acumen, with experience in developing and presenting investment business cases.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence across multiple organizational levels.
Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite; working knowledge of SAP and Salesforce.com preferred.
Ability to travel 40–50% as business needs require.

Responsibilities

Delivers strategic leadership for the channel partner organization, ensuring alignment with Valvoline Global’s growth and profitability objectives.
Leads and manages the channel partners team (regional sales managers and account managers), ensuring performance standards and talent development.
Develop and execute a comprehensive multi-year roadmap for channel distribution, addressing consolidation trends, underperforming geographies, and evolving customer needs
Oversee strategic relationships with large-scale distributors, including those backed by private equity, influencing C-suite leaders and ensuring long-term partnership value
Ensure channel sales strategies are designed to exceed volume and profit goals, including creation of growth initiatives, promotional programs, and new product introductions
Partner cross-functionally with supply chain, operations, marketing, finance, legal, and IT to support distribution optimization, service levels, and contractual compliance.
Oversee the development and presentation of business cases for capital investments and strategic alternatives to executive leadership.
Monitor key performance metrics, market trends, and competitor activities to anticipate risks and opportunities; adjust strategy accordingly.
Ensure compliance with all corporate policies, contracts, and regulatory requirements in the execution of channel partner strategies.
Serve as a key voice for the channel partner function with Valvoline’s executive leadership, providing insights and recommendations on evolving market dynamics.
Additional duties as assigned.