Partner Sales Director - Global System Integrator (GSI)

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office-based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing.

Global System Integrators (GSI) play a crucial role in Canonical growth plans in the coming 3 years. We are hiring a Partner Sales Director to work closely with Canonical GSI partners throughout their sales cycles and across their sales organizations to facilitate Ubuntu based solutions and opportunities, as well as help GSI build long term digital transformation platforms with Ubuntu stacks and services.

Reporting to the VP Global Alliances and Channels, the Partner Sales Director will be responsible for building trusted relationships with partners, increasing Canonical market share and attach rate, evangelizing about the partnership and leading all business interactions from engineers to CxO level. They will own the strategy, the sell-to, sell-through and sell-with motions with the GSI and will animate many customer workshops, sales events, public presentations and executive engagements.

The role entails

Build strategic relationships with partners at levels, and stickiness with Ubuntu technology

Deep understanding of Linux and cloud software ecosystem, and open source selling models

Negotiate contracts and commercial business terms

Deep understanding of partner organizations and sales models, in particular with Global System Integrators

Work closely with marketing, sales engineering and product management to deliver on targets, objectives and provide a voice of the partner

Lead executive interlocks between partners and Canonical leadership team

Ability to travel - sometimes internationally - up to 40% of the time

What we are looking for in you

Extensive experience in alliance or indirect sales management roles

Extensive experience with OpenStack, virtualization, containers and other Cloud technologies.

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 ambitious achievement goals

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