AddressJob Title Distribution Partner Account Manager A/NZ
Reporting To Strategic Partner & Alliances Director A/NZ
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Job Purpose
The primary responsibility of the Distribution Partner Account Manager is to manage the overall
performance, direction and strategy of Hitachi Vantara distributors and unmanaged tier 2 partners. Drive
revenue growth in new accounts, the Commercial segment for Hitachi Vantara products across ANZ. The
role will include developing and executing business plans and associated activities that results in Hitachi
Vantara establishing a leveraged and profitable channel environment.
This role is fundamental in supporting Hitachi Vantara ANZ go to market strategy. This Distribution Partner
Account Manager will be an advocate for the Hitachi Vantara channel and will work closely with segment
sales leaders and solution specialist teams in order to deliver work structured and compelling solution
offerings via distribution.
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Responsibilities
Management of:
- The growth of the distribution and tier 2 unmanaged channel business in ANZ.
- The recruitment, development and growth of unmanaged tier 2 partners for the associated
region.
- The development and growth of distribution alliance / ISV partners.
- Marketing activities with the support of the Hitachi Vantara and channel marketing managers.
- All distribution resources relevant to Hitachi Vantara vendor engagement, including BDMs,
product managers, marketing, finance, and procurement.
- Consistent evaluation and development of the channel and distribution coverage model.
- Development of existing tier 2 partners and recruitment of new partners as required to
complete/broaden that coverage.
- A well-balanced partner mix to maximise growth and conversely to minimise channel conflict.
- All measurement criteria within the partnership agreements including performance targets and
training and accreditation requirements.
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Planning & Strategy:
- Drive the execution of a Distribution, EverFlex XaaS Standard and Partner Services strategy.
- Evaluate and develop an appropriate ANZ distribution and tier 2 partner coverage model for the
commercial market where appropriate.
- Map end to end resources and requirements for the distribution go to market strategy, including
functional group requirements and expectations for partner enablement, operations, marketing,
presales, education and services.
- Develop and document Distribution and Tier 2 Unmanaged (Focus partner) Plans for
demonstrating a strong understanding of the partner's business issues and their value proposition
to the market leveraging that to the maximum.
- Foster a "teamwork" approach whereby all Hitachi Vantara functional areas are engaged and
supportive of the distribution plan to contribute to the mutual success of partners and Hitachi
Vantara.
- Along with partner marketing drive the creation of Distribution and Tier 2 Marketing Plans.
- Provide oversight to ensure marketing execute these plans.
- Ensure a high focus in utilising MDF to generate new opportunities.
- Co-ordinate and conduct quarterly business review sessions with the distributors.
- Ensure consistent account and business planning is carried out by distribution, partners and
relevant Hitachi Vantara sales team.
- Review, recruit and enable appropriate reseller and alliance partners-based solutions and
coverage gaps.
- Identify potential market driven solutions that can develop and / or delivered via distribution.
- Equip yourself as a "trusted advisor" and cultivate executive level relationships within the
distributor and their partners by understanding the critical business issues of both parties and
how Hitachi Vantara's capabilities can address those issues.
- Foster a relationship with the distributor and their partners that promotes a "Sell With" culture
that encourages the channel to team with you Hitachi Vantara sales colleagues in customer-facing
activities.
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Monitoring and Reporting:
- Define and provide managed business objectives (MBO) and performance metrics to determine
the success of the distribution relationship.
- Continually monitor the partner pipeline, from their perspective, and ensure alignment to the
Hitachi Vantara pipeline as recorded in Insight.
- Provide accurate and timely input into weekly forecasts meetings from a partner pipeline
perspective. Ensure that gaps between current position and goal are proactively and regularly
assessed and strategies and tactics are developed to address gaps.
- Proactively communicate and provide regular updates to your manager. Updates would include
revised reporting on pipeline, activities of allocated partners and any changes within their
environment that would impact the Hitachi Vantara relationship with the partner or the Account
and Territory Plans that have been created.
- Ensure that any major changes or events that impact the opportunities within the channel are
regularly reviewed and the appropriate changes or updates are made to the Account and
Opportunity Plans.
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Operational:
- Be responsible for all operation aspects of the distributor relationship.
- Be responsible for driving sales enablement and sales certification with the distributor and
partners under management.
- Ensure sales and technical enablement is engaged with the distributor and managed partners, an
enablement plan is in place and it is being executed.
- Provide leadership and direction to all resources in the extended team to improve efficiencies in
sales, pre-sale and post-sale activities within the distributor and associated partners.
- Update and maintain all account information and activity in the CRM. In addition, ensure that
changes made to Account and Opportunity Plans are reflected in the versions that are stored as
defined in the Sales Charter.
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Profile
- Proven experience (minimum 5 years) in distribution management in the IT industry, preferable
across multiple disciplines e.g. hardware, software, services...
- Experience in marketing and demand generation activities and programs. A proven track record
in building and developing new business relations.
- Proven experience in team leadership and management of virtual teams.
- Strong knowledge of the ANZ IT distribution and vendor industry.
- A relevant Degree OR equivalent work experience.
