Partner Manager South Africa at Hitachi ABB Power Grids

The Company 
 
Hitachi Vantara combines technology, intellectual property and industry knowledge to deliver data-managing solutions that help enterprises improve their customers’ experiences, develop new revenue streams, and lower the costs of business. Hitachi Vantara elevates your innovation advantage by combining IT, operational technology (OT) and domain expertise. Come join our team and our employee-focused culture and help drive our customers’ data to meaningful customer outcomes. 
 
The Role 

The purpose of this role is to drive incremental revenue growth through the ‘sell to’, ‘sell through’ and ‘sell with’ sales strategies with the Partner ecosystem as a part of the Hitachi Partner Programs and specific joint go-to-market initiatives.

Through proactive engagement, education and sales activity, the Channel Manager will have responsibility for the recruitment, development & management of key partners for South Africa and will also “co-pilot” sales in the non-named account space. He/she will also be accountable for coordinating the relationship between Hitachi Vantara Field Sales teams and the various partners.

The Channel Manager is responsible for selling all products, services and solutions offered by Hitachi Vantara as well as those solutions jointly developed between Hitachi Vantara and the assigned partners.

Principal Accountabilities

• The identification and development of successful relationships with a range of Channel Partners in order to achieve the revenue target set for South Africa

• Develop and regularly update a yearly Business Plan by key partner (with ability to customize & adapt to specific market opportunities). Ensuring continuous review through monthly business forecasting, sales opportunity reviews and on-going progress against target.

• Enabling our Partners to effectively position and sell the Hitachi Vantara solutions portfolio with a 360 degree approach (sales, pre-sales & services)

• Managing and supervising Distributors and all members of its virtual team (it also includes forecasting, reporting, educational and knowledge sharing etc.).

• Assist the channels to develop and grow the Pipeline in South Africa by creating and managing high quality marketing campaigns through appropriate review processes and initiatives (from thought leadership to tactical activities).

• Co-drive partner pipeline : ensuring that sales opportunities are fully qualified by leveraging relationships with both the Partner and the end customer through new client and prospect visits. Ability to credibly operate at C-level is also required.

• Act as a channel partner advocate, showing empathy with their challenges and issues and have the ability to probe, listens, qualify and resolve concerns or obstacles to a sale in a logical fashion, emphasizing the Hitachi Vantara solutions that will deliver maximum benefit.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• University degree from a recognized institution is ideal; however relevant work experience will be taken into consideration.

• Minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in Sales/Business Development (either from IT technology vendor, distributor or system integrator perspective). Preferred solution-selling background.

• Previous experience in dealing with one or more of the main Partner active in South Africa (managing a Partner relationship, OR working for a Partner in a client facing role).

• Extensive knowledge of IT industry solution offerings from all key alliances targets and competitors (storage, applications, IoT, Big Data)

• Expertise in creating, executing and driving solution selling and product marketing for storage infrastructure solutions/converged solutions /Advanced Analytics platforms

• Extensive experience in partnership engagement and program management

• Must be able to manage, motivate and evangelize channel partner as a virtual team (including managing & supporting their pipeline of opportunities)

• Ability to identify opportunities, to engage and close deals

• Budget management skills for marketing project funds

• Strong business planning and forecasting abilities.

• Must be able to function independently with minimal supervision

• Effective communication and presentation skills

• Strong time management skills and negotiations skills

• Effective relationship building skills (proven ability to build relationships at executive level)

• Strong leadership and sales skills

• Ability to influence

Personal Attributes/Capabilities

• Self-Motivated

• Eager to learn.

• Execution driven.

• Strong negotiation Skills.

• Natural Communicator Written & Spoken.

• Leadership skills

The offer

At Hitachi Vantara we welcome you to an innovative environment in data driven world, with great opportunities for you to explore.

• Competitive base salary package and bonus structure

• 21 days of leave

• Pension scheme and a collective Healthcare contribution (possibility for your dependents to join)

• Laptop and company mobile

• Set of tools to drive your career, from free web-based training to one-to-one mentoring

• Maternity and paternity leave

• Great opportunity to network and connect with driven and passionate professionals

We are an equal opportunity employer. Appointments will be made in line with the company’s Employment Equity strategy.