Senior Strategic Partner Manager

Company Description

At IFS you will work in a growing, global enterprise software company built upon committed and empowered colleagues who come to work knowing they are making a difference. We work every day within our single platform and embedded digital innovation to help our customers be their best when it really matters to their customers - at the Moment of Service. We take pride in ensuring that our employees are able to achieve the company goals as well as develop their career. We believe empowered autonomy, committed colleagues and being part of a winning team are the keys to our success and what makes us great

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status.

**Job Description**:
To actively develop and progress the Strategic Partners in the region (focused initially on Africa), working proactively to establish skills and opportunity pipeline and facilitate optimal collaboration and bi-directional participation in service of their revenue goals.
- Proactively establish clear strategic business plans for the forthcoming 3 years for the Strategic Partner in the region, including sales objectives, skills acquisition, target market definition, building of delivery capabilities and demand generation objectives.
- Actively manage existing customers contracted directly with IFS Africa and ensure strong ongoing relationships in support of our customer commitments.
- Strong C-level presence and ability to engage at regional VP levels.
- Strong understanding of a partner eco-system model.
- Assist in the introduction of current SI and niche sales and services partners to the strategic partners to enable collaboration.
- Ability to contribute to the development of partner strategy for IFS AFRICA
- Ability to examine different markets and form strategic approach based on findings
- Comfortable in a matrix model to execute.
- Strong execution and cadence to drive progress.
- Work proactively with the Partner to develop demand and license revenue pipeline
- Ensure the Partner has a clear route-to-budget and plan to achieve annual sales targets, with quarterly linearity aligned to IFS business
- Used to working with a structured sales process, forecasting, and closing plans to achieve high sales targets.

**Qualifications**:
**Essential**:

- Ambitious and proven ability to deliver results and quota with Strategic partners in the Africa market;
- Tenacity, “grit” and determination to succeed and to be creative to find new ways to overcome obstacles;
- A strong sense of curiosity in constantly learning and seeking to understand the customer’s and partner’s businesses and how IFS can partner for better effect.
- Understanding and experience of complex sales cycles and managing sales pipeline and forecasting to successful closure, timeously.
- Deep understanding of AFRICA dynamics of the IT market and GSI and Strategic partner landscape;
- Experienced in driving complex sales processes.

**Desirable**:

- Extensive experience in large IT service-based organizations, Business-to-Business;
- Experience in a similar role.
- Knowledge of key IFS industries in the region (EUR; ECI; Manufacturing & Service industries).

**Personality traits**:

- A team player and strong collaborator;
- Ability to work under pressure;
- Practical hands-on approach, coaching;
- Well suited to high growth, dynamic, and entrepreneurial environments;
- Strong influencing/negotiating skills;
- Excellent relationship building skills;
- Able and willing to travel within APJ MEA region as needed.