Director, Channel Development (Managed Cloud)

Job description

Overview The Director, Channel Development will build and scale the Managed Cloud partner program from the ground up, with a focus on generating measurable new-logo revenue through resellers, referral partners, MSPs, and other strategic partners. This is a hands-on, individual-contributor role for a proven channel leader who has successfully built a partner program from the ground up and can demonstrate measurable revenue results. The Director will own the partner lifecycle, from prospecting and recruitment through onboarding, enablement, co-selling, and ongoing growth. With no existing team or year-one headcount, the Director will be responsible for establishing the strategy, building the pipeline, developing partner relationships, and creating the processes needed to scale the function. The role will work closely with Sales and cross-functional leadership and will have significant autonomy to build and execute the channel strategy. Responsibilities Develop and execute a channel strategy aligned with Managed Cloud business objectives, revenue targets, customer segments, and go-to-market priorities. Design and launch the initial partner program, including partner segmentation, program tiers, eligibility criteria, engagement models, referral and margin structures, and onboarding requirements. Establish scalable processes, documentation, tools, and operating standards for partner recruitment, activation, opportunity management, and ongoing engagement. Monitor market and competitive trends to identify opportunities for new partner relationships and channel growth. Identify, prospect, qualify, and recruit resellers, referral partners, MSPs, VARs, digital agencies, and other organizations with the potential to generate qualified business opportunities. Develop relationships with prospective partners through outbound prospecting, networking, industry events, referrals, and other appropriate business-development activities. Manage the partner lifecycle from initial engagement through qualification, commercial negotiation, agreement execution, onboarding, opportunity development, and ongoing growth. Evaluate partner performance and engagement and recommend adjustments to partner investment, support, or program participation based on business results and strategic value. Develop and maintain strong relationships with key partner stakeholders and decision-makers. Develop qualified partner-sourced pipeline and convert partner opportunities into new-logo revenue. Work directly with partner representatives and their customers to support opportunity development, solution positioning, presentations, and sales activities. Collaborate with internal Sales and other business functions to ensure appropriate ownership, opportunity management, forecasting, and sales-crediting practices. Support partners through their initial sales opportunities and develop the capabilities necessary for partners to independently generate and progress opportunities. Monitor partner-sourced pipeline, revenue, conversion, and other agreed performance indicators and provide regular reporting to Sales leadership. Develop and maintain partner-facing enablement materials, including presentations, battlecards, pricing resources, product information, demo materials, technical resources, and onboarding documentation. Deliver partner training and enablement sessions as appropriate. Work with internal subject-matter experts to ensure partner materials and training accurately represent the company's products, services, pricing, and capabilities. Identify recurring partner questions, obstacles, and enablement gaps and recommend improvements. Partner with Sales, Marketing, Product, Finance, Legal, Support, and other functions to establish effective processes for channel development and partner management. Provide feedback from partners and prospective partners to help identify opportunities to improve products, services, messaging, pricing, and the overall customer experience. Coordinate with Finance and Sales leadership regarding partner economics, revenue attribution, forecasting, and performance reporting. Work with Legal and other appropriate stakeholders to ensure partner agreements and program structures follow established company requirements. Maintain accurate and timely partner information, opportunities, activities, and forecasts in the company's designated CRM and business systems. Establish a regular operating cadence for partner pipeline reviews, performance reporting, and program optimization. Analyze channel performance and use data to prioritize partner recruitment, development, and resource allocation. Provide regular updates to Sales leadership regarding channel pipeline, revenue performance, partner activity, risks, and opportunities. Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned based on organizational and business needs. What Success Looks Like Success in this role will be measured primarily by partner-generated revenue, partner engagement, and sustainable channel growth. Performance targets are intended to establish initial expectations for the role and may be adjusted based on business conditions, available resources, market opportunity, and the development of the channel program. Revenue: Achieve $100K in partner-sourced MRR within the first 12 months. Partner Growth: Establish a qualified partner pipeline and onboard up to 10 strategic partners within the first 90 days, with at least 60% becoming active. Program Launch: Launch the initial partner program, including strategy, structure, onboarding, and enablement, within 60 days. Partner Performance: Develop a sustainable base of repeat-producing partners, with at least 40% of activated partners generating two or more closed deals by the end of year one. Required Qualifications 7+ years of experience in channel sales, partner development, alliances, business development, or a related field. Proven ability to build and scale partner programs that generate measurable pipeline and revenue. Track record of personally carrying and achieving a revenue quota or comparable sales responsibility. Established relationships or demonstrated ability to develop relationships within the MSP, VAR, agency, IT services, hosting, cloud, or related ecosystem. Strong knowledge of partner-led sales models, including referral, reseller, and white-label programs. Experience with partner recruitment, commercial negotiations, enablement, and program development. Technical understanding of hosting, cloud infrastructure, web technologies, or related platforms. Strong communication, negotiation, analytical, and relationship-management skills. Ability to work independently, build structure, and execute in a developing business function. Ability and willingness to travel approximately 10–20% as business needs require, including partner meetings, conferences, and industry events. Preferred Qualifications Background in managed hosting, cloud infrastructure, WordPress, web/eCommerce technology, or a related industry. Familiarity with partner economics, tier structures, incentive programs, and referral models. Proficiency with CRM and channel-management tools. Experience building programs in a high-growth or entrepreneurial environment. Physical Demands & Work Environment The physical demands and work environment characteristics described below are representative of those that may be encountered while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position, consistent with applicable law. This position routinely requires the ability to communicate effectively and exchange information with others. The position requires regular use of a computer, keyboard, and other standard office equipment. The individual may be required to remain in a stationary position and work at a desk or computer for extended periods. The position may be performed in a climate-controlled office environment or an approved remote work environment. The role involves managing multiple priorities, responding to evolving business needs, and meeting time-sensitive deliverables. Occasional movement of office materials or equipment weighing up to 15 pounds may be required. Disclaimer This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and its primary responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, or requirements. Responsibilities may be modified, expanded, or reassigned as business needs and organizational priorities evolve. Nothing in this job description creates or implies an employment contract or guarantee of employment for any specific period. Where applicable, employment remains at-will, meaning either the employee or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice or cause, subject to applicable law. The Company reserves the right to update this job description as appropriate to reflect changes in the position, business needs, or applicable requirements. #LI-Remote About Nexcess Nexcess provides specialty cloud solutions for organizations where performance and compliance have to coexist. We serve businesses worldwide, from agencies scaling client sites to enterprises running mission-critical operations. We've built our reputation on deep technical expertise and genuine partnership with every client we work with. Behind every environment we manage is a team of people who take the craft seriously and keep showing up when it matters.