Channel Manager

IFS; Nordrhein-Westfalen; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

IFS is seeking a Channel Manager to build, govern, and scale a high-performing partner ecosystem aligned to regional and global channel strategy in a hybrid work setting in Germany. You will own end-to-end partner lifecycle from recruitment to capability development, ensuring partners become self-sufficient contributors to the business.

The role emphasizes creating scalable pipelines, driving partner-driven revenue, and advancing partner maturity through structured programs and governance, with

Qualifications

• Proven track record in partner ecosystems and channel programs.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management.
• Experience with GTM planning and partner recruitment.

Responsibilities

• Own partner ownership and accountability for assigned partners.
• Define and execute partner GTM strategies and onboarding.
• Drive partner capability across Sales, Presales, Marketing and Delivery.
• Align partner plans with joint GTM campaigns.
• Create partner-sourced pipeline and manage pipeline health.
• Support practice development and tier progression.
• Governance across partners with KPI tracking.

Skills

Channel management

Partner management

Ecosystem development

Go-to-market

Job description

IFS is a billion-dollar revenue company with 6000+ employees on all continents. Our leading AI technology is the backbone of our award-winning enterprise software solutions, enabling our customers to be their best when it really matters–at the Moment of Service™. Our commitment to internal AI adoption has allowed us to stay at the forefront of technological advancements, ensuring our colleagues can unlock their creativity and productivity, and our solutions are always cutting-edge.

At IFS, we’re flexible, we’re innovative, and we’re focused not only on how we can engage with our customers but on how we can make a real change and have a worldwide impact. We help solve some of society’s greatest challenges, fostering a better future through our agility, collaboration, and trust.

We celebrate diversity and understand our responsibility to reflect the diverse world we work in. We are committed to promoting an inclusive workforce that fully represents the many different cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints of our customers, our partners, and our communities. As a truly international company serving people from around the globe, we realize that our success is tantamount to the respect we have for those different points of view.

By joining our team, you will have the opportunity to be part of aglobal, diverse environment;you will be joining awinning teamwith acommitment to sustainability;and a company where we get things done so that you canmake a positive impacton the world.

We’re looking for innovative and original thinkers to work in an environment where you can#MakeYourMomentso that we can help others make theirs.

If you want to change the status quo, we’ll help you make your moment. Join Team Purple. Join IFS.

Role Summary

The Channel Manager is accountable for building, governing, and scaling a high-performing partner ecosystem aligned to regional and global channel strategy.

This role owns the end-to-end partner lifecycle — from recruitment and GTM alignment through to capability development and pipeline creation — ensuring partners become self-sufficient, growth-oriented contributors to the business.

Unlike execution-focused roles, the Channel Manager is responsible for creating the conditions for scale, not closing individual deals.

Core Role Positioning

“Own the partner, build the ecosystem, and create sustainable pipeline.”

• Full ownership and accountability for assigned partners
• Focus on mid- to long-term partner growth and capability
• Creates scalable pipeline and partner-driven revenue engines

Key Responsibilities

1. Partner Ownership & Accountability

• Act as the single point of ownership for assigned partners
• Build deep, trusted relationships with partner leadership and operating teams
• Define, agree, and govern joint business plans with clear growth objectives
• Hold partners accountable to performance across pipeline, capability, and revenue

2. Partner GTM, Recruitment & Onboarding

• Define and execute partner GTM strategies aligned to regional priorities
• Identify whitespace and recruit net-new partners aligned to industry and coverage gaps
• Lead onboarding of new partners, ensuring rapid integration into the ecosystem
• Align partner positioning with target industries, accounts, and value propositions

3. Capability Growth & Partner Development

• Drive partner capability across Sales, Presales, Marketing, and Delivery
• Ensure partners achieve required certifications and skills aligned to strategy
• Assess partner maturity and define structured development plans
• Enable partners to become increasingly self-sufficient in sourcing and delivering work

4. Marketing Alignment & Joint GTM Planning

• Align partners to joint go-to-market plans and campaign execution
• Work closely with marketing teams to build structured demand generation programs
• Ensure partners are actively engaged in campaigns that drive pipeline
• Translate strategy into actionable programs with measurable outcomes

5. Pipeline Creation & Demand Generation

• Own the creation of partner-sourced pipeline within assigned ecosystem
• Ensure partners are proactively identifying and generating new opportunities
• Track pipeline health, coverage, and quality across the partner portfolio
• Drive consistency in pipeline generation activities across partners
• At 10% maturity, handover opportunities to Channel Sales Manager to progress, grow and close

6. Practice Development & Tier Progression

• Support partners in building industry practices and solutions aligned to target markets
• Drive progression through partner program tiers based on capability and performance
• Ensure partners are investing appropriately in priority areas
• Align partner capability with future growth opportunities

7. Governance & Ecosystem Management

• Establish governance across partners, including regular reviews, KPIs, and performance tracking
• Ensure adherence to partner program requirements, commercials, and engagement models
• Manage cross-region and cross-industry alignment for strategic partners where required
• Provide structured insight into ecosystem performance to regional leadership

Key Outcomes / Success Measures

• Growth in partner-sourced pipeline
• Increase in partner capability and self-sufficiency
• Expansion of ecosystem coverage (by industry, geography, and capability)
• Progression of partners through program tiers and maturity levels
• Strength and sustainability of the overall partner ecosystem

Role Boundaries (Critical Clarity)

The Channel Manager:

• Builds and enables partners
• Creates pipeline and ecosystem capability

The Channel Manager is not responsible for:

• Owning deal execution or closing opportunities
• Managing in-quarter revenue delivery on individual deals
• Acting as the primary commercial owner within sales cycles

These responsibilities sit with Channel Sales Manager

Skills & Experience

• Strong experience in channel, partner management, or ecosystem development
• Proven ability to build and scale partner relationships
• Experience developing partner GTM strategies and business plans
• Strong understanding of sales, marketing, and delivery capability models
• Ability to operate strategically while driving structured execution

We believe that coming together as a community, in person, is important for innovation, connection and fostering a sense of belonging. Our roles have the right balance of remote and in-office working to enable flexibility for managing your life along with ensuring a real connection with your colleagues and the broader IFS community.