Channel Sales Manager - Europe & North America

Elistair; Dardilly; Hybrid; EUR 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Friendly team

International role

Lyon base with hybrid

Job summary

Elistair is seeking a Channel Sales Manager to grow our partner network across Europe and North America, focusing on public safety and security markets. You report to the Global Head of Sales and work from Lyon with hybrid arrangements, traveling across Europe and North America as needed.

We offer an opportunity to drive significant revenue through distributors, resellers and system integrators, handling joint business plans, targets and field demonstrations with our pilots and technical teams.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of channel sales or business development experience.
• Proven success building partner networks (distributors/resellers).
• Experience selling technical products or solutions.
• Experience with public procurement and tenders is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage partner network across Europe and North America.
• Recruit, onboard and enable partners; align joint business plans and targets.
• Support partners through the full sales cycle and handle RFI/Tenders.
• Forecast, track, and report opportunities; coordinate with internal teams.

Skills

Partnership management

Negotiation skills

Sales pipeline

Public safety markets

Fluent English

Fluent French

Travel willingness

CRM experience

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics

Job description

Location: Lyon, France

Work arrangement: Hybrid, with one day of remote work per week

Reporting to: Global Head of Sales

Seniority: Mid-Level

Compensation: €45,000-€55,000 gross annually, including fixed salary and turnover-based commission

Travel: Approximately 50%, across Europe and North America

Location requirement: Based in or willing to relocate to the Lyon region

Elistair is a French company specializing in tethered drone systems designed for persistent aerial surveillance and communications. Its solutions support public safety, security, defence and industrial operations by providing reliable, continuous aerial capabilities in demanding environments.

We are looking for a Channel Sales Manager to grow our business through distributors, resellers and system integrators across Europe and North America, with a focus on public safety and security markets.

The Role

Reporting to the Global Head of Sales, you will manage and develop Elistair’s partner network across Europe and North America. You will strengthen existing partnerships, recruit new partners and drive sales growth through joint business development and active opportunity management.

You will work closely with partners and end users to understand operational requirements, position Elistair’s solutions and progress opportunities from qualification to closing. The role combines partner management, commercial development and regular field engagement, supported by Elistair’s pilots and technical teams.

Key Responsibilities

Channel Development and Partner Management

• Manage and develop relationships with distributors, resellers and system integrators across your assigned regions.
• Identify, recruit and onboard new partners to strengthen market access and geographic coverage.
• Establish joint business plans, sales targets and priorities with key partners.
• Review partner performance and pipeline regularly, identifying actions to improve results.
• Coordinate lead allocation and overlapping opportunities with partners and the internal sales team.

Sales Development and Opportunity Management

• Build and qualify a sales pipeline through partner activities, prospecting, inbound enquiries and industry events.
• Support partners throughout the sales cycle, including customer needs assessment, proposals, tenders, negotiations and closing.
• Build relationships with key end users, including law enforcement, border security, fire and rescue, and civil protection organizations.
• Work with internal technical teams to assess customer requirements and propose suitable configurations.
• Negotiate commercial terms within agreed pricing and margin guidelines.

Partner Enablement and Field Activities

• Train partners on Elistair’s products, operational applications and commercial positioning.
• Prepare and support customer demonstrations, field trials and operational evaluations alongside Elistair’s pilots and technical teams.
• Present Elistair’s solutions during customer meetings and live demonstrations, explaining their value against operational requirements.
• Agree evaluation objectives with partners and customers, gather feedback and define commercial next steps.
• Represent Elistair at trade shows, partner events and conferences, including delivering presentations where appropriate.

Forecasting and Market Intelligence

• Maintain accurate partner records, opportunity information and sales forecasts in Microsoft Dynamics.
• Provide regular updates on territory performance, key opportunities and commercial risks.
• Monitor market developments and competitor activity.
• Share partner and customer feedback to support product development and commercial strategy.

Candidate Profile

Experience and Background

• Typically 3-5 years of experience in channel sales, business development or a related commercial role, including direct responsibility for managing distributors, resellers or system integrators.
• Demonstrated success developing partner relationships and converting opportunities into sales.
• Experience selling technical products or solutions.
• Experience in drones, aerospace, defence, security, public safety or related technology markets is desirable.
• Experience supporting public procurement processes and tender responses is an advantage.
• An existing partner network in Europe or North America would be beneficial.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong relationship management, prospecting and negotiation skills.
• Ability to motivate and influence partners, agree priorities and maintain commercial momentum.
• Ability to understand operational needs and explain technical solutions clearly.
• Confident presenting to customers, training partners and engaging with technical stakeholders and senior decision-makers.
• Comfortable working in the field and participating in live demonstrations and customer trials.
• Organized, proactive and able to manage multiple partners and opportunities independently.
• Proficiency with customer relationship management (CRM) tools; Microsoft Dynamics experience is an advantage.
• Familiarity with artificial intelligence tools to support market research, prospecting and sales productivity is an advantage.
• Fluent English and French, both written and spoken.
• Additional European languages are an advantage.
• Willingness and ability to travel regularly across Europe and North America.
• Previous experience with field demonstrations, operational trials or conference presentations is a plus.

What We Offer

• A friendly, energetic team with a collaborative and informal working culture.
• Responsibility for developing a partner network across Europe and North America.
• The opportunity to work with French drone technology serving public safety and security customers.
• A varied international role combining partner relationships, travel and hands-on field activities.
• Product training and close collaboration with experienced sales, pilot and technical teams.
• A Lyon-based role with one remote working day per week when not travelling.