Senior Sales Manager - Partner Business

Valmet; Nanterre; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Valmet seeks a Senior Sales Manager - Partner Business to lead partner-driven growth globally, working with regional sales teams and assigned partners. You will own the full partner lifecycle and coordinate with internal SMEs, operations, and services to capture opportunities.

Expect an entrepreneurial mindset, English fluency, and experience with distributors or system integrators, with travel ~20–40%. Role focused on Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, evolving with priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience in industrial sales, business development, account management, or partner management.
• Curious mindset with initiative and consistent results.
• Solid understanding of industrial automation, business models, and value chains.
• Fluent English, both written and spoken.
• Experience with distributors, system integrators, or indirect sales is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead partner growth with regional sales teams to close market gaps and drive partner-driven growth.
• Own the full partner lifecycle from engagement to onboarding and long-term growth.
• Support partners in developing and winning customer opportunities with SMEs and services teams.
• Collaborate across sales, engineering, product, and marketing to deliver solutions.
• Improve partner tools, training, and operating models across regions.

Skills

Industrial sales

Business development

Account management

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field

Job description

The Energy, Process and Marine Systems division is strengthening the Global Partner Management team and is seeking a Senior Sales Manager - Partner Business to support the continued growth of its global partner business.

Energy, Process and Marine Systems is responsible for Valmet's automation business outside the pulp and paper industry. The Global Partner Management team extends Valmet's market reach through a network of system integrators, OEMs, agents, distributors, and value-added resellers, working closely with regional sales organizations to develop and support partner-driven growth.

The role contributes to global EPS business growth through partner relationships, working closely with regional sales organizations, assigned partners, and internal stakeholders. Key responsibilities include identifying growth opportunities across market segments, geographies, and industries, developing go-to-market plans with regional sales teams, and recruiting, onboarding, and supporting new partners.

The role also combines partner business development, opportunity management, sales support, and partner enablement, while also contributing to the ongoing improvement of partner tools, training programs, and processes.

As part of the Global Partner Management team, the role supports partners across assigned territories and industry segments. Initial focus is expected to be on the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia, although responsibilities may evolve over time based on business priorities, partner assignments, and team workload balancing. Travel is expected approximately 20-40% of working time.

Success in this position requires a proactive and entrepreneurial mindset, with the ability to identify new business opportunities and work effectively in an environment where processes and support structures continue to evolve.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead partner business growth by working with regional sales teams to identify market coverage gaps, develop partner-driven growth strategies for selected industries and regions, and identify potential partners aligned with those strategies.
• You take ownership of the full partner lifecycle, from initial engagement and recruitment to onboarding, capability development, and long-term business growth
• Support partners in developing and winning customer opportunities, acting as a liaison between the partner and Valmet subject matter experts, operations, and service teams.
• Collaborate across functions including sales, engineering, product management, services, and marketing to deliver successful customer solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement by contributing to partner tools, training programs, operating models, and best-practice sharing across regions.

Expectations for You

• You have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field.
• You have experience in industrial sales, business development, account management, partner management, or similar commercial roles.
• You have a curious mindset, take initiative, and consistently deliver results.
• You have a solid understanding of the industrial automation market, its business models, customer needs, and value chains.
• You communicate fluently in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Experience working with distributors, system integrators, channel partners, or indirect sales models is considered an advantage.

To Succeed in This Role

You combine commercial drive with strong relationship-building skills and enjoy creating business opportunities in dynamic environments. You are comfortable influencing stakeholders across organizational boundaries and can effectively balance strategic planning with hands‑on execution. Your proactive mindset helps you identify opportunities, navigate ambiguity, and deliver results through collaboration.

We Also Expect You To Align With Valmet’s Leadership Principles—practical Behaviours That Guide How We Lead, Collaborate, And Succeed Together

• Take accountability – Act with ownership, set clear expectations, and follow through
• Lead with courage – Champion change, try bold ideas, and learn quickly
• Build on trust – Listen to understand, be open, and create psychological safety
• Collaborate for growth – Work across boundaries, value diverse perspectives, and focus on customer value

When Everything Works Together

Valmet is where the best talent from a wide variety of backgrounds comes together. We work together with our customers throughout the entire lifecycle, delivering cutting‑edge technologies and services as well as mission‑critical automation and flow control solutions. Backed by more than 225 years of industrial experience and a global team of over 19,000 professionals close to customers, we are uniquely positioned to transform industries toward a regenerative tomorrow. At Valmet, diversity of thought drives innovation. We are committed to a respectful and inclusive environment, where people can be themselves and are supported to contribute at their best. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on skills, experience, and potential, never on personal characteristics such as gender, gender identity, age, ethnicity, nationality, disability, neurodiversity, religion, sexual orientation, or political views.

Join the team – and lead the way with us!