Vendor Alliances Manager

Bytes Group; Leatherhead, Reading, London, Manchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading IT solutions provider is seeking a dynamic individual to join the Vendor Solutions Team. The role focuses on managing vendor relationships, driving sales opportunities, and collaborating on go-to-market strategies. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication skills, a commercial mindset, and experience in software sales within diverse customer segments.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Excellent learning and development opportunities

On-site gym and collaborative working spaces

Company wellbeing and social events

Discounted private healthcare

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• 2-3 years’ experience in a similar role required.
• Experience of selling software solutions is desirable.
• Ability to develop relationships across departments is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop strategic vendor relationships.
• Collaborate on the vendor business plan and track direct vendor rebates.
• Support sales teams with customer opportunities and upsell strategies.

Skills

Customer service

Commercial understanding

Negotiation

Multi-tasking

Education

A-level standard

Job description

Bytes is a top provider of premium IT solutions and services, working with SMEs, corporations, and public sector organizations to modernize and digitally transform their IT infrastructures. Founded in 1982, Bytes has experienced significant growth, now employing over 750 people across seven locations in the UK and Ireland, with a turnover surpassing £2 billion.

At Bytes, we nurture talented individuals to achieve remarkable outcomes and are dedicated to supporting our employees through continuous training, guidance, and development to help you advance and fulfil your career goals. We foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, recognition and inclusivity and offer a wide range of benefits to support staff wellbeing.

• Operating from modern, hybrid working environments with offices in Leatherhead, Reading, London and Manchester
• 25 days holiday per annum plus bank holidays and Christmas period
• Excellent learning and development opportunities
• Open plan office with collaborative working spaces, on-site gym, outdoor tiki bar, coffee bar, and lunch area
• Company wellbeing and social events
• Sports and social clubs
• Incentive trips
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounted private healthcare
• EV scheme and Ride to Work scheme
• Winners of an array of industry awards
• Great Place to Work Certified
• Sunday Times Top 100 Best Places to Work
• Supporters of 85+ charities with strong commitment to diversity and sustainability

POSITION DETAILS:

Position Title:

Reports to (POSITION):

Team:

Department:

PURPOSE OF JOB:

Join our hardworking and dynamic team within the thriving Bytes community! This role is part of our Vendor Solutions Team.

In this sales-focused position, you'll be responsible for managing and developing strategic vendor relationships with Bytes, acting as a commercial and partnership expert.

Your goal will be to increase revenues and profits within our Vendor Solutions, working alongside sales teams and customers to create, win, and optimize sales opportunities.

You'll take ownership of various customer-facing opportunities, including upsell, expansion, and renewal engagements, across all customer segments: mid-market, corporate, enterprise, public sector, and channel.

Regular interaction with key stakeholders within the Vendors and the internal sales team is essential, so strong communication skills across these areas are crucial.

You'll also collaborate closely with the Alliances & GTM Lead to build and own the Go-To-Market strategy and resources for the aligned vendors. This includes creating sales collateral, supporting marketing plans, and working with peers on multi-vendor messages.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Business Planning and Strategy

• Collaborate with the Head of proposition/alliances to own the creation and monitor the execution of the vendor business plan, ensuring the outcomes align with core business objectives.
• Track and manage direct vendor rebates.
• Organise, prepare, and co-present on vendor QBRs.
• Co-ordinate sales enablement, focus days, sales-based events and vendor networking
• Manage certification and specialisation requirements with vendors, working alongside Vendor Operations to ensure we remain compliant.
• Working closely with the marketing lead, ensure marketing activities are incorporated into the plan and communicated effectively with the vendor to encourage promotion. You will be expected to create relevant and appropriate content and messaging for each sales segment, supporting the marketing team with execution and follow-up of all initiatives
• Creation of any vendor investment plans, including MDF, incentives, and rebates.
• Organise and support consistent exec vendor alignment with Bytes, in alignment with the business plan.
• Lead Go To Market strategies and integration sales plays in conjunction with supporting vendors and peers

Sales and Deal Management

• Be responsible for the delivering the expected Vendor GP against the annual target. You will be measured directly against this.
• Own the progress and reporting of Renewal Retention, Refresh Potential & Cross Sell/ Upsell (to include bi-annual tech update meetings set with clients).
• Support AM’s, Specialists, and the vendor in new business customer opportunities.
• Sell Bytes back into the vendor, building relationships and finding customer opportunities through the vendor.
• Review and report against deal registrations for strategic vendors, tracking a win/loss ratio and utilising this information to inform future activity.
• Undertake and review loss analysis data
• Review whitespace data and present this, along with insights to the relevant sales teams and Specialists to drive impactful customer engagement.
• Compile, distribute and monitor the delivery of propensity data analysis
• Proactive renewal management- Accountable for success criteria, Responsible for direct customer & Account Manager engagement, collaboration to Specialist team if at risk renewal, reporting to Leads.
• Proactive upsell management - Accountable for success criteria, Responsible for direct customer & AM engagement, collaboration with peers and Specialists team if multi-vendor options required, reporting to Leads
• Support the accuracy of forecasting, in collaborationwith Specialists and Account Managers.
• Support Customer engagements with Specialists and Account Teams when required
• Understand and enable sales to utilise cloud marketplaces as a transaction route for technology purchases.

Internal Systems and Documentation

• Maintain our internal SharePoint (Compass) vendor pages, including min margins on the portal
• Own the accuracy of the vendor taxonomy
• Work with internal supply chain team and distribution partners to ensure our processes are efficient, including marketplace offers.
• Utilise internal SharePoint (Compass) to promote news and updates about managed vendors.
• Encourage the accurate use of CRM, working in conjunction with the Specialists and Account Managers, ensuring deal values and timelines are accurate for forecasting and reporting.

Personal Requirements

• Have a deep commercial understanding of relevant vendors partner programmes
• Growth mindset and positive attitude to continuous learning, including sales and product topics.
• Comfortable presenting vendor specific updates to sales and Specialists
• Able to explain the USPs and value delivered by their vendors
• Understanding where their vendors compliment other vendors

WIDER TEAM NETWORK

Internal

• Sales, Specialists, marketing, Head of Solutions

External

• Working directly with our sales teams to address customers, mainstream Distributors & Partners, and Key Vendors.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, & SKILLS:

Educational Qualifications:

• Educated to A-level standard

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

Professional Attributes

• Experience of Selling software solutions
• Experience in commercially compiling complex (vendor) quotes

DESIRABLE

ESSENTIAL

DESIRABLE

Years of Experience

• 2-3 years’ experience in a similar role

DESIRABLE

ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

Other Requirements

• Excellent organisational and customer service skills
• Multi-tasking Team player
• Outgoing and enthusiastic
• Copes well under pressure

ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

• Regarded as trusted advisor in proposition area.
• Commercial creativity skills across product, services, and support.
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships across Bytes, customer, and vendor community.
• Ability to articulate proposition area to all levels, including up to Exec level.
• Pro-active approach to maintaining customer base and driving new sales.