Partnership Manager - Chennai

Keka HR; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Keka HR in Chennai is looking for a Partner Account Manager (PAM) to manage partner relationships and drive revenue. In this role, you will lead partner success and ensure strong alignment across teams. Successful candidates will have 6-10 years of experience in channel management, and commercial instincts.

The position offers competitive compensation commensurate with experience, reflecting Keka's growth in the HR-tech space.

Qualifications

• 6-10 years in channel/alliances management.
• Strong commercial instincts, specifically in margin and deal economics.
• Experience with CRM/PRM hygiene discipline.

Responsibilities

• Own partner portfolio, driving revenue and partner success.
• Lead strategy and execution for GTM efforts with partners.
• Facilitate cross-functional alignment to support partner needs.

Skills

Channel management

B2B SaaS

Stakeholder management

Commercial instincts

Job description

Partner Account Manager (PAM)

Treat the partner portfolio like a business unit. Own revenue, pipeline, growth and profitability across your named partners.

Role Partner Account Manager (PAM) Level Manager / Senior Manager Experience 5–10 years Reports to Associate Director — India Partnerships Compensation Competitive, commensurate with experience

About Keka & The Partner Organization

Keka is one of India's fastest‑growing modern HR‑tech companies, serving 10,000+ businesses across HR, payroll, performance, hiring and finance. The Keka Partner Organization is a strategic growth lever — operating a partner ecosystem across distributors, resellers, technology / ISV partners, and referral partners (CAs, HR consultants, payroll bureaus, advisors).

Role Summary

The PAM owns a named book of Keka partners end‑to‑end — program rules, pipeline, co‑sell, operations, GTM, cross‑functional alignment and the partner relationship. You are responsible for maximizing your partners’ revenue impact while delivering an exceptional experience with Keka.

Key Responsibilities

Program & Partner Mechanics

• Own program rules — tier criteria, certifications, MDF usage, branding, incentives, rebates and commissions.
• Maintain clean partner data in CRM/PRM (certifications, contacts, opportunities).
• Oversee deal registration, contract renewals, SLA and MDF claim validation.

Pipeline, Co‑Sell & GTM

• Drive pipeline creation, co‑sell support, negotiation, margin discussion and conflict resolution with each partner.
• Build partner sales plans, joint customer‑success plans, reference‑customer development and upsell/cross‑sell motions.
• Run joint GTM — campaigns, key plays, enablement milestones, co‑marketing strategy and execution.

Operations, Reviews & Cross‑Functional

• QBR / MBR / weekly reviews, forecasting accuracy, pipeline hygiene and partner scorecard management.
• Coordinate Sales, Marketing, Ops, Finance, Legal, CS, Presales and Channel Leadership on partner needs.
• Resolve commercial, operational and support escalations; manage budgets and deal‑desk for partner investments.

Strategic Relationship & Lifecycle

• Executive alignment with VP/C‑level at top partners; annual business reviews and multi‑year growth roadmaps.
• Partner health‑score monitoring, journey mapping, NPS, advisory‑board participation.
• Voice‑of‑partner programs, partner community building, and clean exit/offboarding when required.

How Success Is Measured

• Partner‑sourced + partner‑influenced revenue against quota.
• Active partners %, pipeline coverage, win rate, forecast accuracy.
• Tier‑progression of partners, certification compliance, partner NPS.

Must‑Have

• 6–10 years in channel / alliances / partner‑account management at a B2B SaaS or enterprise‑tech company; carried a partner‑sourced number.
• Strong commercial instincts — margin, incentives, deal economics and conflict resolution.
• CRM/PRM hygiene discipline and structured QBR / forecasting cadence.
• Senior stakeholder presence — comfortable with VP / C‑level conversations at partners.

Nice‑to‑Have

• HR‑tech, fintech, or payroll‑adjacent industry exposure.
• Experience scaling a partner book from a handful to 50+ active partners.