One of the most exciting and predominant job positions in the current business world, especially software technology, is that of Partner Managers and Partner Success Managers. While B2B relationships have been around for centuries, how they are managed has changed drastically in the last few years.

As a result, the function of Partner Manager is constantly changing, defined differently from one business to another, especially in this technologically-driven business world.

If you’re considering hiring a partner manager to assist in achieving business growth and development, this article will help you understand the partner manager skills to look for.

When choosing a professional to handle your partner programs, check for the top seven skills listed below:

Understanding the Role of a Partner Success Manager

A Partner Success Manager is a pivotal role within any organization that leverages strategic partnerships to fuel growth and innovation. The primary objective of a Partner Success Manager is to ensure that these partnerships remain fruitful and continue to expand over time. This involves not only managing relationships but also thinking strategically and possessing financial acumen. Acting as a bridge between partners and internal teams such as product development, marketing, and sales, a Partner Success Manager ensures alignment and effective communication, driving the overall success of the partnership.

Key Responsibilities of a Partner Success Manager

The key responsibilities of a Partner Success Manager are multifaceted and crucial for the success of any partnership. These include:

• Onboarding and Enablement of New Partners: Ensuring new partners are effectively integrated and equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge.
• Strategic Planning and Joint Business Planning with Partners: Collaborating on strategic initiatives and business plans to align goals and drive mutual growth.
• Performance Monitoring and Issue Resolution: Continuously tracking partner performance and addressing any issues that arise promptly.
• Upselling and Cross-Selling of Products or Services: Identifying opportunities to expand the partnership through additional products or services.
• Feedback Collection and Communication: Gathering feedback from partners and communicating it to internal teams to improve products and services.
• Acting as a Liaison Between Partners and Internal Teams: Ensuring seamless communication and collaboration between partners and various internal departments.

A Partner Success Manager must have a deep understanding of the partner ecosystem and the ability to navigate complex relationships to foster mutual growth and success.

Top 10 Partner Manager Skills

When choosing a professional to handle your partner programs, check for the top seven skills listed below:

1. Project Management Skills

A partner manager must be able to perform project management activities, using Project Management methodology, for software application and/or infrastructure projects.

Based on the importance of project management, the partner manager should be able to properly conceive, as well as implement, assigned tasks.

There should be no room for laxity when it comes to timelines. Partner Managers should always have the ability to map out and measure accurate timeline estimates.

Since a partner manager deals with the business partner, project management is one of the partner manager skills that must not be compromised.

2. Business Development Skills

Business development refers to a set of activities that deal with finding and executing relevant business growth strategies. 

Sales, marketing, and product development are all crucial aspects of business development. However, steps such as networking, building alliances, and resource conservation should be explored. 

You must ensure that your would-be partner managers have those requisite business skills. A partner manager should be able to supply strategic partners with thorough Partner Business Plans to ensure that the vendor and partner are aligned, which will positively reflect on the outcome.

Also, the candidate should have the ability to support business development managers in stimulating the business growth for new services or products.

3. Building Relationship Skills

Having good relationship skills is a virtue that cannot be underestimated when seeking a reliable and dependable partner manager. Relationship skills are the ability of the partner manager to create, establish, and maintain healthy interactions with diverse individuals. 

A partner manager that is naturally hostile and inhospitable to people has a high tendency of damaging relationships, tarnishing your reputation, and even ruining your business.

Steer clear of partner managers that do not have virtues such as open communication, people skills, trust, respect, and positivity.  

The partner manager should be amiable and friendly. Strong interpersonal communication,  respect, and professionalism will have long-term, positive impacts on your business.

4. Marketing Skills

Bearing in mind that the ultimate reason for hiring a partner manager is to achieve business growth and development, having marketing skills is a crucial criterion to be considered.

Marketing skills include the ability to leverage a partner's network and reach a large audience of potential new customers. This has the capacity to increase your sales and boost revenue.

From design to implementation, a partner manager should be able to recommend or contribute to setting up a best-in-class marketing model that suits your business.

5. Data Analytics Skills

Data is critical in areas like partner programs since it reveals whether or not a partner is on the right track in meeting objectives. Data analytics is also crucial for a Customer Success Manager, who uses data to ensure client satisfaction and achieve desired outcomes.

Skilled data analysts aid in shaping and identifying partner personas, and continuously improve them as more data is collected. Over time, they will also help identify the best partners to work with. Finding a partner manager with knowledge on how to collect and assess this type of data can help you and your partners release your full potential.

Data analytics is an important partner account manager skill because it aids in increasing productivity, efficiency, and revenue.

The results of data analysis will show an organization where it can improve, which procedures can be automated, and where it can save cost and other resources.

6. Strategic Thinking Skills

One of the most important roles of a partner manager is to plan and direct your partner programs. A strategic partner manager often collaborates with the Partner Success Team to align goals and drive mutual growth. The manager must be able to establish an intentional and rational thought process that focuses on the examination of crucial aspects and variables that will affect the business and team’s long-term success.

The partner manager needs to know how to ask hard questions, conduct research, think outside the box, and be decisive to accomplish a higher output.

7. Problem-Solving Skills

When an issue arises, your partners will generally contact your partner manager first. A Senior Partner Success Manager often brings extensive experience in problem-solving, ensuring that issues are resolved efficiently and effectively. This is where the ability to problem solve becomes crucial, and why it should not be overlooked during the recruitment.

Your partner manager’s problem-solving skills enable them to recognize a problem, determine the root cause, devise an effective solution, successfully implement it, and measure the results for future improvement.

When confronted with an issue from a partner, a partner manager will be able to recognize and characterize the problem, as well as come up with viable remedies.

Illustration - The 7 skills of a Partner Manager

8. Technical Expertise and Industry Knowledge

A Partner Success Manager should possess technical expertise and industry knowledge to communicate effectively with both partners and internal teams. This includes:

• Understanding of the Company’s Products or Services and Their Applications: Being well-versed in the products or services offered and how they can be utilized by partners.
• Knowledge of the Industry and Market Trends: Staying informed about industry developments and market trends to provide valuable insights.
• Familiarity with Project Management Tools and Methodologies: Utilizing project management tools and methodologies to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
• Experience with Data Analysis and Reporting: Analyzing data to make informed decisions and provide actionable recommendations.

Staying up-to-date with industry developments and best practices is essential for optimizing partnerships and ensuring long-term success.

9. Adaptability and Flexibility

In the dynamic landscape of partnerships, a Partner Success Manager must be adaptable and flexible. This includes:

• Being Able to Pivot Quickly in Response to Changes in the Market or Partner Needs: Adjusting strategies and approaches as needed to stay aligned with market conditions and partner requirements.
• Being Open to New Ideas and Approaches: Embracing innovation and being willing to try new methods to achieve better results.
• Being Able to Work Effectively in a Fast-Paced Environment: Managing multiple tasks and priorities efficiently in a high-pressure setting.
• Being Able to Manage Multiple Priorities and Deadlines: Juggling various responsibilities and ensuring timely completion of tasks.

A Partner Success Manager should be able to think on their feet and devise creative solutions to complex problems, ensuring the partnership remains robust and productive.

10. Leadership and Collaboration

Strong leadership and collaboration skills are essential for a Partner Success Manager to effectively manage partnerships and drive mutual growth. This includes:

• Building and Maintaining Strong Relationships with Partners and Internal Teams: Fostering trust and cooperation among all stakeholders.
• Communicating Effectively and Negotiating Complex Agreements: Ensuring clear and concise communication and successfully negotiating terms that benefit all parties.
• Leading Cross-Functional Teams to Achieve Common Goals: Coordinating efforts across different departments to achieve shared objectives.
• Collaborating with Other Departments, Such as Sales and Marketing, to Drive Business Outcomes: Working closely with various teams to align strategies and drive business success.

A Partner Success Manager should inspire and motivate others to work towards the common goal of driving mutual growth and success, ensuring that partnerships are not only maintained but also thrive.

Successful Partner Management: An Overview

The method (and related structure) through which organizations steer and manage partnerships so that they are effective and profitable is known as partner management.

To achieve long-term success, organizations all around the world are increasingly collaborating with strategic partners.

Successful partner management entails building a systematic framework that aids an organization in selecting and managing partners. With such a structure in place, your company and its partners will see higher earnings and success in the long run.

An organization’s partner management plan must be well-established. Your plan should be based on determining the best way to evaluate potential partners,

the most efficient way to onboard them, and the most mutually-advantageous way to collaborate with them. 

It is, however, important to have a well-defined structure and means of effectively managing partners. If success is the ultimate motive, partner relationship management involving tracking and communication software should be prioritized. 

These frameworks are typically set up by organizations to assess and manage channel partners. They generally assist dedicated managers in tracking the work and sales of their channel partners.

Benefits of Good Partner Management

Effectively managing your partners equates to increasing sales and profitability for both your company and your partners.

The following are some of the specific advantages of effective partner management:

• Onboarding and Enablement of New Partners: Ensuring new partners are effectively integrated and equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to manage and deliver services effectively.

Increased Revenue and Growth

Channel sales can be extremely effective and profitable. For some businesses, channel partners account for 30 percent (or more) of sales. 

Increased Brand Recognition

Having more sales partners in the ecosystem, many of whom have big customer bases and market positions of their own, can significantly boost brand awareness.

Expanded Presence

Working with channel partners allows you to get your products to places where they might not otherwise be available.

The Essence of Partner Relationship Management (PRM) System

Partner Relationship Management (PRM) software, processes, and strategies are tools that businesses employ to automate business activities with partners that sell their products.

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PRM systems are generally web- or cloud-based, and include a partner portal, customer database, and other tools, such as managing:

• Leads
• Commissions and payouts
• Revenue and sales
• KPIs
• Inventory
• Products and pricing
• Deals and discounts
• Partner operations and onboarding.

Regardless of how skilled your partner manager is, having a PRM software in place helps channel managers streamline partner sales and processes, and reduce duplication within the company.

Partner platforms such as Kiflo provide a range of services that can be taken advantage of to help your partner manager substantially expand alliance programs.