About this Strategic Alliance Director role at Actian
Actian is the leader in hybrid data management, cloud data warehouse, and data integration technology. We're experiencing exponential growth and expanding our go-to-market engine through strategic partnerships. We're seeking a
Strategic Alliance Director to build and scale 6-8 NA consulting/SI partners as a primary revenue engine.
Own the end-to-end partner lifecycle: selection, onboarding, GTM strategy, enablement, and revenue delivery. You'll be measured on partner-sourced customer opportunities and deal closure.
Reports to: Global Head of Partnerships | Works with: NA Sales Leader and regional reps across all NA sales regions
Compensation & Accountability
70% of annual quota is based on partner-sourced opportunities delivered to Actian sales. This is a revenue-accountable role where success is measured by the volume, quality, and closing rate of customer opportunities your partner relationships generate for the field sales team. The remaining 30% focuses on partner enablement, solution co-creation, GTM strategy, and ecosystem management.
What You'll Do
• Identify, qualify, and onboard 6-8 strategic NA partners (Deloitte, Accenture, EY, KPMG, Slalom, etc.); establish governance with monthly reviews, quarterly QBRs, and clear success criteria
• Co-develop partner business plans with pipeline targets and regional account lists; drive partner prospecting aligned to Actian sales territories
• Attend joint customer discovery meetings with NA sales leader and regional reps; own deal registration, pipeline tracking, and quarterly performance reviews
• Build partner enablement programs (sales training, technical certifications, monthly webinars); create and maintain partner resource portal
• Build partner-specific GTM strategies and vertical focus; co-create solutions and execute joint campaigns (webinars, case studies, co-marketing)
• Partner with NA Sales Leader on territory mapping, regional alignment, and quarterly regional business reviews
• Gather competitive intelligence from Snowflake and Databricks partners; share win/loss insights with Actian sales and product
What Success Looks Like (Year 1)
• 6-8 partners onboarded with business plans and SLAs
• $3M-5M+ partner-sourced pipeline; 40-50+ joint customer meetings; 20-30% deal conversion; 90%+ deal registration compliance
• 70%+ partner certification rate; 2-3 co-created solutions; 3+ joint GTM campaigns launched
• Zero territory conflicts; 80%+ of sales reps actively pursuing partner pipeline
• Competitive intelligence relationships established; quarterly briefings to leadership
Our Ideal Strategic Alliance Director Will Have
• 7+ years in strategic alliance management, partner business development, or SI/consulting channel sales
• Proven success building and scaling 5+ key partner relationships with Deloitte, Accenture, EY, KPMG, Slalom, or similar firms
• Direct experience managing partner-originated pipeline, customer meetings, deal conversion, and partner business plans
• Demonstrated success designing and executing partner enablement programs and GTM strategies
• Field sales or channel experience; comfortable with sales cycles, deal qualification, and working alongside sales reps
• Background in data/cloud/analytics ecosystem; familiarity with Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery strongly preferred
• Understanding of consulting partner sales models, margin structures, and incentive alignment
Skills & Attributes
• BS/BA degree required; MBA preferred
• Revenue accountability mindset – quota-driven with personal accountability for pipeline
• Partner business planning and enablement program design expertise
• GTM strategy, negotiation skills, and strong executive communication
• Strategic business acumen; understand partner economics and co-selling models
• Excellent sales collaboration – you enable reps without complicating their world
• High initiative and self-directed relationship builder with a sales edge
30%+ travel: partner offices, customer sites, Actian sales offices. Based in major NA markets (SF, NYC, Chicago Colorado, Texas, preferred).
Why Actian
• Direct revenue impact – 70% quota tied to partner-sourced pipeline
• Build the channel; shape partner strategy and GTM at a critical inflection point with all the resources needed from technical to marketing
• Work with elite partners – Deloitte, Accenture, Slalom, and other top-tier SI firms, plus Snowflake, Databricks
• Field-forward culture – 30%+ time with partners, sales teams, and customers
• Sales enablement role – you're a force multiplier for NA Sales Leader and regional reps
• Hyper-growth opportunity in mission-critical data infrastructure
