Channel Sales Manager

VATES is a French software company specializing in Open Source and virtualization, with a strong commitment to open and collaborative development. Our main projects, Xen Orchestra and XCP-ng, cover the entire virtualization stack — from the hypervisor (Xen) and the virtualization platform (XCP-ng) to virtual machine management and backup (Xen Orchestra).Our team is distributed across several countries and fully embraces remote work, with transparent workflows and accessible communication channels. At VATES, we are driven by a people-first company culture focused on kindness, inclusivity, and a horizontal organizational structure. Every team member is encouraged to share ideas, make decisions, and grow alongside the company.Our Open Source model is at the core of everything we do — not only in our code, which is available on GitHub and GitLab, but also in our collaborative approach with the community. We believe in the "upstream first" philosophy, and we dedicate our expertise and resources to foundational projects like Xen, while helping contributors of all levels join us on this journey.As we continue to grow, we are looking for a Channel Sales Manager.Role overviewThe Channel Sales Manager plays a key role in commercial coordination, partner relationshipmanagement, and internal alignment.This role is business-focused and does not replace dedicated Technical Support or ProfessionalServices functions.Key responsibilitiesPartner management and coordination• Act as a reliable and consistent point of contact for channel partners worldwide• Manage inbound partner requests and ensure timely responses, directly or throughthe appropriate Channel Team members• Handle multiple partner conversations in parallel while maintaining quality, structure,and professionalism• Ensure clear escalation and support processes to resolve partner issues efficiently• Maintain structured tracking of partner discussions, opportunities, and next stepsCommercial account management• Provide day-to-day account management for low- and mid-tier partners, focusing on:o commercial continuityo operational follow-upo relationship stability• Participate in partner onboarding in close collaboration with Training and ProfessionalServices teams• Support pre-sales activities for channel partners by coordinating commercial and technical requirements internally• Lead commercial discussions with partners, including pricing, positioning, and dealstructuring• Manage renewals, ensuring proactive and timely commercial engagement• Monitor ongoing Technical Support progression and ensure proper follow-up and communication with partners• Provide partners with relevant sales tools and marketing materialsInternal alignment and reporting• Work closely with internal teams (Direct Sales, Marketing, Technical, Finance)• Align daily actions with mid- and long-term channel strategy, beyond immediate requests• Be accountable for partner pipeline and results• Provide clear reporting and visibility on partner activity, pipeline status, and ongoingactionsCandidate profile➢ Location: Paris preferred (open to other locations)➢ Languages: Fluent in English and French (spoken and written)➢ Occasional travel requiredExperience level• Minimum 3 years of experience in IT sales (virtualization experience notrequired)Skills and experience• Strong understanding of sales fundamentals• Experience with multi-level IT sales models (vendors, partners, distributors)• Solid knowledge of software and hardware environments• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, high-context environment requiring strong prioritization• Ability to structure work, priorities, and partner interactions with minimal supervision• Comfortable working in an international, multicultural environment• Proven experience working effectively in a remote or distributed environmentSoft skills• Strong personality with high resilience under external pressure• Excellent team player with strong collaboration skills• Clear, structured, and effective communicator• Fast learner with strong adaptability• Strong sense of ownership and responsibility• Ability to manage conflicts in a professional and constructive manner• Ability to think beyond short-term objectives and understand long-term strategyNice to have• Prior experience in channel or indirect sales• Exposure to public-sector or regulated markets• Proven ability to drive partner engagement and measurable revenue growth, directly or through partners