Indirect Sales / Partner Manager
Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.
The role:
We are currently looking for an Indirect Sales / Partner Manager responsible for driving revenue growth through partners across Europe, operating in markets with varying levels of partner ecosystem maturity.
In established markets, the role focuses on hands-on execution with named partners, actively generating pipeline and closing deals. In less mature markets, it involves identifying, engaging, and activating new partners, with a rapid transition to revenue-producing relationships.
This is an execution-led, hunter-oriented role, accountable for partner-driven pipeline, revenue, and commercial outcomes. Success is measured by business delivered.
Key Responsibilities:
Partner Revenue Ownership
- Own partner-driven pipeline and revenue targets across a defined set of European countries.
- Act as the primary commercial owner of partner relationships, ensuring consistent opportunity creation and deal progression.
- Drive partner accountability for delivering qualified opportunities and closed business.
Partner Engagement & Market Development
- Manage named strategic partners, working closely with them on active opportunities.
- Identify and engage new partners in markets where the partner ecosystem is still developing.
- Rapidly activate selected partners into execution mode, focusing on early commercial traction.
Sales Execution & Deal Leadership
- Work jointly with partners and Direct Sales on account planning, opportunity qualification, and deal strategy.
- Provide commercial leadership on partner-led opportunities, including:
- Deal structuring
- Pricing and margin protection
- Ensure partner-led and partner-influenced opportunities progress efficiently through the sales cycle.
Partner Enablement & Coordination
- Ensure partners are equipped to sell Xylem Vue solutions by coordinating targeted enablement with internal teams.
- Align with Client Solution Architects, Sales Support, and Marketing to support active deals and priority use cases.
- Focus enablement efforts on live opportunities, not generic training programs.
Governance & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Ensure compliance with internal commercial, legal, and approval processes.
- Coordinate partner involvement in complex bids and tenders alongside the Bid Office.
- Act as escalation point for partner-related commercial issues.
Performance Management & Reporting
- Track and report partner performance, including pipeline, revenue, conversion rates, and time-to-first-deal.
- Lead regular partner performance reviews focused on execution and results.
- Recommend resource allocation, corrective actions, or exit decisions based on performance data.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
- Minimum 7/8 years' experience in indirect sales, partner management, or channel-led go-to-market roles.
- Proven track record of generating revenue through partners in complex B2B environments.
- Strong commercial skills, including deal structuring, pricing, and margin management.
- Experience operating in matrix organizations and collaborating across multiple functions.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in SaaS, digital platforms, or industrial / infrastructure technology.
- Exposure to utilities, water/wastewater, public sector, or regulated markets.
- Experience working across multiple European countries and cultures.
- Familiarity with enterprise sales cycles and formal procurement processes.
- Experience building or scaling partner ecosystems in emerging markets.
Key Skills & Competencies:
- Execution Focus – Strong bias toward action, pipeline creation, and deal closure
- Commercial Acumen – Clear understanding of revenue, margin, and deal economics
- Partner Leadership – Ability to drive results through influence rather than authority
- Adaptability – Effective in markets with different levels of partner maturity
- Stakeholder Management – Builds trust with partners and internal teams
- Analytical Mindset – Uses data to prioritize effort and assess partner performance
- Resilience – Comfortable operating in evolving, ambiguous environments
Travel Requirements: up to the 50% of the time
Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage, conservation, and re-use. Our products impact public utilities, industrial sectors, residential areas, and commercial buildings, with a commitment to providing smart metering, network technologies, and advanced analytics for water, electric, and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world.