Partnerships
Technology, referral and co-marketing partnerships, from first conversation to a working joint plan and regular reviews.
Roles · Sales
A business development manager for partnerships, new markets and channel deals
Someone senior enough to open doors with partners and resellers, and organized enough to turn those conversations into signed agreements and steady revenue.
Growth through partners and new markets
Some growth doesn't come from more cold outreach. It comes from a software partner who refers customers, a distributor who already sells in a new region, or a reseller program that reaches customers you would never reach alone. A business development manager finds those opportunities, builds the relationships, negotiates the terms with you and makes sure the partnership actually produces business.
What they do for you
- Identify partners, resellers and distributors that reach your buyers
- Research new markets and build an entry plan with you
- Lead first conversations and follow them through to agreement
- Prepare proposals, partner decks and commercial terms for your approval
- Set up partner onboarding, referral tracking and co-marketing
- Run regular reviews with each partner on pipeline and results
- Attend virtual events and trade shows to meet prospective partners
- Keep the partner pipeline and agreements up to date in your CRM
- Feed what partners and new markets ask for back to your product and marketing teams
What experienced business developers bring to the table
Tools they work in
HubSpotSalesforcePipedriveLinkedIn Sales NavigatorPartnerStackCrossbeamImpartnerDocuSignPandaDocNotionGoogle WorkspaceMicrosoft 365ZoomMany more
A good fit if:
- You want to sell through partners, resellers or distributors
- You're entering a new country or industry and need someone to open it up
- Partnership conversations start well and then stall
- Your founders are doing all the partner work themselves
Not the right fit if:
- You mainly need meetings booked from cold outreach; see Sales Development Representative
- You need a senior sales leader to build and run the whole team; see Executive Search
- You need to keep existing customers happy and growing; see Customer Success Manager
Interview questions
01
"Tell me about a partnership you built from first contact to revenue."
Strong answer: who they approached and why, how terms were agreed, what made it work, and the business it produced.
02
"How would you choose which of three possible partners to pursue first?"
Strong answer: overlap with your buyers, their sales motion, effort to integrate, and how quickly revenue could follow.
03
"A partner signed six months ago and has sent nothing. What do you do?"
Strong answer: find out why, check enablement and incentives, agree a joint plan, or deprioritize them.
04
"How would you research a new market before we commit to it?"
Strong answer: demand and competitors, local regulations and buying habits, likely partners, and a small test before a bigger push.
Signs of a strong business development manager:
- Builds a short list of the right partners, not a long one of everyone
- Gets agreements signed and then makes them produce
- Keeps you informed on every negotiation
- Measures partner results honestly
Signs of a weak business development manager:
- Counts meetings and logo swaps as success
- Promises partners things you haven't agreed
- Lets relationships go quiet after signing
- Can't say which partners bring revenue
New markets
Market research, entry plans and first relationships when you expand into a new country, region or industry.
Channel and reseller deals
Reseller, distributor and agency programs with clear terms, onboarding, sales materials and tracked results.
How we search for your business development manager
- 1
Talk it through
We agree the work, the tools, the hours you share and who they report to. For this role: the partners or markets you have in mind, your product and deal size, who signs off on terms, and the regions they'll cover.
- 2
Meet a shortlist and choose
We screen a wide pool for every role and introduce only the few who fit your brief. We source, screen and test candidates against your brief, and run background and reference checks. You interview and decide.
- 3
Start with support in place
They start on the work in the brief, and we stay in contact once they've begun.
This is a senior search, and the right person needs relevant industry relationships. Expect it to take longer than an SDR hire. We look in South Africa first and go wider when your target markets need someone based closer to them.
How pricing works
Any of these options works for a business development manager. You make the call, and senior sales leadership hires can also go through Executive Search. Compare the arrangements on ways to hire.
Who does what
Swipe to see more →
| Task | You | JiveTalent |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial terms, contracts and partner approval | Own | – |
| Partner research, outreach, negotiations and reviews | Review | Led by your business development manager; we check in on progress with the partner pipeline |
Questions about business development managers
Can they sign agreements on our behalf?
No. They negotiate and prepare agreements, and you or your nominated signatory signs. The approval limits are yours to set.
Will they work during our business hours?
The brief sets the hours and the overlap with your team before the search starts, so every candidate is hired for them.
How is a business development manager different from an SDR?
An SDR books first meetings with potential customers. A business development manager builds partnerships and opens markets, which takes longer and involves bigger agreements.
Do they need industry contacts already?
It helps, so we look for experience in your field. A strong candidate can also build relationships from scratch in a new area.
What if it isn't working out?
Talk to your account lead. We go through it with you and agree a way forward.
Can they travel to events?
If your brief includes travel, we screen for it. Most of the work is remote, with travel planned and paid by you as needed.
How do we see what our business development manager is working on?
Their hours are tracked in the client app and reported there for you to see.
Open your next market with the right partners
Book a call. We'll agree the brief for your business development manager and talk you through the ways to hire.