#1. Strategic Thinking

Great partnership managers go beyond promoting their partner ecosystem – they are strategic thinkers whose main goal is to maximise their business impact. Top performers see the bigger picture (company goals, industry, competition) and translate it into winning partnerships. What’s crucial is they need to see beyond one-off deals while being able to execute on the company's vision and meticulously identify key partners that bridge capability gaps or amplify core strengths.

During the recruitment process, look for candidates who can discuss industry trends and articulate how partnerships contribute to long-term objectives. 

Interview Tip: Present a hypothetical problem: Describe a strategic challenge your company is facing and ask the candidate how they would approach it. Look for their ability to identify key issues, consider various factors, and propose creative solutions.

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#2. Communication (& Listening Skills)

These rather fall under a category of ‘soft skills’ and therefore are often overlooked by hiring managers. However, according to Forbes, they are becoming more and more in demand as we turn to social media apps and often do not pay enough attention to verbal and written communication skills that are the foundation of effective teamwork. 

While recruiting for partner managers, seek a candidate who excels in both verbal and written communication. Are they able to articulate the message well and adapt it to various audiences? Partnership managers being the bridge between companies, should be able to articulate complex ideas in a clear and engaging way for both internal and external audiences. Compelling narratives capture attention and build trust, so storytelling skills can showcase the value proposition of both your company and potential partnerships. 

Last but not least, strong active listening skills are crucial too, when trying to build relationships with others. 

Interview Tip: Situational Question - present hypothetical scenarios relevant to the role and ask how they would communicate in those situations. This assesses their ability to adapt communication styles to different audiences.

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#3. Networking & Relationship Building

Partnerships are built on strong relationships. Look for candidates who excel at building rapport and fostering a sense of trust and collaboration with potential and existing partners. A strong network allows partner managers to discover potential partners who complement their company's offerings. 

According to professor’s Heidi K. Gardner from Harvard University, individuals who mastered cross-team collaboration achieved a significant competitive advantage compared to those who did not. When different teams with specialised knowledge work together, they can combine their expertise to generate innovative solutions that might not be possible for a single team. This can lead to new products, improved processes, and a stronger overall offering for customers. Imagine attending an industry event and connecting with a company whose product perfectly integrates with yours. This initial connection, fostered through networking, could lead to a lucrative partnership.

Interview Tip: Present a scenario where they need to solve a problem that requires collaboration with another team or department. How would they approach building relationships and navigating the situation?

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#4. Negotiation Skills

Striking mutually beneficial agreements is a core skill. A skilled negotiator can craft contracts that benefit both your company and the partner. This fosters long-term, successful partnerships. Imagine negotiating a revenue-sharing deal with a distributor. You want a high cut, but they need a good profit margin. A good negotiator finds a middle ground that incentivizes both parties. 

Negotiation isn't just about compromise. Partners with better negotiation skills can secure more favourable terms, like higher commissions or earlier access to new products. This can give your company a competitive edge in the market. In short, negotiation skills allow partner managers to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships, navigate challenges, and maximise the value of partnerships.

Interview Tip: Present candidates with hypothetical partnership scenarios and assess their negotiation style and focus on achieving win-win outcomes.

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#5. Conflict Resolution

Disagreements are inevitable. Evaluate candidates on their ability to identify underlying conflicts, facilitate open communication, and find solutions that satisfy all parties.Strong conflict resolution is essential for partner managers because they navigate relationships between different teams and companies. Disagreements on project goals, communication styles, or even personalities can arise. A skilled partner manager can act as a neutral mediator by guiding discussions, ensuring all parties feel heard (active listening).

Further, by focusing on shared objectives, they can steer conversations towards solutions that benefit everyone. They can help partners identify areas where they can concede while still achieving their core goals.

For example, a marketing manager and an engineering team might disagree on a product launch deadline. The partner manager facilitates a discussion, highlighting the marketing team's need for promotion time and the engineers' concerns about product quality. They help find a compromise that allows for a successful launch while addressing both sides' priorities.

Interview Tips: Ask about past experiences: use questions like "Tell me about a time you disagreed with a colleague. How did you resolve it?" These encourage candidates to share real-world examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

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#6. Goal Execution

Not all partnerships are created equal. Strong candidates possess a keen eye for identifying companies whose values, offerings, and target audiences complement their own. Present them with hypothetical partner profiles and ask them to assess fit and potential value creation.

Understanding how competitors leverage partnerships is crucial. Look for candidates who can analyse competitor partnerships and identify potential gaps or opportunities for your company.

Interview Tip: ‍Evaluate candidates on their ability to define clear objectives for each partnership and how they'll track progress. Scenario-based questions can reveal their approach to aligning partner and company goals

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#7. Partnership Portfolio Management (PPM)

Partnership Portfolio Management (PPM) is a critical skill for technology partnership managers for several reasons. Firstly, a strong PPM strategy helps prioritise partnerships based on their alignment with overall business goals. Not all partnerships are created equal, and PPM allows the manager to focus resources on the most impactful ones. PPM ensures efficient allocation of time, budget, and personnel across the partnership portfolio. 

PPM helps identify and mitigate potential risks associated with individual partnerships. For instance, dependence on a single partner can be risky. A diversified portfolio lessens this risk. By analysing partnership performance, managers can identify best practices and implement them across the portfolio, leading to overall improvement.

Lastly, what’s worth mentioning is that a well-managed portfolio is easier to scale as business needs evolve. Having a clear understanding of each partnership's role and contribution allows for efficient expansion or contraction.

In essence, PPM empowers technology partnership managers to become strategic leaders, maximising the value derived from a network of partners and driving overall business growth.

Interview Tip: Assess candidates on their ability to identify potential risks (e.g., technology incompatibility, cultural clashes) and develop mitigation strategies. Top candidates can navigate change effectively, adapting strategies and partnership models as circumstances evolve.

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#8. Results & Data Driven Decisions

Partnerships need to demonstrate value. Without data, gauging a partnership's effectiveness is like driving blindfolded. KPIs provide concrete metrics like revenue generated, partner driven or partner-influenced leads conversion rates help identify if a partnership is on track or requires adjustments.

Intuition can be helpful, but data provides a more objective basis for decision-making. Analysing KPIs allows partner managers to see what's working and what's not, enabling them to allocate resources effectively and prioritise efforts with high-performing partners.

Example: Data reveals a specific partner consistently drives high-quality leads. The manager can invest in further training or co-branded initiatives with this partner, maximising their return.

KPIs and a data-driven mindset equip partner managers to navigate the complexities of tech partnerships. By leveraging data, they can make informed decisions, measure success, optimise programs, and ultimately, build stronger, more valuable partnerships. 

This brings us to the next crucial skill in 2024 - being technology adept at understanding data and making decisions based on these metrics often involve being tech savvy with a partner related technology stack.

Interview Tip:

Use STAR to showcase your decision-making:

• Briefly describe a challenging partnership situation (Situation)
• Explain your role and responsibility (Task)
• Focus on data analysis, collaboration, and clear evaluation in your decision process (Action)
• Quantify the positive outcome (Result)

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#9. Tech-Savvy

The world of partnerships is increasingly tech-driven. Look for candidates comfortable with relevant platforms like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and partner relationship management, and Partnerships Collaboration Tools. There’s plenty of business intelligence tools out there that help identify potential prospects and joint customers, such as Crossbeam or Reveal (to name a few). Understanding multi-touch lead attribution and how it impacts partner-influenced and led deals is paramount.  

Navigating through analytics software is also incredibly important for partner managers. Analytics provide insights to measure partner performance, track sales metrics, and identify areas for improvement. This allows partner managers to make informed choices about resource allocation, support strategies, and program optimisation. Data speaks volumes.

Interview Tip: Ask questions that require the candidate to describe past experiences using PRM, for example: How did you leverage a PRM system to track partner performance?

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#10. Problem-Solving 

The road to partnership success isn't always smooth. Hire someone who can anticipate potential roadblocks and develop creative solutions to overcome challenges. Look for a candidate who thrives under pressure and goes beyond simply reacting to problems.  They should demonstrate the ability to develop creative solutions that are not only effective but also beneficial for both your company and the partner.  When evaluating their responses, pay attention to their problem-solving process. Do they consider different perspectives?  Can they think critically and analyse data to reach well-rounded solutions?

Finally, successful partnerships often require working under pressure and tight deadlines.  During the interview, assess how the candidate handles stress.  Do they get flustered or do they remain calm and collected? Look for someone who thrives in challenging environments and can use pressure to their advantage to find win-win solutions for all parties involved.

Interview Tip: Present hypothetical challenges: Imagine a key partner is unhappy with the level of support they're receiving. How would you identify the specific issue, address their concerns,  and ensure their satisfaction?

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#11. Project Management

Launching and managing partnerships is a complex undertaking. Prioritise candidates with strong project management skills. They should be able to define goals, establish timelines, delegate tasks, and stay organised, ensuring smooth partnership implementation. Partnerships involve internal and external stakeholders.  A Partnership Manager with project management skills can effectively delegate tasks, leveraging the strengths of both teams. They can also allocate resources efficiently, ensuring everyone has the tools and support they need to succeed.

Interview Tip: Ask the candidate about their experience with project management tools such as Gantt charts, Kanban boards, or work management software.  While specific tool expertise isn't essential, understanding their comfort level with these tools can be insightful.

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#12. Contract Confidence

Partnerships are formalised through agreements. Find a candidate who understands the legal nuances of contracts and can work with legal teams to ensure mutually beneficial terms for all parties involved. Partnerships involve internal and external stakeholders.  A Partnership Manager with project management skills can effectively delegate tasks, leveraging the strengths of both teams. They can also allocate resources efficiently, ensuring everyone has the tools and support they need to succeed.

Interview Tip: Simulate a negotiation scenario where the candidate needs to advocate for your company's interests in a specific contract clause.  This can reveal their ability to understand legal language and negotiate favourable terms.

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#13. Content Creation 

Building brand awareness and promoting partnerships often involves crafting compelling content. Look for a candidate who can write clear, concise, and engaging marketing materials to showcase the value proposition of the partnership to both internal and external audiences.

Interview Tip: Present a hypothetical partnership launch scenario. Ask the candidate to outline a content strategy to support the launch.  This can reveal their understanding of different content formats.

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#14. Trend Spotter & Outside-The-Box Thinker

In other words, great partner managers are often referred to as Ecosystem Orchestrators. Move beyond one-off deals and focus on building a collaborative ecosystem of partners. This involves fostering connections between existing partners, creating new value propositions through interconnected services, and fostering a win-win-win mentality across the network. 

Example: Partnering with a network of complementary businesses to create a one-stop shop for a specific customer need).

Interview Tip: Present a hypothetical scenario where your industry is facing a disruptive trend. Ask the candidate to brainstorm innovative partnership ideas to address this disruption and maintain a competitive edge.

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#15. Passion for Partnerships

Building strong partnerships takes dedication and enthusiasm. Seek a candidate who genuinely enjoys the process of connecting companies for mutual benefit. Data is powerful, but stories resonate. Partner managers should be passionate advocates, inspiring teams and igniting enthusiasm for collaboration (think: weaving a narrative about how a partnership unlocks a new market segment or solves a critical customer challenge).

Interview Tip: It's a tough one. Pay attention to the candidate's overall demeanour. Are they enthusiastic when discussing the industry? Does their body language and tone of voice reflect genuine interest?

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