Head of Vendor Alliances

2 weeks ago

StokeonTrent, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom Xpand Group Full time £80,000 - £120,000 per year
Head of Vendor Alliances

Location: Remote, UK

Type: Full-time

Team: 4-5 direct reports
About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a strategic and commercially driven leader to shape and lead the vendor partnership strategy across key technology domains including Cloud & Cybersecurity, Data Resilience & Power, Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC), and Workflow & Productivity.

As Head of Vendor Alliances, you will be responsible for developing, managing, and optimising strategic vendor relationships that drive growth, innovation, and profitability.

You will act as the executive bridge between the organisation and its vendor ecosystem - aligning joint business goals, driving co-investment, and ensuring the company remains a partner of choice for leading and emerging technology brands.

This is a senior leadership role suited to a commercially astute, relationship-focused professional with deep experience in vendor or channel leadership across complex, multi-vendor environments.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Alliance Leadership
  • Define and execute the overall vendor alliance strategy aligned to business growth and market priorities.
  • Develop multi-year strategic partnerships that enhance innovation and market differentiation.
  • Manage a balanced portfolio of established and emerging vendors to ensure agility and innovation.
Executive Partner Engagement
  • Build and nurture strong C-suite relationships with vendor stakeholders across the UK and Europe.
  • Lead executive business reviews to ensure alignment on investments, pipeline development, and revenue goals.
  • Act as the senior escalation point and relationship owner for key vendor partnerships.
Business & Service Innovation
  • Partner with technical, commercial, and service delivery teams to co-create new offerings that align with vendor capabilities and market demand.
  • Identify and commercialise new service-led opportunities that drive gross margin and strengthen the value proposition.
  • Champion innovation and the adoption of emerging technologies across the business.
Integrated Business Planning
  • Oversee the creation and delivery of Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with vendors, setting clear financial and enablement targets.
  • Track and optimise performance across marketing development funds (MDF), rebates, and incentive programmes.
  • Ensure alignment between vendor initiatives, sales execution, and go-to-market campaigns.
Commercial & Contract Management
  • Negotiate vendor agreements and commercial terms to ensure profitability and governance compliance.
  • Manage vendor funding programmes with precision - ensuring accurate forecasting, utilisation, and ROI reporting.
  • Drive gross profit and contribution margin through smart vendor investment and pricing strategies.
Leadership & Market Intelligence
  • Lead and develop a team of vendor alliance professionals, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and excellence.
  • Drive alignment and communication between vendor, sales, and marketing functions.
  • Use market intelligence and competitive insight to inform vendor strategy and investment focus.
  • Represent the business at industry and partner events to build presence and influence.
Skills & Experience
  • Extensive experience in senior vendor management, alliances, or channel leadership within IT distribution or vendor organisations.
  • Proven track record in developing and executing multi-vendor partnership strategies that deliver revenue and profit growth.
  • Deep understanding of cloud, cybersecurity, data resilience, and productivity technology markets.
  • Demonstrated success in commercial negotiation, contract management, and vendor funding programme execution.
  • Strong executive relationship-building and influencing capability.
  • Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a track record of building high-performing teams.
  • Outstanding communication, presentation, and analytical skills.
  • High commercial acumen and strategic agility with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
Measures of Success
  • Achievement of revenue and gross profit growth targets across all vendor portfolios.
  • Expansion of the vendor ecosystem aligned to strategic market priorities.
  • Delivery of joint business plans with measurable impact and ROI.
  • Increased vendor satisfaction and partnership engagement.
  • Optimised vendor funding utilisation and investment outcomes.
  • Team performance, development, and retention within the vendor alliance function.
Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to shape the strategic vendor ecosystem of a forward-thinking technology business - influencing how leading and emerging vendors collaborate to deliver next-generation solutions in cloud, cybersecurity, and resilience.

If you are a strategic alliance leader who thrives on building partnerships, driving growth, and leading teams to excellence, we'd love to hear from you.

*Rates depend on experience and client requirements

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