Senior Partner Development Manager

At NI, an Emerson company, we help engineers and organizations solve some of the world's most complex test, measurement, and automation challenges.

As a Senior Partner Development Manager, you will lead the growth of NI's business through select System Integrator partnerships. You will work with executive leaders, sales teams, solution architects, and technical influencers at partner organizations to position NI technology as a preferred component of their solutions and service offerings. This is a highly visible role that combines business development, partner strategy, technical sales, and cross-functional leadership. You will help NI's sales organization to adopt and leverage partners as a preferred route to winning customer opportunities.

Why This Role Matters

System Integrators often influence technology decisions long before a customer makes a purchase. When partners consistently recommend, design with, and deploy NI technology, they create repeatable growth opportunities that scale across industries, applications, and customers.

Success in this role is not only about helping partners adopt NI technology. It is equally about helping NI sales teams understand when and how to engage System Integrator partners to create better customer outcomes. You will serve as the bridge between NI, our partners, and our sales organization, ensuring that the right partners are positioned in the right opportunities and that both organizations work together to drive growth.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and Grow Partner Relationships

• Build executive, sales, and technical relationships with System Integrator partners across the Americas.

• Create and execute business plans that align partner growth objectives with NI's strategic priorities.

• Identify new partnership opportunities and expand existing relationships.

• Serve as the primary business leader responsible for partner success and growth.

Drive Technology Preference and Solution Adoption

• Help partners understand where NI technology creates value for their customers.

• Influence technical decision-makers and solution architects to incorporate NI technology into repeatable customer solutions.

• Support partners in creating standardized solution offerings that include NI products and platforms.

• Increase the number of customer projects, proposals, and solutions that leverage NI technology.

Build Scalable Partner Solutions

• Collaborate with partners to develop packaged service offerings and industry solutions.

• Work closely with NI product, marketing, and business teams to align partner offerings with market opportunities.

• Help partners create differentiated value propositions that drive customer adoption.

Enable Partner Sales and Technical Teams

• Deliver business and technical enablement programs that help partners confidently position NI solutions.

• Develop tools, training, customer success stories, and solution assets that accelerate partner success.

• Support partner teams throughout the sales cycle, from opportunity identification through proposal development and customer engagement.

Drive NI Seller Adoption of System Integrator Partners

• Build awareness, confidence, and preference among NI sales teams for engaging qualified System Integrator partners.

• Develop strategies that make it easier for NI sellers to identify, access, and leverage partner capabilities in customer opportunities.

• Create account-mapping initiatives, joint business planning activities, success stories, and sales plays that encourage collaboration between NI sellers and partners.

• Increase seller-sourced opportunities involving System Integrator partners and improve the effectiveness of partner-led customer engagements.

Ensure Operational Excellence

• Establish measurable partner growth plans and quarterly business reviews.

• Track business performance, pipeline development, partner engagement, and strategic initiatives.

• Maintain strong forecasting discipline and provide visibility into partner-driven business results.

What Success Looks Like

In this role, you will:

• Consistently achieve or exceed revenue objectives through partner-led and partner-influenced opportunities.

• Increase the number of customer solutions and service offerings built around NI technology.

• Grow strategic pipeline and improve win rates in opportunities involving System Integrator partners.

• Expand executive and technical engagement within partner organizations.

• Increase the number of NI sales professionals actively leveraging System Integrator partners in customer opportunities.

• Improve collaboration between NI and partner teams, resulting in measurable business growth and stronger customer outcomes.

• Establish NI as a preferred technology platform among key System Integrator partners. 

You are a proactive and resourceful professional who acts with urgency and ownership to achieve results. You place customers at the center of your decisions, anticipating needs and delivering exceptional experiences. You build collaborative relationships across functions and establish networks that enable effective partnership and knowledge sharing. You inspire engagement through open communication and a positive team-oriented approach. You are comfortable learning and adopting new technologies and use digital capabilities to improve business outcomes.                                                                                                                                                 

For This Role, You Will Need:

• 10+ years of experience in partner development, business development, strategic alliances, channel sales, account management, or technical sales.

• Demonstrated success building and growing strategic partner relationships.

• Experience influencing technical and business stakeholders in complex sales environments.

• Strong executive presence and the ability to build credibility with senior leaders.

• Proven ability to lead initiatives across multiple functions and organizations.

• Strong business planning, forecasting, pipeline management, and operational discipline.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working for a System Integrator.

• Experience in test, measurement, industrial automation, manufacturing, software, engineering, or technology markets.

• Experience developing partner ecosystems and go-to-market strategies.

• Knowledge of solution-selling and partner-led sales motions.