Partner Development Manager

Role Overview

This role grows Microsoft’s business in East Africa by helping system integrators, resellers and service providers build successful AI and cloud practices. You will work with partner executives and Microsoft sales teams to shape joint plans, create customer opportunities and turn shared pipeline into measurable revenue and cloud consumption, using Kenya as a base for regional growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Guide partners in developing and launching repeatable AI and cloud offerings, including Copilot adoption, AI readiness, agent solutions, data modernization, applications and security services.
• Help partners apply AI in their own operations first, so they can demonstrate practical results and build credible customer propositions.
• Create a business plan and sales strategy for each partner, with defined goals for revenue, Azure consumption, pipeline and customer acquisition.
• Advise partner executives on investments in Microsoft technologies, sales capacity, technical skills and go-to-market activity.
• Identify growth opportunities across new customer wins, Azure, Copilot, Security, CSP, EA-to-CSP transitions, renewals, upsell and cross-sell.
• Develop joint pipeline with Microsoft field teams; qualify opportunities, coordinate deal strategy, improve partner follow-through and support deals through to close.
• Lead account and territory planning, focusing partner and Microsoft resources on customers with the strongest potential for AI and cloud adoption.
• Run regular business, executive and pipeline reviews; monitor forecasts and performance, address risks early, and coordinate Microsoft specialists, marketing and deal-support teams.
• Scale effective partner-led solutions from Kenya across East Africa and share successful approaches between markets.
• Work in keeping with Microsoft’s culture, values and Trust Code, bringing urgency, curiosity and a growth mindset to the role.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, computer science, marketing or a related discipline, alongside substantial senior experience in technology sales, channel sales or partner development; equivalent experience is also considered.
• Extensive experience working with resellers, system integrators or managed service providers, with a strong grasp of partner business models and channel economics.
• Demonstrated success meeting or exceeding revenue, cloud consumption and pipeline targets through partner-led and co-sell motions.
• Strong sales execution skills, including opportunity management, forecasting, deal planning, negotiation and closing in collaboration with direct sales teams.
• Working knowledge of generative AI, AI agents, Copilot, Azure, data and security, plus experience supporting partners as they build and bring AI or cloud practices to market.
• Commercial and financial capability, including the ability to assess pipeline and revenue, develop business cases and evaluate partner investment returns.
• Confidence and credibility in executive-level discussions, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strategic judgement paired with the discipline to translate plans into consistent operational execution.
• Established connections within Kenya’s and East Africa’s technology sector, and readiness to travel across the region.