Channel Partner Manager - DACH

Job Description This is a pivotal individual contributor role at the heart of Freshworks channel growth strategy. As a Channel Manager, you will own the full lifecycle of our mid-market reseller business across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland — from prospecting and signing new value-added resellers through to driving active pipeline, resale revenue, and installed base expansion through those relationships. The opportunity is significant. Freshworks is building a volume resale motion to displace incumbent ITSM platforms through partners who already sell into the mid-market. DACH is a channel-led market where the majority of mid-market IT spend transacts through resellers, and this role sits at the centre of that effort. You will work closely with field sales, pre-sales, and marketing, as well as directly with VAR sales leaders and owners, to build a reseller base that generates repeatable, run-rate revenue. The right person combines a hunter's instinct for signing the right resellers with the commercial discipline to hold those partners accountable to joint business plans and pipeline commitments. You know how VARs make money, how they compensate their sellers, and how to get from first conversation to first transacted deal quickly. Responsibilities: VAR Recruitment & Onboarding Identify, target, and sign mid-market VARs aligned to Freshworks' DACH ITSM, ITAM, and CX growth priorities Build and maintain a pipeline of prospective resellers, drawing on market mapping, distribution networks, competitor partner rosters, and ex-incumbent relationships Lead the end-to-end recruitment process — from initial outreach and business case development through to contract execution and onboarding Design and execute structured onboarding that brings new VARs to first-deal-ready status inside 90 days: product knowledge, resale terms and margin structure, deal registration, quoting, pre-sales support model Partner Enablement & Acceleration Build VAR capability across sales and pre-sales so partners can position, scope, quote, and close Freshworks solutions without vendor dependency Develop joint go-to-market plans with each partner, including target verticals, solution plays, and co-sell motions with Freshworks field teams Drive participation in Freshworks enablement programmes, including accreditation, demo certification, and deal support resources Act as the primary relationship owner into VAR sales leadership and seller communities, building multi-threaded engagement across sales, marketing, and ownership Deploy MDF and campaign investment against agreed pipeline outcomes, not activity Pipeline & Revenue Own and actively manage a partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline, working with field AEs to progress and close VAR-originated opportunities Set and hold partners to joint pipeline targets, resale revenue commitments, and expansion targets in the installed base through structured QBR and business planning rhythms Drive deal progression through CRM monitoring — not reactive deal registration Co-sell alongside partners on key opportunities, providing commercial, technical, and executive support as required Track and report on VAR pipeline health, conversion velocity, and revenue contribution through Salesforce, ensuring accurate and up-to-date forecasting Strategy & Ecosystem Development Contribute to the DACH VAR strategy, including partner selection criteria, tiering, margin design, and investment allocation Identify resellers with existing ServiceNow, ManageEngine, or legacy ITSM books as priority displacement targets and develop engagement plans accordingly Work cross-functionally with marketing, product, and pre-sales to develop reseller-specific content, campaign assets, and quoting tools Feed market and competitive intelligence back into channel leadership, including partner sentiment, competitor margin structures, and whitespace opportunity Qualifications Required 7+ years' experience in channel, alliances, or partner management within a SaaS or enterprise software environment Fluent German and English, written and spoken Demonstrable track record of recruiting and activating resale partners in the DACH market, not just managing existing relationships Strong understanding of VAR economics: margin expectations, seller compensation, distribution relationships, and how resellers decide where to invest sales capacity Experience working in or adjacent to ITSM, ITAM, EX, or CX categories — familiarity with the ServiceNow or ManageEngine reseller ecosystems is a strong advantage Commercially rigorous: comfortable building joint business plans, setting pipeline targets, and holding partners accountable to commitments Ability to build and maintain senior relationships within reseller organisations — sales directors, managing directors, and owners Strong pipeline management discipline — fluent in Salesforce or equivalent CRM for partner opportunity tracking and forecasting Effective at working cross-functionally: co