WHAT DOES A CHANNEL MANAGER DO?
The Channel Manager oversees operations across three outsourced contact centers, introducing new products and solutions while conducting comprehensive business reviews to enhance partner performance. Collaborates closely with VPs and Directors to refine sales strategies and tools, optimizing field resources to boost sales productivity. Fosters robust relationships across Sales, Supply Chain, Marketing, DBT, and Finance, ensuring effective collaboration and maximizing business opportunities.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Channel Manager
1. Channel Manager Duties
- Operations Management: Responsible for running outsourced operations at 3 contact centers.
- Product Introduction: Introduce new products, solutions, and services to partners.
- Partner Reviews: Conduct business reviews with partners and recommend improvements.
- Relationship Maintenance: Maintain strong working relationships as both an individual contributor and team member.
- Sales Strategy Input: Work with VPs/Directors to provide Sales input to develop and improve business/sales tools.
- Resource Optimization: Streamline and optimize resources in the field and increase sales productivity.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Cultivate a strong, collaborative, and transparent working relationship with cross-functional groups.
- Opportunity Maximization: Maximize opportunities in Sales, Supply Chain, Marketing, DBT, and Finance.
- Interpersonal Skills: Provide excellent interpersonal skills, including diplomacy and collaboration.
2. Channel Manager Details
- DTC Strategy Leadership: Lead and define DTC acquisition strategy across all direct (affiliate, search, PPC, SEO, etc.) and indirect (PCWs, other aggregators) digital channels.
- Dashboard Development: Build dashboards and other MI to enable performance tracking by channel to drive decisions around how to optimize spend and activity.
- Partnership Building: Build partnerships with third-party aggregators (price comparison websites, credit ref agencies, etc.) to originate new leads.
- Lead Optimization Collaboration: Work with the nominated broker partner to optimize lead generation.
- Product Optimization: Work with the Product team to define and optimize product offering by channel.
- Marketing Collaboration: Work with the Marketing team to optimize digital journeys, launch digital marketing campaigns.
- Website Management: Ensure the website has appropriate content, visibility, and navigation.
- Tech Integration: Work with the Digital Tech team to build links into third-party fintech and other tech providers.
- Digital Journey Support: Support digital journeys and maximize lead generation.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all activity meets all regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, cookie compliance, MCOB, etc.).
3. Channel Manager Responsibilities
- Program Development Collaboration: Works with Sales Managers, Business Management/New Products, and Brokers in the development of turn-key programs/creative sales presentations that meet the needs of customers.
- Strategic Liaison: Acts as a conduit and face between internal business strategy development and external sales execution.
- Program Execution: Develops and executes fully comprehensive programs (in-store and online) with key success objectives for both customer and NatureSweet stakeholders.
- KPI Establishment: Establishes business KPIs to ensure progress against objectives.
- Shopper Insight Utilization: Understands and leverages shopper insights and data to establish Omnichannel leadership from insights and analytical basis to impact shopper behavior.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Cultivates a strong collaborative and transparent working relationship with all cross-functional departments.
- Opportunity Identification: Works with the VP of Customer Marketing & SVP of Sales to identify and prioritize new business opportunities.
- Budget and Promotion Management: Works with the VP of Customer Marketing & SVP of Sales to manage the budgeting process and allocation of trade promotion spending efficiencies and effectiveness.
- Omnichannel Program Development: Works hand in hand with Lauren Ventura to establish programs, alignment, and recognized expertise in Omnichannel.
4. Channel Manager Accountabilities
- Omnichannel Sales Ownership: Own the Omnichannel Sales plan across all marketplaces/channels.
- Omnichannel Strategy Development: Develop plans and lead strategic Omnichannel vision and breakthrough thinking alongside Customers.
- Omnichannel Growth Driving: Drive mutual goals, growth, and shopper conversion through Omnichannel platforms.
- Program Development: Develop account-specific programs that align with the customer's strategic plans that help drive profitable growth.
- Retail Initiative Implementation: Work with customer teams to implement retail point of purchase initiatives.
- Demand Creation: Drive demand creation through digital, shelf, customer online platforms, etc.
- Omnichannel Consulting: Consult on all Omnichannel opportunities and analyze performance/effectiveness in an effort.
- Investment Recommendations: Help identify recommendations to sales/brand teams on the most effective investments.
- Investment Influence: Influence and propose investment levels to effectively drive demand and grow sales through these platforms and effectively manage the Budget against the Omnichannel opportunities.
- Trend Interpretation: Seeks out and interprets key trends to drive innovation for new business growth.
5. Channel Manager Functions
- Product Listing Development: Developing product listings, negotiating terms with external distribution channels.
- New Business Generation: Generation of new business opportunities, management of product launches, and promotional activities.
- Channel Strategy Development: Develop the Distribution and Retail channel strategies.
- Stakeholder Influence: Influence key stakeholders, both internal and external, through effective and adaptive communication styles in order to maximize outcomes.
- Administrative Management: Manage key administrative procedures such as sales forecasting, analysis of market trends, contract management, and product pricing.
- Stakeholder Liaison: Liaise with both internal and external stakeholders such as Retailers, Merchandisers, Distributors, Buyers, Customer Service & Supply Chain partners.
- Client Relationship Development: Development of client relationships and account management.
- Strategic Presentation: Present the company plans and strategy to raise awareness of the client's brand and product portfolio.
- Sales Communication: Communicate sales strategies to internal teams and collaborate with the Design and Project Team to develop themes and concepts.
- Sales Cycle Management: Ensure the smooth running of the sales cycle from initial product/concept selling, through to delivery and follow up.
6. Channel Manager Job Description
- Channel Partner Management: Recruits new and manages existing channel partners to increase sales revenue.
- Partnership Building: Builds positive working relationships with partners to ensure smooth partnerships.
- Partner Recruitment & Onboarding: Identifies, recruits, and onboards new channel partners to build business.
- Opportunity Coordination: Coordinates with partners to identify new business opportunities for revenue generation.
- Partner Enablement: Enables partners on product/solution portfolio and complementary services offered.
- Product Presentation: Works with partners to conduct product presentations to end-users.
- Sales Support: Provides proposals, quotations, and prices to partners.
- Business Model Development: Develops profitable business models based on market trends and competitor activity.
- Sales Program Implementation: Implements sales programs for product positioning and promotions.
- Product Information Management: Ensures that partners are up-to-date with product/solution information.
7. Channel Manager Overview
- Customer Service Forecasting: Customer service target setting and forecasting deliverables.
- Operational Segmentation: Segment improvements and roll out within operation.
- Technical Channel Management: Handle outcomes and impact of technical channel.
- Sales Campaign Management: Manage Sales Campaigns at Outsourced vendor.
- Brand Translation: Translator of Brand purpose at contact center.
- Operational Ownership: Ownership operational development and improvements.
- Strategic Selling: Uses comprehensive knowledge of customer activities and plans that impact the use of Company products in strategic selling presentations.
- Business Analysis: Uses business acumen and analytical skills to work effectively with internal functions, Account Managers, Sales Specialists, and customers.
- Customer Monitoring: Regularly monitors customers’ needs and the Company’s product offerings.
- Service Level Management: Ensure needs are understood by team members and key departments and appropriate levels of service and responsiveness are provided to accounts.
8. Channel Manager Details and Accountabilities
- Communication Excellence: Regularly provides oral and written communication to direct reports about successes, failures, best practices, etc.
- Operational Improvement: Improves the overall operating effectiveness and efficiency of individuals and the entire Regional team.
- Customer Engagement: Contacts and returns calls to customer contacts at all levels, providing information through telephone, email, or personal visits as frequently as needed.
- Skill Proficiency: Demonstrates required analytical and computer skills essential to success in the job.
- Equipment Maintenance: Maintains assigned equipment and tools provided by the Company in clean and working condition.
- Reporting Accuracy: Completes, submits, and delivers all required reports to the Director of Sales in a timely fashion.
- Professional Representation: Maintains familiarity with Company policies and procedures and presents a professional image as a Company ambassador.
- Market Expertise: Develops and maintains up-to-date knowledge of markets, products, and buying practices required to effectively compete in the assigned region.
- Information Accuracy: Ensures that product and other relevant information provided to customers by Sales Agents is accurate and thorough.
- Sales Presentation Skills: Ensures that comprehensive product and application knowledge is used to successfully conduct effective SPIN, consultative, and strategic selling presentations.
9. Channel Manager Tasks
- Business Plan Development: Develops a business plan to meet or exceed business goals agreed upon with Sales management.
- Tactical Implementation: Directs the tactical implementation of the business plan to meet objectives – including sales to new accounts, the successful introduction of new products, and the retention of current customers at an acceptable rate.
- Contract Management: Manages contracts/quotations within the guidelines by extending competitive pricing as needed to maintain and increase margin.
- Corporate Initiative Participation: Participates in corporate initiatives designed to improve regional business operations including marketing programs, human resources programs, sales programs, and other administrative projects; directs the process of selling Consumables products and services to customers and prospects.
- Sales Execution: Sells consumables products and services to customers and products in own designated territory.
- Sales Monitoring: Consistently monitors results of sales process including sales forecasting, pipeline management, and sales tracking through the use of Siebel system and other designated IT tools.
- Customer Relationship Management: Keeps relevant people and team members fully informed of significant changes in customer relationships and the potential impact on the business.
- Issue Resolution: Addresses and resolves customer issues and arbitrates sales personnel issues (e.g., sales crediting involving other channels).
- Sales Coaching: Serves as a role model and coach sale agents team in all aspects of the sales process and customer relationship management.
- Communication and Reporting: Communicates business objectives and action plans to Region team members and reports business progress to management via monthly reports.
10. Channel Manager Roles
- Industry Research: Researches UCaaS and CCaaS industry regional system integrators and solution providers that should be developing strategic partnerships.
- Cross-functional Partnership: Partners cross-functionally with the Chrome OS Business Development, Channel, Systems Integrator/Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Technology team.
- Opportunity Identification: Helps identify and pursue partners and business opportunities in a consultative manner.
- Partner Recruitment: Recruits partners by delivering compelling value propositions and speaking to customer needs within the industry segments and goal markets.
- Asset Development: Develops compelling partner-facing assets and collateral jointly with Marketing to motivate partners to focus on Chrome OS.
- C-level Engagement: Engages C-level executives at the regional system integrators and solution providers driving the Chrome OS narrative to motivate partners to invest in Chrome OS.
- Business Review Preparation: Prepares quarterly business reviews, reviews progress, and adjusts strategies
- Information Documentation: Documents available information (e.g., customer data, project feedback, competitor information) in CRM.
- Market and Customer Insights Collection: Collects information on market and customer needs and communicates them to the Corning organization.
- General Partner Management: Manages general internal and external partners effectively.
11. Channel Manager Additional Details
- Strategy Contribution: Contribute to the overall sales and commercial strategy and objectives of the Reckitt country business.
- Trade Terms Leadership: Define the annual Customer Trade Terms strategy and lead Key Account to implement it.
- Marketing Collaboration: Work in close partnership with the marketing and trade marketing functions.
- Category Strategy Implementation: Ensure development and implementation of customer category strategy and best in class 4P execution.
- Promotion and Launch Planning: Develop customer promotion and product launch plans, ensuring excellent implementation from the Key Account Team.
- Business Flexibility: Flexibility to respond to business stresses and gaps while keeping program execution on course.
- Administrative Management: Manages administrative procedures to control and enhance the value of channel partners in sales processes.
- Offer Preparation: Prepares offers in coordination with the bid and proposal department and/or the Marketing Manager.
- Offer Management: Ensures appropriate technical and financial aspects of offers, including prices and trading conditions.
- Customer Service Support: Support Customer Service as second-tier escalation mode for overdue invoices with partner and 3rd parties.
12. Channel Manager Essential Functions
- Channel & Customer Insight: Identifies sales channels or channel partners (Distributors & Traders) that best fit the customers and seeks to understand customer issues/needs.
- Product Solution Proposal: Proposes the best products/solutions from the company-wide product portfolio and drives channel partners'/customers' continuous success.
- Sales Execution: Sells products to customers, focusing on volume and profitability targets.
- Relationship Management: Establishes and maintains/improves effective customer relationships (from commercial to engineering/administrative functions).
- Customer Needs Analysis: Understands customer needs and provides a solution.
- Customer Experience Assurance: Ensures a positive customer experience throughout the sales process, including post-sale.
- Sales Planning: Prepares sales plans using company tools (i.e., Salesforce).
- Performance Review & Planning: Performs regular status reviews/reports and creates plans to achieve goals.
- Transaction & Negotiation Management: Ensures the successful outcome of transactions, contracts, and proposals through effective product and solution presentations and negotiations.
- Strategic Communication & Pricing: Communicates details in accordance with company offerings and strategy (delivery time, payments, and general terms and conditions) and sets up strategic pricing to earn a profit.
13. Channel Manager Role Purpose
- Global Account Coordination: Lead and coordinate partner account globally and make sure that account strategy is followed.
- Sales Support: Support the partner organization to reach the agreed sales budget and continuously monitor sales figures (KPIs).
- Strategic Planning: In conjunction with sales leadership, finance, and marketing, define and agree on annual objectives and strategic direction.
- Competitive Tracking: Track competitive information received from partner.
- Product Evaluation and Planning: Evaluate inquiries for customer-specific products for 3rd parties in conjunction with Product Line Managers and develop profitable product plans.
- Partner Relationship Support: Support partner team with 3rd party customer interaction whenever needed and build strong relationships with partner customers’ key decision makers and the partner sales team.
- Contract Preparation: Prepare basis for contract negotiation with 3rd parties in conjunction with sales leadership.
- Legal Management: Manage legal relationships with 3rd party customers such as CDAs and development agreements.
- Complaint Management: Follow up on customer complaints with Quality and Customer Service.
- Forecast Preparation: Preparation of forecasts in close collaboration with partner.
14. Channel Manager General Responsibilities
- Relationship Management: Develop and manage relationships with channel partners and distributors to achieve the sales target and identify new opportunities.
- Presentation Delivery: Deliver presentation and/or provide information of ELL products/solutions to key accounts, government officials, and channel partners/distributors.
- Sales Forecasting: Accurately forecast, manage the sales planning and build pipeline with channel partners and distributors to achieve the assigned sales target through monthly and quarterly forecast review and tracking.
- Internal Collaboration: Liaise with other internal departments to manage sales and marketing activities for the year.
- Market Expansion Support: Support sales and account expansion with focus and increase the market share in the identified area.
- CRM Management: Record customer and market-related data and activities in the CRM system on a regular and timely basis.
- Negotiation Coaching: Coach and assist where necessary in the customer negotiations of the Key Account Managers.
- Team Leadership: Lead, motivate, empower, and develop the Key Account Team.
- Continuous Improvement: Maximize opportunities for continuous improvement and value.
- Strategic Presentations: Develop Strategic Top-2-Top presentations to engage Customers at senior level.
15. Channel Manager Key Accountabilities
- Ownership of Autonomous Business for country - responsible for delivering on the financial goals, through Financial Management & Channel Partnership: Ownership of Autonomous Business for country - responsible for delivering on the financial goals, through channel partners.
- Activity & System Coordination: Maintains a calendar of activities and management system to plan for every quarter, month, and week with brand, channels, and marketing teams.
- Sales Monitoring: Holds weekly Sales Cadence to review progress, target attainment, help needed, etc.
- Market Insight Acquisition: Obtains timely and accurate market and channel feedback and competitor products, policies, and tactics.
- Inventory Management: Manages and monitors inventory levels in the channel and takes appropriate demand conditioning activities to attain sales out and maintain the right mix of Sell-in inventory.
- Tool Enablement Optimization: Monitors usage of existing enablement tools and recommends changes or development of new tools.
- Incentive Coordination: Works with Product Manager to ensure and develop the right incentives.
- Program Dollar Management: Management of program dollars to meet business objectives.
- Product Portfolio Management: Manages the Top Choice Portfolio to ensure the right product positioning against competition and manages transitions via price/promotion programs as well as training sales teams and channel partners.
- Marketing Collaboration: Collaboration and linkage with marketing to ensure proper timing and alignment with product promotions and channel incentive efforts.