Channel Sales Manager - UK & Northern Europe

Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of “solutions” that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done.

There’s another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works.

Freshworks Inc. builds uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional employee and customer experiences. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, helping businesses reduce complexity, lower cost-to-serve, and deliver faster, more human support through enterprise-grade yet easy-to-use CX and IT solutions. Nearly 75,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks to power their Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) operations.

Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

About this role:

This is a pivotal, high-impact individual contributor role focused on driving rapid channel expansion, joint go-to-market strategy, and enterprise revenue growth across the UK and European region. As a Channel Sales Manager, you will be responsible for hunting, building, and scaling our Systems Integrator (SI) and Managed Service Provider (MSP) ecosystem.

Rather than simply managing existing accounts, this role requires a true intrapreneur and builder who can establish new partner practices from scratch. You will execute a comprehensive sell to, sell through, and sell with motion—recruiting and activating key partners with large existing books of business in incumbent IT Service Management (ITSM) tech stacks, creating a clear migration path to our modern SaaS platform.

The ideal candidate combines a high-energy hunter instinct with the commercial and technical acumen required to structure complex managed service programs, co-sell frameworks, buyouts, and pre-buy models.

Key Responsibilities

Partner Recruitment & Practice Building (Hunt & Build)

• Target & Recruit: Identify, target, and sign regional/large SIs and MSPs (specifically those managing a 50M–200M book of business in incumbent ITSM platforms).

• Sell To, Through & With Execution: Drive full-spectrum partner engagement—orchestrating Sell To (internal consumption/MSP platform licenses), Sell Through (partner resale/pre-buys), and Sell With (joint enterprise co-selling) revenue streams.

• Build Mid-Market & Low-Enterprise Practices: Partner with SI practice leads to establish new mid-market and enterprise delivery practices centered around our solution as the primary vendor of choice.

• Develop Displacement Off-Ramps: Create structured migration plans and compelling commercial business cases that enable partners to transition disenfranchised customers off legacy incumbent platforms.

• Complex Deal Structuring: Architect and execute sophisticated partnership agreements, including Managed Service Provider (MSP) programs, pre-buys, and buyouts.

Enablement, Co-Sell & Program Governance

• Co-Sell Framework Development: Design, roll out, and execute structured co-sell frameworks and joint go-to-market strategies that align partner sales reps with internal field AE teams on targeted enterprise accounts.

• High-Impact Onboarding & Enablement: Design partner onboarding and enablement models that directly reduce time-to-revenue, increase conversion velocity, and measurably improve win rates on complex enterprise opportunities.

• Autonomous Execution: Build and run partner programs autonomously without requiring extensive corporate infrastructure or existing playbook support—establishing new processes where none currently exist.

• Multi-Threaded Alignment: Engage across all levels of partner organizations—from practice leads and alliance directors to executive leadership—to secure go-to-market investment and dedicated engineering/GTM resources.

Pipeline & Enterprise Revenue Ownership

• Revenue Accountability: Own a post-ramp annual productivity target of ~$2M+, driving joint GTM strategy, pipeline growth, and enterprise revenue through high-velocity partner deals and strategic pre-buy investments.

• Pipeline Generation & Governance: Drive both partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline, holding partners accountable through joint account planning, pipeline reviews, and structured QBRs.

• Value-Based Positioning: Clearly articulate a strong philosophical and commercial point of difference versus legacy competitors, positioning our platform as the modern, high-agility alternative.

Required Experience & Competencies

• 7+ Years in SaaS Channel & Alliances: Proven track record in channel management, SI/MSP recruitment, joint GTM execution, or alliance development within an enterprise software environment.

• Full-Spectrum GTM Mastery: Hands-on experience executing sell to, sell through, and sell with motions, developing co-sell frameworks, and driving joint account planning with field teams.

• Onboarding & Enablement Innovation: Demonstrated track record of designing partner enablement programs that measurably shorten sales cycles, accelerate time-to-first-deal, and improve enterprise win rates.

• Managed Service & Program Structuring: Hands-on experience structuring, negotiating, and launching Managed Service Programs, pre-buys, and complex SI delivery models.

• Incumbent Ecosystem Knowledge: Deep operational understanding of legacy enterprise ITSM/CX ecosystems and how large partners structure, monetize, and deliver their practices.

• Building from Zero: Demonstrated ability to build net-new partner practices and GTM motions from scratch rather than inheriting mature, pre-packaged programs.

• Commercial Rigor: Exceptional commercial acumen with experience managing multi-million dollar quota targets and holding partners accountable to firm investment commitments.

• Senior Stakeholder Credibility: Ability to command respect and build immediate trust with senior leadership, practice heads, and C-level executives at major SIs and MSPs.

Preferred Experience

• Direct experience competing against or displacing major legacy enterprise ITSM platforms.

• Prior experience working within a fast-scaling, high-velocity SaaS startup environment where adaptability and speed are critical.

• Existing, active relationships across the UK and European regional SI and MSP community.

Key Personal Attributes

• Outcome-Focused Mindset: A tenacious self-starter who thrives in fast-paced, chaotic, or ambiguous environments and focuses entirely on driving execution, pipeline growth, and enterprise revenue over process for process's sake.

• Builder Mentality: Possesses the passion and grit of an entrepreneur, eager to leave a mark by designing the blueprint for the organization's enterprise channel motion.

• High Pace & Executive Gravitas: Combines speed of execution with professional presence, compelling communication, and strong storytelling ability.

• Adaptable & Pragmatic: Unafraid to break, fix, or reinvent internal processes to solve partner problems and close deals

At Freshworks, we are creating a global workplace that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion and ethnicity. We are committed to providing equal opportunity for all and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer work environment that advances the goals of our employees, communities and the business.

Please note that for this specific role, Freshworks is unable to provide visa sponsorship. All candidates must possess the valid right to work in the UK at the time of application and be able to provide evidence of this right prior to commencement of employment.

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.