Hiring the best Alliance Employee

You are in the process of establishing one or more Alliance relationships. You already gave the executive oversight to the SVP of sales. Who do you put in charge of managing these Alliances? Why can't you just ask the Sales Account Manager to take on that extra duty?

Many companies do not realize that managing Alliance relationships is not the same as managing a channel relationship: An Alliance is like an unstable company with a single focus. It is much more than negotiating a price or making sure that target sales numbers are met (or exceeded).

Managing an Alliance Program or an individual Alliance is like managing a business together with someone who's leg is tied to yours:

• You have officially been given a 'common' objective, but
• Your company also needs to pursue a path that protects its own strategic interests

Issues

• Your company is in transition from a traditionally direct sales oriented organization to an Alliance focused organization. Your employees are transitioning from sales, marketing, strategy and other departments into their Alliance Manager role.
• Your Alliance organization has organically grown and you have lost control over how the Alliance Management process is executed. Do your employees understand the big picture and their role in it?
• You are ready to hire your first Alliance Manager as you are beginning to work with Alliance partners. What criteria do you use to select the one great potential candidate?

If this applies to you and your company, here are some things to consider:

Opportunities

• There are very few 'natural' or 'educated' Alliance Management individuals available at this time. You will have the opportunity to give a promising employee a new challenge.
• Bring in candidates from other disciplines who could add a new perspective, rather than to bring the perspective they are used to presenting in their (sales, marketing, strategy, etc. ) role as your employee.
• Emphasize that Alliance Management is a company (read: team) effort. People with various disciplines must support and provide their input to be successful.
• A ess.

Risks

• Alliances must be managed well both internally as well as toward the partner, in order to have a chance for success. College graduates or short term opportunity thinking individual are not appropriate.
• The worst thing in Alliances is not to start with them if you should. The second worst thing is to destroy them through mismanagement and having the start over.

Our Recommended Approach

• Build a profile for each position in the Alliance Management functional area, including skills, knowledge, responsibility level etc.
• Set your priorities: what are 'must have' skills and experience, which are the 'can learn on the job or through training' items.
• Matrix these with either the departmental profiles (where should we go fishing first) or with the candidate list (filter the best to the top of the list).
• Interview extensively and check references. Double check character and personality.
• Review compensation structure to make sure that typical success factors of healthy Alliances are pursued.