Job Description
TrendAI™, the global AI security leader and enterprise business unit of Trend Micro, empowers organizations with full AI visibility and consolidated security that inspires confidence, drives innovation, and eliminates risk.
At TrendAI™, we’re always seeking exceptional talent; people who want to collaborate with the best and push boundaries together. Here, your work goes beyond building a career. You will help protect what matters and play a vital role in shaping a safer, more trustworthy AI-powered future.
AI Fearlessly.
The Head of Channel / Director Channel leads the country or regional partner business within Trend Micro's unified European Channel model. The role is accountable for turning the partner ecosystem into a predictable growth engine across partner-originated and partner-influenced revenue, ARR, New Logo acquisition, platform adoption and services-led business creation.
This is a commercial and transformational leadership role — delivering the Channel number today while building the partner capabilities required for Trend Micro's services-led, platform-based and AI-enabled cybersecurity strategy. The role leads Partner Development Managers (PDMs) and Partner Services Development Managers (PSDMs) as one coordinated motion.
The ideal candidate is a builder and operator who can create structure, challenge legacy ways of working, develop people and translate ecosystem potential into measurable outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Channel Leadership & Execution
Own and deliver the country/regional Channel revenue target across transactional, solutions-led and services-led streams.
Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team of PDMs and PSDMs with clear accountability.
Drive execution discipline across pipeline generation, deal progression, forecast accuracy, close rates and business review cadence.
Ensure Channel operates as a revenue-generating growth engine with clear focus on ARR, New Logo, platform adoption and partner-originated revenue.
Strategic Partner Development
Develop and manage the partner ecosystem across VARs, MSPs, MSSPs, SIs, GSIs, cloud partners, distributors and emerging service provider models.
Ensure priority partners have joint business plans, QBRs, capability plans and measurable success criteria.
Champion partner enablement including certifications, platform adoption, licensing models and programme compliance.
Drive partner-sourced pipeline through joint account mapping, co-selling, executive alignment and structured follow-through.
Move partner conversations beyond product resale towards customer outcomes: risk reduction, managed detection and response, compliance, incident response and operational resilience.
Partner Intelligence & Ecosystem Prioritisation
Segment the ecosystem and prioritise partners by strategic relevance, growth potential, service readiness and execution capability.
Translate European partner intelligence into local action plans and investment decisions.
Ensure PDMs, PSDMs and technical resources focus on partners with highest potential for ARR, New Logo, platform adoption and services-led growth.
Services-Led Growth
Lead the services-led agenda with focus on MSPs, MSSPs, DFIR, Professional Services and Risk Management partners.
Ensure PSDMs help partners design, package, commercialise and scale repeatable managed security services on Trend Micro's platform.
Oversee adoption of scalable managed service models including SOC integrations, automation, multitenancy and API use cases.
Measure success through services-led ARR, service attach, partner profitability, customer retention and repeatability.
Distribution & Market Coverage
Partner with European Distribution and local distributors to execute the country/regional distribution strategy.
Use distribution as a growth multiplier for long-tail, SMB, MSP and volume business — not only as fulfilment.
Support MSSD models where appropriate, enabling distributors to scale managed security services through downstream partners.
Identify coverage gaps and emerging partner opportunities; recruit, develop, consolidate or deprioritise accordingly.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Work closely with country sales leaders, technical pre-sales, Channel Marketing, Business Operations and European Channel leadership.
Establish clear rules of engagement with direct sales to avoid conflict and maximise joint opportunity.
Collaborate with marketing on demand generation, events, partner case studies and co-branded initiatives.
Surface partner feedback into product, pricing and program teams.
Governance & Programme Compliance
Ensure partners meet programme requirements: tier criteria, revenue targets, certifications and competencies.
Drive adoption of partner tools including deal registration, pipeline management, portal usage, training platforms and QBR frameworks.
Success Measures
Channel revenue achievement; ARR growth; partner-originated and partner-influenced pipeline/bookings; New Logo contribution.
Trend Vision One / platform adoption; module expansion; services-led ARR; MSP/MSSP/DFIR growth.
Partner capability progression: certifications, enablement completion, QBR discipline and business plan execution.
Forecast accuracy, pipeline quality, close rates, distribution contribution and long-tail partner activation.
Quality of collaboration with direct sales, channel conflict resolution and team development.
What We're Looking For
Experience
8–10+ years in channel sales, partner ecosystem leadership or services-led technology sales.
5+ years leading channel or partner teams across country, cluster or regional scope.
Proven delivery of Channel revenue targets, ARR growth and partner-originated pipeline.
Experience building or transforming a partner ecosystem, not only maintaining inherited relationships.
Strong understanding of enterprise cybersecurity, cloud, SaaS/platform or managed services.
Experience across VARs, MSPs, MSSPs, distributors, SIs, GSIs and professional services partners.
Skills & Competencies
Strong commercial acumen across channel economics, partner P&L, ARR models, service commercialisation and recurring revenue.
Excellent execution discipline across pipeline, forecast, deal progression and team accountability.
Ability to use data and market insight to guide prioritisation and partner investment decisions.
Strong services-led GTM understanding across MSP, MSSP, DFIR and co-managed models.
Confident communicator across senior partners, country leadership and matrix stakeholders.
Fluency in the local language; strong English required.
Personal Attributes
Builder and operator: energised by creating structure, developing teams and driving outcomes through others.
Services-led mindset: sees recurring, managed security services as a strategic growth engine.
Collaborative, transparent and accountable.
Comfortable with ambiguity and transformation; able to challenge legacy behaviours in a matrix environment.
Willingness to travel regularly within the territory.
Why Join Us
Join Trend Micro at a defining moment for the European Channel — unified model, specialist roles and sharper focus on partner-led security outcomes.
Own the full partner agenda for your country or region with direct impact on revenue, ARR and strategic visibility at European level.
Help shape how cybersecurity is delivered through partners in a services-led, AI-enabled market.
At Trend Micro, we embrace change, empower people, and encourage innovation in a connected world. Our diversity and multicultural workforce are key contributing factors to our success across the globe. We like to have fun while taking our culture seriously. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to this regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, nationality, age, citizenship, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or veteran status. We do not allow discrimination or harassment of any kind.