Senior Manager, Partner Sales - APJ

MEET DEEPL DeepL is a global AI product and research company focused on building secure, intelligent solutions to complex business problems. Over 200,000 business customers and millions of individuals across 228 global markets today trust DeepL's Language AI platform for human-like translation, improved writing and real-time voice translation. Building on a history of innovation, quality and security, DeepL continues to expand its offerings beyond the field of Language, including DeepL Agent - an autonomous AI assistant designed to transform the way businesses and knowledge workers get work done. Founded in 2017 by CEO Jarek Kutylowski, DeepL now has over 1,000 passionate employees and is supported by world-renowned investors including Benchmark, IVP, and Index Ventures. Our goal is to become the global leader in trusted, intelligent AI technology, building products that drive better communication, foster connections, and create a meaningful impact. To achieve this, we need talented people like you to join our journey. If you’re ready to shape the future of AI and grow your career in a fast-moving, purpose-driven environment, DeepL is your next destination. WHAT SETS US APART What sets us apart is our blend of cutting-edge AI technology, meaningful work, and a culture where people truly thrive. We’re a team of innovators, researchers, and creators driven by a shared purpose to unlock human potential by making work simpler, smarter, and more connected. When we share what it’s like to work at DeepL, the reactions are overwhelmingly positive. This might be because of our technology that helps millions of people and businesses communicate and work better every day, or because of the trust, curiosity, and care that shape our culture. What we know for sure is this: being part of DeepL means joining a team dedicated to innovation, growth, and well-being. Discover more about life at DeepL onLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/deepl/,Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deepl_official/, and our Blog https://www.deepl.com/en/blog. WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING AT DEEPL? We are looking for a Senior Manager, Partner Sales to join the DeepL Partnerships Department and lead the Japan & Asia-Pacific (APJ) region. As part of our Global Channel Partnerships team, you will be responsible for building and scaling DeepL’s indirect business through Value-Added Resellers (VARs), Distributors, and SI partners across Japan, Korea, and other key APJ markets. You will drive DeepL’s next stage of partner-led growth — establishing new routes to market for our AI-powered productivity solutions and delivering strong, measurable impact on pipeline and ARR. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES - In this regional leadership position, you will drive accelerated revenue growth for DeepL through the recruitment and management of channel partnerships that represent DeepL’s next phase of growth beyond translation — into productivity, AI, and enterprise workflow solutions. - Win new high-value partnerships through strategic relationship-building and commercial negotiations. Identify, recruit, and onboard partners with the reach and expertise to drive DeepL’s market expansion in Japan, Korea, and the wider APJ region. - Develop and own the APJ Channel Partner Plan that sets direction for all partner engagement, GTM priorities, and revenue planning, with quarterly business reviews and performance alignment with both partner and internal executives. - Build and scale programs for onboarding, enablement, co-marketing, and incentives that help partners accelerate pipeline creation and close rates. - Drive partner enablement in close collaboration with DeepL’s Enablement and Marketing teams to ensure partner sellers and engineers are trained and certified on DeepL solutions. - Manage partner sales performance, ensuring forecast accuracy, pipeline health, and effective execution of agreed revenue targets. - Support partner sellers with opportunity qualification, registration, pricing, contract management, and closing support. - Collaborate closely with DeepL’s direct sales and regional leadership to ensure alignment, co-sell readiness, and partner engagement throughout the sales cycle. - Build executive-level relationships across partner organizations — navigating their sales, marketing, and technical functions to deepen collaboration and strategic alignment. - Proactively identify and resolve channel conflicts to ensure positive outcomes and trust between DeepL and its partners. - This role reports to the Senior Director of Global Partnerships based in London, with a dotted line to the APJ Regional Sales Leadership. QUALITIES WE LOOK FOR - 8+ years of experience in channel or partner sales within SaaS, AI, or cloud technology companies, with a proven record of building and scaling reseller and distribution ecosystems in APJ. - Strong commercial background driving multimillion-euro ARR targets through VAR, distributor, or OEM models. - Track record of managing strategic partnerships in Japan and Korea, ideally with established relationships across leading resellers, distributors, or telcos. - Deep understanding of partner GTM motions — sell-to, sell-with, sell-through — and ability to operationalize these models. - Experience building scalable partner programs and working with cross-functional teams (Sales, Marketing, Finance, Legal, and Product). - Strong negotiation and relationship management skills, with experience engaging senior executives in complex sales environments. - Knowledge of AI, productivity, or enterprise software markets is a plus and will accelerate time to success. - Experience with Salesforce and partner management tools such as Crossbeam, Tackle.io http://Tackle.io, or PRM systems. - Native or bilingual level Japanese and Business level English WHAT WE OFFER - Diverse and internationally distributed team: joining our team means becoming part of a large, global community with people of more than 90 nationalities. We're more than just colleagues; we're a group of professionals with a shared mission to connect diverse cultures. Our global presence is growing–we've doubled in size nearly every year, with our employees based in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the US, and Japan, and we continue to expand our network. - Open communication, regular feedback: as a language-focused company, we value the importance of clear, honest communication. We value smooth collaboration, direct and actionable feedback, and believe that leading with empathy and growth mindset makes us better together. - Hybrid work, flexible hours: we offer a hybrid work schedule, with team members coming into the office twice a week. This allows you to engage directly with your team and experience the unique energy of our workspace, while still enjoying the flexibility and comfort of working from home. With flexible working hours and trust in your productivity, we are in sync with your team’s general locations and time zones to foster effective and seamless collaboration. - Regular in-person team events: we bond over vibrant events that are as unique as our team, from local team and business unit gatherings, to new-joiner onboarding, to company-wide events that bring us all together–literally. - Monthly full-day hacking sessions: every month, we have Hack Fridays, where you can spend your time diving into a project you're passionate about and get the opportunity to work with other teams–we value your initiatives, impact, and creativity. - 20 days of annual leave: we value your peace of mind. With 20 days off (excluding public holidays) and access to mental health resources, we make sure you're as strong mentally as you are professionally. - Competitive benefits: just as our team spans the globe, so does our benefits package. We've crafted it to reflect the diversity of our team and tailored it to align with your unique location, to ensure you feel supported every step of the way. - Virtual Shares: An ownership mindset in every role. We believe everyone should share in our success, and that’s why every employee receives Virtual Shares, linking your contribution directly to DeepL’s growth and rewarding you with a stake in our future. WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER You are welcome at DeepL for who you are—we appreciate authenticity here. Our product is for everyone, and so is our workplace. The more voices we have represented and amplified in our business, the more we will all succeed, contribute, and think forward! So bring us your personal experience, your perspectives, and your background. It’s in our diversity that we will find the power to break down language barriers in the world.