Global Alliance Director – IBM Partnerships

About the role

Canonical is looking for a senior Global Alliance Director to lead and expand its strategic partnership with IBM. Reporting to the Head of IHV Alliances, you will work across all geographies to build strong executive relationships, drive joint business initiatives and grow revenue.

Key responsibilities

• Define and own the global IBM alliance strategy, aligning with Canonical’s overall objectives.
• Expand strategic relationships, enabling IBM teams to sell, cross‑sell and co‑sell Canonical solutions.
• Grow business motions with IBM across sell‑to, sell‑through and sell‑with models.
• Manage, develop and mentor a global team of Business Development Managers.
• Oversee day‑to‑day alliance operations, including contract negotiations, performance tracking and issue resolution.
• Travel internationally to strengthen partnerships and support joint customer events.
• Collaborate with internal Canonical field teams to identify, grow and transact opportunities.

Required profile

• Proven experience as an Alliance Manager or Director in a technology environment.
• Deep knowledge of Linux, virtualization, containers and cloud ecosystems.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a track record of building executive‑level relationships.
• Strong business acumen, strategic mindset and a focus on revenue growth.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication abilities.

Required skills

• Linux
• Virtualization
• Containers
• Cloud technologies