Channel Program Manager
Job Overview
The Channel Program Manager (CPM) oversees the sourcing, contracting, and delivery cycle for resources related to a Channel’s product or service, with direct responsibility for associated sales and business development. This activity includes collaborating with internal departments, key Channel contacts, and Resources (Candidates, Bench, and Placed) to create and administer an effective program. Most of the role’s duties involve executing sales and business development tactics, focusing on prospecting and active outreach from identifying prospects to closing contracts. Significant efforts include creating and launching content, following up with Prospects, and working with existing customers to expand the placement of specialized Resources. Effective relationship management and sales execution, combined with product and market knowledge, make for success in this role.
Organizational Impact
By working collaboratively with other departments, the CPM ensures we provide a cohesive, strategically aligned offering connected with the Channel’s products and services. Developing and maintaining effectively targeted approaches will solidify the company as an expert and trusted source of talent for Channel’s products, driving sales and creating long-term, repeatable revenue. In addition, the CPM will help create opportunities for a large number of Resources, who will build successful careers and create value for the Company, Customers, and themselves and their families.
Key Systems
The CPM works closely with the organization’s CRM, Document Management System, Learning Management System, and the Company’s central operations platform. Social media platforms and marketing automation systems figure prominently in this role. In addition, the CPM works closely with the Channel’s products.
Inputs
Incoming requests from existing customers, Sales Leads and CRM cases, and social media posts are common input forms for this role. Scheduled follow-up and recurring tasks generated by the company’s central operations platform are also frequent. Online content, including Channel-generated content and posts, job postings, news, webinars, and other publicly available information are important inputs. Reports provide actionable inputs for issues like inventory, Customer and Resource satisfaction, and training completions. Sales support tools like messaging frameworks, templates, and data services (like Zoominfo) provide material for this role.
Outputs
The primary outputs for this role relate to sales activities, such as pitches, information sheets, emails, calls, contracts, and in-person presentations. Secondary outputs focus on creating and posting marketing content, including social media, email marketing campaigns, and related items. Information updates, such as CRM updates and saving marketing material, are pervasive and output into the central operations platform. Training, both in content creation and delivery, is important. In many cases, the SRDM will rely on quality control and process-management checklists; the resulting tasks and the saving of these forms are regular outputs. The general operations platform takes precedence over other systems whenever possible or directed by management, so outputs are expressed there rather than in ad-hoc, personal, or unconnected systems (especially personal artifacts such as spreadsheets and similar).
Activities
• Training
o Training Program Architecture: Architect training programs related to Product (in collaboration with L&D)
o Training Program Content Creation: Create training content related to Product (in collaboration with L&D)
o Training Program Content Curation: Identify existing or Channel-created content, including paid content, for inclusion in the training program.
o Training Program Administration: Provide for effective training program assignment and review completions and effectiveness (in collaboration with L&D).
o Shadow Program Administration: Oversee shadow or practical training is applicable.
o Skills & Badges: Provide for proper tagging of new Resources with applicable Skills and Badges.
o Incorporate Feedback: Incorporate Customer, Channel, and Resource Feedback into the training program.
• Bench / Talent Inventory
o Recruit: Participate in the Recruiting process for new Resources
o Onboard: Monitor onboarding of Resources to Bench to ensure effective joining associates with
o Manage: Maintain relationships with the Bench team and assure quality control.
• Relationship Management
o Existing Customers: Maintain relationships with key contacts at existing Relay customers.
o Channel Contacts: Maintain relationships with key contacts at Channel.
o Resource Contacts: Maintain relationships with key Resources (key clients and team leaders)
• Product Knowledge
o Current Product(s): Maintain product knowledge for Channel's current product(s).
o New Releases & Updates: Monitor and understand new features, services, and offerings of Channel.
o Product Roadmap: Identify and understand Channel's product roadmap.
o Product Managers: Identify and understand the role of Channel Product Managers
• Marketing Content
o Channel Content: Create and maintain content for the Channel and their team to understand our offerings.
o Customer Content: Create and maintain content for Prospects and Current Customers related to Channel's products and services.
o Resource Content: Create and maintain content for Resources and Candidates related to Channel's products and services.
• Prospecting & Outreach
o Enter and maintain CRM data for Customers and Opportunities.
o Review job postings by keyword associated with Channel's products and approach directly.
o Review social media postings in relevant user groups and forums for prospective customers and opportunities.
o Identify and join relevant user groups and forums related to Channel's products.
o Manage posting about and response to Channel on various social channels.
o Develop, launch, and monitor email and drip campaigns for Channels, Prospects, and existing Customers.
o Posting on Company social media accounts
o Syndicate existing Bench Resources to Prospects and Existing Customers
o Maintain a calendar of Channel events and make plans to attend as warranted.
o Communicate regularly with key Channel contacts.
o Visit virtually and in-person with key Channel contacts and teams.
o Administer holiday gift program for key Channel contacts.
o Respond to social media of Prospects and Customers
o Field incoming questions and requests
o Relationship Management for key contacts at Channel
o Manage open sales opportunities
o Sales pitches to Prospects and Existing Customers
o Manage contracting process
o Educate key employees of Channel on our services
Recommended Items
- • CRM• Channel Messaging Framework• Customer Messaging Framework• Resource Messaging Framework• Social Media Marketing Tools• Data Validation Tools (e.g.: Zoominfo)
Content Examples
- • Training Videos• Customer Pitch Deck• Email Campaign Templates• Social Media Post Templates• Call Scripts• Master Service Agreements & Order Forms
Sample Event-Driven Tasks
• Training
o Training Program Architecture: Respond to questions or suggestions about the training program.
o Training Program Content Curation: Integrate new Channel-related third-party training content in our program.
o Skills & Badges: Apply tagging of Resources with jobs, skills, and badges as onboarded or earned, in collaboration with Operations.
• Bench / Inventory
o Recruit: Interview and recruit or support the process for new hires needed.
o Onboard: Welcome new Bench Resources related to Channels and provide initial Resource-oriented content.
• Product Knowledge
o New Releases & Updates: Research new releases and updates and adjust internal programming accordingly.
• Prospecting & Outreach
o Events: Attend or otherwise engage in connection with Channel events.
o Key Contact Communications: Add key contacts at Channel to CRM as they become known.
o Visits: Visit in person with key contacts based on new team additions or engagement.
o Gifts: Send deal-related gifts to key contacts at Channel (subject to program).
o Posting Response and Comments: Respond to postings of prospect or customer and key employees.
o Responding to Requests: Respond to incoming calls or questions from prospects.
o Pitching - Prospects and Existing Customers: Conduct pitches to prospective customers.
o Contracting: Prepare contracts and submit to prospects; manage to execution.
Sample Scheduled Tasks
- Training
- Training Program Content Creation: Review training materials and adjust as needed with new and updated material in collaboration with Learning & Development.
- Training Program Content Curation: Review Channel-created or other 3rd party training materials and include in our program as applicable.
- Training Program Administration: Review training program completions and effectiveness and take appropriate actions.
- Shadow Program Administration: Quarterly review of training program completion and feedback.
- Skills & Badges: Review tagging of Resources for jobs, skills, and badges.
- Bench / Inventory
- Recruit: Review available resources to determine recruiting needs.
- Onboard: Touch base regularly with related Bench and Deployed Resources to provide updates about Channel products and roadmap.
- Manage: Review Resource Satisfaction data in collaboration with Customer Success team for Channel-related Resources.
- Relationships
- Existing Customers: Regular outreach to key contacts at Customers with Channel-related Resources.
- Channel Contacts: Regular outreach to key contacts at Channel.
- Resource Contacts: Regular outreach to Resources in Channel-related jobs.
- Product Knowledge
- New Releases & Updates: Regular check-in with Channel contacts about new features, products, and offerings.
- Product Managers: Regular check-in to determine key and changing roles of Channel Product Managers
- Marketing Content
- Channel Content: Review existing Channel-related content and work collaboratively with Marketing to improve and fill gaps.
- Customer Content: Review existing Customer-focused content related to Channel, and work collaboratively with Marketing to improve and fill gaps.
- Resource Content: Review existing Resource- and Candidate-focused content related to Channel, and work collaboratively with Marketing to improve and fill gaps.
- Prospecting & Outreach
- Job Posting Prospecting: Regularly review job postings for related opportunities.
- Posting Review for Prospects: Regularly review user groups and other forums for prospects and forward to CRM.
- User Group Research: Check Channel's User Group and forums for opportunities to engage.
- Individual Posting: Post on related user groups and social channels.
- Email Campaigns: Review existing email marketing campaigns for content, effective running, and impact, in collaboration with Marketing.
- Social Media Marketing: Post content on company accounts generated in collaboration with Marketing.
- Bench Inventory Syndication: Syndicate related resources to prospective customers.
- Events: Review calendar of Channel events and trigger appropriate actions.
- Key Contact Communications: Communicate regularly with key contacts at Channel using relevant standard and personalized content.
- Visits: Contact Channel key contacts for opportunities to plan and conduct in-person and virtual meetings.
- Gifts: Select and send end-of-year gifts to key contacts at Channels.
- Responding to Requests: Regular follow-up for open opportunities
- Relationship Management: Ongoing relationship management touchpoints
- Opportunity Management: Follow-up via call and email for open opportunities.
- Contracting: Check on outstanding contracts and communicate to advance.
- Pitching - Channel Key Employees: Conceive, create, promote, and execute webinars, office hours, pitches, lunch-and-learns, and similar to educate key contacts at Channel.
Sample Infill Tasks
• Training
o Training Program Architecture: Reach out to Resources, Customer Success Team, Channel and conduct research to determine opportunities to improve training.
o Incorporate Feedback: Review feedback from Customers, Channel, and Resources and incorporate into training program.
• Bench / Inventory
o Onboard: Connect with Bench and Deployed Resources to identify program or Customer Growth opportunities.
• Product Knowledge
o Current Product(s): Understand existing Channel Product services and offerings.
o Product Roadmap: Research and enquire about Product Roadmap for Channel offerings.
o Product Managers: Research who at Channel is involved in product management and update records.
• Marketing Content
o Channel Content: Ensure that we have a robust and complete set of materials to explain our services and offerings to Channels.
• Prospecting & Outreach
o Prospect and Pipeline Management: Check for change in jobs of key individuals
o Prospect and Pipeline Management: Set up news alert for new prospects.
o User Group Research: Review history on Channel's User Group and forums for opportunities to engage.
o Prospecting & Outreach
o Events: Research events where Channel is hosting or sponsoring and trigger appropriate actions.
o Key Contact Communications: Audit Channel contacts for accuracy and completeness.
o Opportunity Management: Contact dead or inactive leads and opportunities on an ad-hoc basis.
o Pitching - Channel Key Employees: Ad-hoc outreach to educate key contacts at Channel on our services.