Channel Sales Director

About Us Sophos is a cybersecurity leader defending 600,000 organizations globally with an AI-driven platform and expert-led services. Sophos meets organizations wherever they are in their security maturity and grows with them to defeat cyberattacks. Its solutions combine machine learning, automation, and real-time threat intelligence with frontline human expertise from Sophos X-Ops to deliver advanced, 24/7 threat monitoring, detection, and response.   Sophos offers industry-leading managed detection and response (MDR) alongside a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity technologies — including endpoint, network, email, and cloud security, extended detection and response (XDR), identity threat detection and response (ITDR), and next-gen SIEM. Together with expert advisory services, these capabilities help organizations proactively reduce risk and respond faster, with the visibility and scalability needed to stay ahead of evolving threats.   Sophos goes to market with a global partner ecosystem, including Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), resellers and distributors, marketplace integrations, and cyber risk partners, giving organizations the flexibility to choose trusted relationships when securing their business. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com.

Role Summary

The Senior Director, MSP Channel Sales leads the strategy, growth, and operating performance of the Sophos Managed Service Provider (MSP) channel program across the Americas.  This role influences future channel strategy and business results by translating market, partner, and customer insights into scalable go-to-market models that expand recurring revenue, increase active MSP productivity, and strengthen Sophos’ position in the managed security services market.

Reporting to senior channel leadership, this role leads key business operations through direct and matrixed teams and serves as the executive voice of the MSP business. The Senior Director sets the Americas MSP channel vision, aligns regional execution with global priorities, manages strategic partner and distributor relationships, and influences program design, pricing, product readiness, enablement, and investment decisions. Success requires a strategic, hands-on leader who can build market opportunities, negotiate complex decisions, and deliver consistent end-to-end execution.

What You Will Do

• Set MSP strategy and direction: Define the multi-year Americas MSP channel strategy and operating plan, aligned with Sophos business priorities, global partner strategy, product direction, and market trends.
• Own program performance: Lead the regional execution and continuous improvement of the Sophos MSP channel program, including partner recruitment, onboarding, activation, tier progression, enablement, retention, and expansion.
• Translate program benefits, requirements, specializations, and rules of engagement into clear sales motions that help MSPs deliver security-as-a-service and grow recurring revenue.
• Drive revenue and partner productivity: Own MSP bookings, recurring revenue, pipeline, forecast accuracy, partner-sourced and co-sell performance, product adoption, retention, churn management, and expansion across the MSP portfolio, protecting and growing the existing monthly recurring revenue base while accelerating new revenue.
• Establish segment and partner strategies across strategic, growth, and long-tail MSPs, using partner economics, service maturity, route to market, and growth potential to focus resources and investments.
• Build strategic MSP and distribution relationships: Serve as executive sponsor for priority MSPs, distributors, aggregators, marketplaces, and alliances; lead joint business planning, executive business reviews, and complex commercial negotiations.
• Create scalable distribution-led motions that improve MSP recruitment, time to first revenue, activation, product deployment, and long-term partner value.
• Shape the program and portfolio: Represent the voice of MSP partners to Global Partner Programs, Product, Pricing, Finance, Legal, Marketing, Sales Operations, and Enablement; influence program design, consumption-based licensing, incentives, partner experience, and product readiness.
• Identify new market opportunities and innovative MSP business models that differentiate Sophos and accelerate adoption of managed security offerings, including MDR, endpoint, firewall, XDR/EDR, cloud, and related services. Align MSP strategy with regional sales and channel leadership, and establish clear rules of engagement across MSP and term business.
• Lead through others: Build, coach, and develop a high-performing MSP sales organization with clear expectations, career development, accountability, and a strong team culture. Set objectives, resource plans, and operating rhythms across direct reports and matrixed teams, and build the capabilities required to scale the MSP business.
• Ensure end-to-end execution across partner recruitment, enablement, demand generation, co-selling, technical support, and partner lifecycle management while managing the budget and investments for the area.
• Use data to improve outcomes: Establish KPIs and executive reporting for partner health, onboarding, activation, tier progression, time to first revenue, recurring revenue growth, attach, retention, product adoption, and program return on investment.

What You Will Bring

• 15+ years of progressive channel sales, partner management, or business development experience in cybersecurity, SaaS, cloud, or enterprise technology, including significant leadership of MSP programs or recurring-revenue channel businesses.
• Proven success setting strategy and scaling a complex MSP business through direct, distribution, marketplace, and alliance channels.
• Deep understanding of MSP operating models, partner economics, consumption-based billing, service lifecycle, partner portals, program tiers, onboarding, and recurring-revenue forecasting.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leadership, shape policy and investment decisions, and negotiate complex agreements with partners, distributors, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Experience leading high-performing sales teams and matrixed organizations, allocating resources, managing budgets, and driving consistent execution across regions and functions.
• Strong knowledge of the Americas cybersecurity market and managed security portfolio, including MDR, endpoint, firewall, XDR/EDR, cloud, and security services.
• Executive-level communication, business planning, financial acumen, negotiation, and analytical skills, with the ability to convert data and market insights into clear decisions.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• Ability to travel within the Americas for partner meetings, business reviews, and industry events. In the United States, the base salary for this role ranges from $184,800 to $308,400. In addition to the base salary, there's a component for target sales commissions alongside a comprehensive benefits package.  A candidate’s specific pay within this range will depend on a variety of factors, including job-related skills, training, location, experience, relevant education, certifications, and other business and organizational needs.    #li-remote #b2 #li-FC2
  Ready to Join Us? At Sophos, we believe in the power of diverse perspectives to fuel innovation. Research shows that candidates sometimes hesitate to apply if they don't check every box in a job description. We challenge that notion. Your unique experiences and skills might be exactly what we need to enhance our team. Don't let a checklist hold you back – we encourage you to apply.   What's Great About Sophos? ·   Sophos operates a remote-first working model, making remote work the primary option for most employees. However, some roles may necessitate a hybrid approach. While we are a remote first organization, applicants must have legal authorization to work in the jurisdiction where the position is posted, without requiring employer sponsorship. ·   Our people – we innovate and create, all of which are accompanied by a great sense of fun and team spirit ·   Employee-led diversity and inclusion networks that build community and provide education and advocacy ·   Annual charity and fundraising initiatives and volunteer days for employees to support local communities ·   Global employee sustainability initiatives to reduce our environmental footprint ·   Global fitness and trivia competitions to keep our bodies and minds sharp ·   Global wellbeing days for employees to relax and recharge  ·   Monthly wellbeing webinars and training to support employee health and wellbeing   We’re proud of the diverse and inclusive environment we have at Sophos, and we’re committed to ensuring equality of opportunity.   We believe that diversity, combined with excellence, builds a better Sophos, so we encourage applicants who can contribute to the diversity of our team.  All applicants will be treated in a fair and equal manner and in accordance with the law regardless of gender, sex, gender reassignment, marital status, race, religion or belief, color, age, military veteran status, disability, pregnancy, maternity or sexual orientation.  We want to give you every opportunity to show us your best self, so if there are any adjustments we could make to the recruitment and selection process to support you, please let us know.    If you choose to explore an opportunity, and subsequently share your CV or other personal details with Sophos, these details will be held by Sophos for 12 months in accordance with our Privacy Policy and used by our recruitment team to contact you regarding this or other relevant opportunities at Sophos.  If you would like Sophos to delete or update your details at any time, please follow the steps set out in the Privacy Policy describing your individual rights.  For more information on Sophos’ data protection practices, please consult our Privacy Policy