Job Description

AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.

At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived.

We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD.

The Senior Manager, Partner Marketing – Security Partners, MOU & MDF Strategy is responsible for leading the marketing strategy, investment framework, and performance management for AHEAD's security partner ecosystem. This role develops and oversees annual partner marketing plans, manages MOU commitments, optimizes Marketing Development Funds (MDF), and ensures partner investments are aligned to AHEAD's go-to-market priorities and deliver measurable business impact.

Serving as a strategic bridge between Marketing, Alliances, Sales, Finance, and partner organizations, the Director establishes the structure, governance, and accountability required to maximize the value of partner marketing investments. This leader also manages and develops a team of Partner Marketing Managers responsible for executing partner-specific strategies and programs.

Duties & Responsibilities

Security Partner Strategy & Leadership

• Own the overall marketing strategy and operating model for AHEAD's portfolio of security partners.
• Develop annual and quarterly partner marketing strategies aligned to AHEAD business priorities, sales objectives, solution areas, and partner growth opportunities.
• Establish segmentation and investment strategies that determine how marketing resources are allocated across strategic partners.
• Partner with Alliances and Sales leadership to identify joint growth priorities and translate them into actionable partner marketing plans.
• Ensure partner marketing activity supports AHEAD's broader field, campaign, event, and demand-generation strategies rather than operating as isolated partner programs.
• Serve as a senior marketing advisor to internal partner leaders and key partner stakeholders.

Education & Experience

• Minimum Required – 10+ years of B2B marketing experience, including significant experience in security, cybersecurity, or IT infrastructure partner, channel, alliance, or ecosystem marketing; experience managing MDF, co-marketing funds, partner investments, or similar funding programs.
• Preferred – Cybersecurity industry and complex security partner-ecosystem experience (e.g., Palo Alto Networks, Cisco, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, Zscaler, or similar security vendors); prior experience with AHEAD's go-to-market (GTM) strategy, security partner ecosystem, and key competitors.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong understanding of partner business planning, joint marketing plans, and MOU or contractual marketing commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to manage significant marketing investments with strong financial discipline and accountability.
• Experience developing integrated marketing strategies across events, field marketing, campaigns, digital, and demand generation.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate marketing performance into executive-level insights and recommendations.
• Excellent executive communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to operate effectively across Marketing, Sales, Alliances, Finance, Operations, and external partner organizations.
• Strategic operator who combines partner relationship expertise with financial discipline and strong marketing judgment; comfortable moving between executive-level partner conversations, investment decisions, team leadership, and performance analysis.
• Understands that MDF is not simply funding to be spent, but an investment portfolio to be intentionally allocated, activated, measured, and optimized to accelerate AHEAD's growth.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and other applicable federal, state, and local laws.

• Performance of Essential Functions: Ability to safely and effectively perform all essential job functions listed herein while meeting established productivity and quality standards.
• Attendance: Ability to maintain regular and predictable attendance, consistent with ADA, FMLA, and other applicable requirements. Includes ability to safely and reliability travel to and from an office and/or client work site, as required.
• Work Environment: Ability to perform job duties at customer sites or in data center environments which may include:
• Standing, walking, bending, and lifting or moving equipment weight up to fifty (50) pounds.
• Working in areas with fluctuating temperatures, including warm and cold environments, both indoors and outdoors.
• Exposure to production environments that may include higher noise levels, bright lighting, and varying airflow.
• Manual Dexterity: Ability to use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms, as needed.
• Communication Skills: Ability to hear, listen, and communicate clearly while performing job duties.

The compensation range indicated in this posting reflects the On-Target Earnings (“OTE”) for this role, which includes a base salary and any applicable target bonus amount. This OTE range may vary based on the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, and geographic location.

Why AHEAD:

Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between.

We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning.

USA Employment Benefits include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid company holidays
• Paid time off
• Paid parental and caregiver leave
• Plus more! See benefits https://www.aheadbenefits.com/ for additional details.

Use of AI:

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, assessing responses, or to capture recordings and create transcriptions or summaries during interviews. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.

If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please refer to the Candidate Privacy Notice or contact us at privacy@ahead.com.

You may opt-out of the review or analysis of your application and resume by AI tools by using the General Application. Please include the role you wish to apply for in the Additional Information field. You may also choose to opt-out of recording and transcription at any time, including after joining an interview. Candidates will not be penalized for choosing to opt-out.