Partnerships Manager – Iraq

About the role

The Partnerships Manager will design and execute the partnership strategy for Iraq, driving growth through channel partners, resellers, distributors, integrators, financial institutions, government bodies, international organisations and donors. The role blends business development, account management, contract negotiation and cross‑functional coordination.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and own the Iraq partnership strategy aligned with country business goals.
• Map the partner landscape across federal Iraq and the KRG, prioritising high‑value targets.
• Define appropriate partnership models (referral, reseller, distributor, co‑sell, joint venture, consortium, MoU).
• Identify, qualify, negotiate and sign new strategic partners; lead commercial and legal negotiations.
• Onboard partners with enablement plans, joint KPIs and ongoing support.
• Manage existing partner relationships, drive joint pipeline, co‑marketing, proposals and tender responses.
• Track partner performance against KPIs and conduct regular business reviews.
• Engage with international organisations, donors, embassies and development agencies for grant‑funded and PPP opportunities.
• Collaborate with sales, marketing, product, operations and finance to ensure partner success and provide market intelligence.
• Maintain accurate partnership data in CRM and internal reporting systems.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, International Relations or related field; Master’s preferred.
• 5–8+ years of experience in business development, channel/partnerships, key account management or strategic sales, with significant exposure to the Iraqi market.
• Proven track record of building and scaling partner ecosystems and delivering measurable revenue impact.
• Deep understanding of the Iraqi business environment, including federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
• Experience structuring and negotiating commercial agreements such as resale, distribution, JV, MoU or framework agreements.
• Extensive network among Iraqi corporates, public sector and, ideally, international organisations or donors.
• Fluency in Arabic and English; Kurdish is a strong plus.
• High level of professionalism, integrity and discretion.

Required skills

• CRM data management