Elastic, the Search AI Company, enables everyone to find the answers they need in real time, using all their data, at scale — unleashing the potential of businesses and people. The Elastic Search AI Platform, used by more than 50% of the Fortune 500, brings together the precision of search and the intelligence of AI to enable everyone to accelerate the results that matter. By taking advantage of all structured and unstructured data — securing and protecting private information more effectively — Elastic’s complete, cloud-based solutions for search, security, and observability help organizations deliver on the promise of AI.

What is The Role

As Distributor Business Development Manager, you will own Elastic's distribution relationships and unmanaged Elastic partner strategy with distribution partners across APJ region.

The successful candidate will connect Elastic's sales teams, partner teams, and distributors in the region. Their main goal is to drive pipeline generation with the help of distributors. They will also enable resellers and execute co-sell strategies. Additionally, they will work on growing new business and increasing expansion ARR through the partner ecosystem.

This role requires a candidate with strong partner sales acumen, regional experience and proven track record of growing business with distributors. You will work with cross-functional teams, and focus on driving execution of Elastic sales plays, deep technical alignment and enablement of distributors and will scale business through distributor led partner ecosystem.

As a business leader, you will conduct executive business reviews with both the distributor and Elastic leadership teams. You should be capable and comfortable delivering demonstrations of Elastic products. You will arrange technical workshops and certification boot camps with distributors and Elastic reseller teams. Additionally, you will create and improve sales plays. And most importantly drive business execution across distributors and distributor-led partner ecosystem.

What You Will Be Doing

Distribution Strategy & Business Planning:

Manage business plans with distribution partners. Set quarterly targets for the pipeline and for recruiting resellers. Prioritize segments for Elastic's Enterprise, Public Sector, and Commercial business.
Build and maintain executive-level relationships with distribution executive team, and drive business growth initiatives with Elastic Field Sales teams, Managed Partners teams, and distributors
Develop and execute a distribution GTM playbook aligned to Elastic's Fiscal year priorities and key performance indicators such as: partner-sourced pipeline, New & Expansion business targets and reseller coverage model.
Work with Global Partner Sales Operations to track distributor performance using KPIs. These KPIs include partner-sourced ARR, deal registration volume, pipeline coverage ratio, and reseller activation rates.

Distributor and Partner Ecosystem Enablement and Development:

Onsite & Virtual - Independently design and deliver technical enablement programs for reseller sales engineers, architects, and pre-sales teams — onsite at distributor offices, reseller HQs, and industry events, as well as in virtual/webinar formats.
Build and maintain a reusable enablement content library: demo environments, hands-on lab guides, discovery decks, competitive battle-cards, and certification study aids tailored to the Elastic platform (Search, Observability, Security).
Run monthly/quarterly distributor enablement days with coordinated technical tracks (observability, SIEM/security analytics, vector/AI search) and business tracks (program updates, incentives, pipeline reviews).
Drive reseller technical certifications and training completions through proactive cohort scheduling, remediation support, and accountability reporting back to Elastic Partner Enablement.
Deliver or co-deliver Elastic product demonstrations for reseller-led opportunities, serving as the technical point of contact for pre-sales support through distribution when a dedicated SE is unavailable.

Reseller Ecosystem Development:

Identify, recruit, and enable net-new resellers through distribution partners; manage tiering and partner program alignment.
Drive reseller activation through demand generation programs, MDF utilization, and joint marketing motions with distributors
Maintain a healthy, active reseller pipeline across APJ markets

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Partner with Elastic Regional Sales field managers (RVPs, AEs) to integrate distribution into account and territory planning.
Own execution across Elastic account segments - Work with Global Partner Sales Operations & Strategy on distributor discount structures, incentive programs, and data integrity within Salesforce/Impartner.
Collaborate with Elastic's Marketing team to develop and deploy partner-funded demand generation campaigns through public sector distribution partners.
Escalate and resolve distributor-facing channel conflicts, pricing disputes, and deal registration exceptions in coordination with Global Partner Sales leadership and Deal Desk.

What You Bring

7+ years of channel sales or partner management experience, with at least 3 years focused on distribution.
Demonstrated track record of driving partner-sourced revenue through distributor-managed reseller ecosystems.
Proven ability to independently deliver sales pitches and business value proposition to partners, ability to showcase product or solution demos, co-deliver hands-on workshops, and lab-based training — to Sales and technical audiences (SEs, architects, pre-sales).
Experience building or managing a self-sustaining partner enablement program: content design, delivery cadence, certification tracking, and outcomes measurement.
Hands-on fluency with at least one of the following domains: observability/monitoring, SIEM/security analytics, log management, or enterprise search — sufficient to lead credible technical conversations and live product walkthroughs.
Deep familiarity with account segments and how channel partners serve and execute business with Enterprise, Public Sector and commercial customers.
Experienced with diverse region and working directly with partners based in different countries across APJ - Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder distributor relationships across sales, marketing, and executive functions.
Strong command of channel mechanics: deal registration, margin stacking, MDF management, reseller tiering, and co-sell program execution. - Proficiency in Salesforce CRM for pipeline management, reporting, and partner attribution workflows.
Excellent executive communication skills — written, verbal, and presentation — and equal comfort presenting to a CISO as to a room of reseller SEs. - Willingness and ability to travel onsite to distribution and reseller locations (estimated 20%–30%) for enablement events, QBRs, and partner marketing activities.

Bonus Points

Direct experience with Elastic (ELK/ECE/ECK), Splunk, Datadog, CrowdStrike, or another enterprise observability or security analytics platform — including hands-on configuration or demonstration capability.
Familiarity with partner program platforms (Impartner, Alliances, Salesforce PRM) and co-sell tools (Tackle/Clazar, WorkSpan). - Working knowledge of cloud marketplace procurement (AWS MP, Azure MP, GCP MP) as a transactional vector through distribution.
Prior experience owning or supporting partner attribution framework rollouts or channel operations transformations.
Background in working or partnering and contributing to designing formal sales or technical training content for partner ecosystem.

Additional Information - We Take Care of Our People

As a distributed company, diversity drives our identity. Whether you’re looking to launch a new career or grow an existing one, Elastic is the type of company where you can balance great work with great life. Your age is only a number. It doesn’t matter if you’re just out of college or your children are; we need you for what you can do.

We strive to have parity of benefits across regions and while regulations differ from place to place, we believe taking care of our people is the right thing to do.

Competitive pay based on the work you do here and not your previous salary
Health coverage for you and your family in many locations
Ability to craft your calendar with flexible locations and schedules for many roles
Generous number of vacation days each year
Increase your impact - We match up to $2000 (or local currency equivalent) for financial donations and service
Up to 40 hours each year to use toward volunteer projects you love
Embracing parenthood with minimum of 16 weeks of parental leave

Different people approach problems differently. We need that. Elastic is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law, ordinance or regulation.

We welcome individuals with disabilities and strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all individuals. To request an accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please email candidate_accessibility@elastic.co. We will reply to your request within 24 business hours of submission.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws, view posters linked below: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Poster; Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision Poster; Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) Poster and Know Your Rights (Poster)

Elasticsearch develops and distributes technology and information that is subject to U.S. and other countries’ export controls and licensing requirements for individuals who are located in or are nationals of the following sanctioned countries and regions: Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, or Russia, including the Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia (The Crimea region of Ukraine, The Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), The Luhansk People's Republic (LNR), Kherson or Zaporizhzhia). If you are located in or are a national of one of the listed countries or regions, an export license may be required as a condition of your employment in this role. Please note that national origin and/or nationality do not affect eligibility for employment with Elastic.

Please see here for our Privacy Statement.

Distributor Business Development Manager, APJ

Skills

About the role

What is The Role

What You Will Be Doing

What You Bring

Bonus Points

Additional Information - We Take Care of Our People