[Hiring] Channel Account Manager - KRITIS / Utilities @Fortinet

Role Description

The Channel Account Manager (CAM) will be responsible for building and promoting Fortinet’s position as the worldwide leader in cybersecurity through selling, enablement, and training to and through our authorized partner community.

• Accountable for managing partners within the guidelines of Fortinet’s channel programs.
• Spearheading new business development and developing alliances with key internal stakeholders and distributor partners.
• Motivating, educating, and training partners on effective strategic business planning, account penetration, and the benefits of selling the full Fortinet portfolio.
• Building, developing, and managing a high-performing partner ecosystem for customers in the KRITIS and Utilities (Critical Infrastructure) environment.
• Establishing long-term partner relationships and understanding KRITIS regulations (BSIG, BSI-KritisV, NIS2).
• Coordinating internal stakeholders such as IT Security, OT, and Compliance.

As the KRITIS CAM, your role will involve:

• Partner Strategy & Development:
  • Define and execute a channel strategy for KRITIS segments, including partner segmentation (MSPs/MSSPs, system integrators, OT specialists, technology/vendor partners).
  • Identify, recruit, and enable suitable partners.
  • Develop business plans with top partners (pipeline, revenue targets, use cases, vertical focus).
• Go-to-Market & Sales:
  • Drive joint account and opportunity planning (Joint Account Planning) with partners and internal sales teams.
  • Manage co-selling and co-marketing activities (events, webinars, campaigns) tailored to KRITIS-specific requirements.
  • Ensure a solid pipeline, forecasting, and deal qualification.
  • Support tenders, framework agreements, procurement processes, and deal registration where required.
• KRITIS Compliance & Positioning:
  • Understand regulatory requirements (e.g., IT Security Act/IT-SiG, BSI requirements, NIS2, ISO 27001/27019, IEC 62443).
  • Position Fortinet solutions for IT/OT security, Zero Trust, SOC services, incident response, network segmentation, and secure remote access.
• Enablement & Partner Performance:
  • Define training and certification plans (sales/presales/technical) and run regular Business Reviews.
  • Manage partner performance through KPI-driven governance (pipeline, win rate, service quality, certifications, customer satisfaction).
• Stakeholder Management:
  • Act as the interface between partners and internal teams across Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Services, and, where applicable, OT teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in channel/partner management, ideally in cybersecurity, networking, or regulated industries.
• Expertise in creating and executing business plans focused on market penetration and meeting revenue targets.
• Experience working in a two-tier distribution channel sales partner model.
• Solid understanding of IT security and ideally OT security fundamentals.
• Knowledge of relevant standards and regulations (BSI, NIS2, IEC 62443, ISO 27001, etc.) is a plus.

Requirements

• Partner business planning, pipeline management, forecasting.
• Understanding of contracts and commercial frameworks (discounts, MDF, partner programs).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate clearly and build strong relationships with partners, team members, and internal stakeholders.
• Comfortable engaging with C-level stakeholders; collaborative and assertive.
• High reliability, discretion, and sensitivity to security-relevant topics.
• Willingness to travel depending on territory/partner landscape.
• Master’s degree in business administration, marketing or related field (preferred).
• Deep knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of tools (particularly MS Excel).
• Knowledge of Salesforce.com and Tableau (preferred).

Benefits

• Excellent training and development opportunities, providing you with all the tools you need to be successful.
• An open working environment, sharing knowledge and information collaboratively and transparently, with respect to everyone’s thoughts and opinions.
• The opportunity to be part of an innovative, collaborative and winning team.
• A market competitive salary package, including stock awards, and opportunity to over-achieve.