Partner Acquisition Manager – East Region

Summary

Qcells North America is a leading manufacturer and provider of solar photovoltaic products. The Partner Acquisition Manager is responsible for recruiting and activating new sales partners to expand the dealer network, focusing on speed-to-first sale and effective onboarding.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end partner recruitment process — from identifying high-potential dealers to executing agreements and completing onboarding handoffs
• Build and maintain an active pipeline of prospective solar sales partners across all Axia markets, with a bias toward high-volume, high-quality operators
• Develop and execute targeted outreach strategies leveraging competitive intelligence, market mapping, industry events, referrals, and direct prospecting
• Evaluate prospective partners against Axia’s qualification criteria — assessing sales capacity, market fit, financial stability, and long-term potential
• Represent Axia with confidence and precision in all partner-facing conversations, articulating the value proposition, program structure, and competitive differentiation clearly
• Drive speed-to-first sale as a primary success metric — removing friction, accelerating onboarding, and staying close to new partners until they are actively selling and generating revenue
• Coordinate with Sales Operations and Onboarding teams to ensure new partners complete required steps quickly, have access to tools and systems, and understand Axia’s program requirements from day one
• Partner closely with the assigned RSM for each recruit to ensure a smooth handoff and continuity of support through the activation phase
• Monitor newly signed partners through their early sales cycles, identifying and resolving blockers before they stall momentum
• Maintain current knowledge of the residential solar dealer landscape — tracking competitor EPC programs, partner incentives, and market movements that create recruitment opportunities
• Identify and act on market disruptions (e.g., competitor exits, EPC failures, partner displacements) as high-priority recruitment windows
• Feed market intelligence directly to the Director of Sales & Marketing and RSM team to inform targeting, program design, and competitive strategy
• Work closely with Marketing to develop recruitment collateral, partner program materials, and outreach campaigns that support acquisition efforts
• Collaborate with Sales Operations on partner contracting, credentialing, and system setup to minimize time between agreement and first submission
• Provide structured feedback to leadership on program gaps, onboarding friction points, and partner objections that are impeding recruitment success
• Partner with the Onboarding Coordinator to streamline the intake and activation process for all newly signed partners
• Maintain a clean, current, and actionable recruitment pipeline in Salesforce — tracking all prospects from first contact through execution
• Provide regular pipeline updates, conversion metrics, and recruitment forecasts to the Director of Sales & Marketing
• Track and report on speed-to-first sale and new partner volume performance against targets, identifying trends and adjusting tactics accordingly
• Document partner acquisition activity with discipline — ensuring accurate records support reporting, commission structures, and partner program management

Skills

• 3+ years of sales or business development experience in residential solar, home services, channel/dealer sales, or a closely related industry
• Proven track record of independently driving new business acquisition — prospecting, pitching, closing, and activating new partners or accounts
• Strong understanding of the residential solar dealer and EPC landscape, including how partner programs work and what drives dealer loyalty
• Experience using Salesforce or equivalent CRM to manage pipelines, track activity, and report on performance
• Excellent communication and persuasion skills — able to build credibility quickly and move prospective partners through a decision cycle
• Highly self-directed, organized, and accountable — this role requires minimal hand-holding and maximum ownership
• Travel may be required by up to 10%, depending on business needs
• Expected to measure success with metrics and KPI's along with monthly and quarterly targets
• Bachelor's degree in business, sales, marketing, or related field preferred
• Prior experience in channel sales, VAR, or dealer recruitment environment is strongly preferred

Qualifications

Must Haves

• 3+ years of sales or business development experience in residential solar, home services, channel/dealer sales, or a closely related industry
• Proven track record of independently driving new business acquisition — prospecting, pitching, closing, and activating new partners or accounts
• Strong understanding of the residential solar dealer and EPC landscape, including how partner programs work and what drives dealer loyalty
• Experience using Salesforce or equivalent CRM to manage pipelines, track activity, and report on performance
• Excellent communication and persuasion skills — able to build credibility quickly and move prospective partners through a decision cycle
• Highly self-directed, organized, and accountable — this role requires minimal hand-holding and maximum ownership
• Travel may be required by up to 10%, depending on business needs
• Expected to measure success with metrics and KPI's along with monthly and quarterly targets

Nice to Haves

• Bachelor's degree in business, sales, marketing, or related field preferred
• Prior experience in channel sales, VAR, or dealer recruitment environment is strongly preferred