Partner Technical Lead

Own Every Moment at Net App

At Net App, your ideas power innovation. We lead in intelligent data infrastructure-delivering unified storage, integrated data services, and solutions that help organizations unlock the full potential of their data, from AI to multicloud.

Ready to innovate and contribute to our path to $10B? Here, you'll collaborate with passionate teams, tackle real-world challenges, and see your impact in how customers transform and grow. If you're ready to bring curiosity, creativity, and drive to every moment, Net App is where your journey begins.

LOCATION

This is a remote position supporting partners in the Mid-West. Candidates must be based in the greater Chicago area to be considered.

SUMMARY

Net App's channel partners are the frontline of how we reach customers  Partner Technical Lead (PTL) is a senior technical enablement role built to make those partners better, more capable, more confident, and more independent in positioning and selling the Net App portfolio.

Aligned to our Mid-West Sales Districts, the PTL serves as the go-to technical resource who builds deep relationships with partner technical leadership, drives Net App mindshare, and accelerates partner-led growth. This is not a traditional SE role. You won't be running customer demos or closing individual deals. Instead, you'll be building the engine that makes partners self-sufficient, shaping their technical strategy, standing up enablement programs, and ensuring they can lead with Net App across infrastructure, data management, hybrid cloud, and AI-driven data solutions.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

* Own the technical enablement strategy for an assigned portfolio of channel partners, building a structured plan that scales partner capability over time.

* Develop partner SEs and architects so they can independently run technical discovery, solution design, competitive positioning, and customer-facing presentations with Net App solutions.

* Build and maintain trusted relationships with partner CTOs, technical directors, and practice leads,becoming a strategic advisor, not just a vendor resource.

* Influence partner technical strategy by connecting Net App's portfolio to their go-to-market priorities, service offerings, and customer base.

* Partner with Channel Account Managers to plan and deliver high-impact enablement activities including partner QBRs, technical workshops, hands-on labs, and lunch-and-learn sessions.

* Assess partner technical maturity across the Net App portfolio and create tailored development plans to close skill and knowledge gaps.

* Track enablement KPIs such as partner certification attainment, technical engagement frequency, and partner-sourced opportunity creation.

* Educate partners on how Net App fits within their broader technology portfolio and how to position Net App solutions against competitive offerings.

* Support technical whiteboarding, architecture discussions, and solution scoping with partner teams to deepen their technical confidence.

* Keep partners current on new product releases, roadmap updates, and competitive differentiators so they can lead with conviction.

* Align closely with Channel Account Managers, field SEs, and regional sales leadership to prioritize partner focus areas and joint initiatives.

* Provide structured feedback to product, marketing, and channel program teams on partner readiness, competitive gaps, and enablement effectiveness.

QUALIFICATIONS

* 7+ years of experience in enterprise infrastructure technologies, including storage, data management, networking, compute, and hybrid/multi-cloud architectures.

* 5+ years of hands-on experience working with and enabling channel partners in a technical capacity (e.g., Channel SE, Partner Solutions Architect, Partner Technical Manager, or equivalent).

* Deep understanding of the partner ecosystem, how partners build practices, position technology, sell solutions, and deliver services to end customers.

* Proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both deeply technical and business-oriented audiences.

* Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority and build lasting credibility with senior technical stakeholders.

* Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to develop and execute enablement plans tied to measurable outcomes.

* Comfortable operating in a matrixed environment, navigating multiple internal and external stakeholders simultaneously.

Preferred

* Direct experience with Net App, ONTAP, Storage

GRID, Cloud Volumes, or comparable enterprise storage/data management platforms.

* Experience building or scaling a partner enablement program from the ground up.

* Technical certifications (Net App NCSIE, Cisco, VMware, AWS/Azure/GCP) are a strong plus.

WHY THIS ROLE

Net App's growth strategy is partner-led. As a PTL, you'll sit at the intersection of technology and business development, directly shaping how our partners go to market with Net App. The partners you enable will drive pipeline, win competitive deals, and expand Net App's…