Senior Manager, Partner Consulting - EMEA

As a Senior Manager, Partner Consulting at Xero, you will be responsible for leading a dedicated team of Partner and Implementation Consultants, focusing on both presales and post-sales consultancy. This entails overseeing the consulting strategy for the EMEA region, managing team performance, and ensuring support for our accounting partners. You'll develop processes that drive productivity and effectiveness while fostering an engaging culture of mentorship and professional development within your team.

To succeed as a Senior Manager, Partner Consulting at Xero, candidates should have a solid understanding of the accounting industry, preferably with experience in managing teams. Strong coaching and mentoring skills are essential, along with the ability to work with metrics and CRM systems. A proven track record in consulting or building commercial relationships is also beneficial, as you will need to lead your team effectively and drive business outcomes.

Xero places a strong emphasis on employee growth and development. As a Senior Manager, Partner Consulting, you will have access to a range of resources for training and advancement. This includes ongoing performance management, career progression pathways, and the opportunity to engage with other functions within the business to enhance your knowledge and expertise in the consulting field.

At Xero, the work culture is built around collaboration, innovation, and support. As a Senior Manager, Partner Consulting, you'll work closely with cross-functional teams and will have a significant opportunity to shape the team's culture. Xero encourages open communication, sharing of ideas, and commitment to its core values, ensuring that you can thrive both personally and professionally while driving your team's success.

Yes, this position involves a hybrid work environment that requires fairly frequent travel to different Xero offices in the EMEA region. This not only provides opportunities to engage directly with your team but also allows for collaboration with various stakeholders across the company, ensuring you stay connected to the broader corporate vision and strategy.

To effectively lead a team in this role, I would focus on creating an environment of trust and open communication. Establishing clear goals, providing ongoing mentorship, and maintaining regular feedback sessions would foster engagement and accountability. I believe in leading by example, actively promoting best practices, and leveraging team strengths to consistently achieve our objectives.

In my previous roles, I have successfully developed and implemented consulting strategies tailored to the accounting sector. This involved researching industry trends, understanding partner needs, and designing tools and processes that aligned with business objectives. My focus was always on driving adoption, improving service delivery, and enhancing partner relationships.

Key metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of a partner consulting team include activation targets, KPI achievement, and overall team productivity. I also find it vital to measure partner satisfaction and retention rates, as they reflect the quality of service delivered and the success of the consulting process.

Staying updated with industry trends is crucial for success. I regularly follow leading industry publications, attend relevant webinars and conferences, and engage with professional networks. I also encourage my team to share insights and promote knowledge-sharing sessions, ensuring we collectively stay ahead in this fast-paced environment.

Handling conflicts within a team requires empathy and communication. I would encourage open discussions to understand each party's perspective and work towards a resolution together. It’s important to facilitate a constructive environment where team members feel heard and respected, enabling us to emerge from the situation stronger and more united.

Mentorship is a cornerstone of my leadership style. I believe in empowering my team members through guidance, sharing experiences, and encouraging their professional growth. By providing mentorship, I help them achieve not only their career objectives but also foster a strong, collaborative team dynamic.

I prioritize tasks and manage projects by assessing urgency and impact on overall goals. I utilize project management tools to track progress and set realistic deadlines, ensuring transparency within the team. Regular check-ins and adjustments are vital to maintain focus and momentum while adapting to any changes that arise.

To improve partner satisfaction, I would first gather feedback to identify areas for enhancement. Based on this information, I would tailor our consulting approach and develop self-service tools that empower partners. Continuous communication and keeping partners informed of new resources and updates would also be crucial in fostering positive relationships.

In my previous role, I initiated a major overhaul of the consulting processes based on partner feedback. By introducing new technology and best practices focused on efficiency, we saw a remarkable increase in on-time project deliveries and improved partner satisfaction. This change not only streamlined operations but also elevated our team’s performance.

Promoting Xero as a thought leader would involve creating insightful content that reflects our expertise, such as blogs, webinars, and engaging social media posts. Collaborating with industry experts and leading discussions on relevant trends would further elevate our brand presence, positioning Xero at the forefront of innovative solutions within the accounting landscape.