Dayforce

About the opportunity

Dayforce is the AI-powered people platform. One platform for HR, Pay, Time, Talent, and Analytics, with AI built into how work gets done. Partners are central to how Dayforce wins, delivers, and grows in new markets.

Germany is a priority growth market for Dayforce in EMEA. Customers in Germany buy HCM and payroll through trusted System Integrators, consulting firms, and advisors. The partners who shape those decisions will shape how fast Dayforce grows there.

This role builds that ecosystem. You will recruit, grow, and hold accountable the partners that source, influence, and deliver Dayforce deals in Germany. As Dayforce expands into France and other markets, the scope of this role is expected to grow with it.

The Director, Alliances, Germany owns the alliance strategy and partner performance for the German market. You will manage and grow relationships with System Integrators (SIs), Consulting Partners, Advisory firms, and other strategic alliances that drive revenue, customer acquisition, and market expansion.

This is a hands-on role with a number attached. You will be accountable for partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline, partner-led bookings, and partner delivery capacity in market. You will work closely with the Country Manager, Sales, Germany to align partner strategy with the German sales plan and local market needs.

Dayforce is a Thoma Bravo portfolio company. This role sits inside a clear value creation thesis, with the pace and accountability that come with it.

Germany is a priority market for Dayforce, and partners will decide how fast we grow there. This role builds and scales that partner ecosystem, working side by side with the Country Manager, Sales, Germany, and with a scope that will expand as Dayforce enters France and other markets. The person who succeeds here will have built the partner engine behind Dayforce’s growth in Germany, with the results to show for it.

What you’ll get to do

Partnership Strategy and Growth

• Build the German alliance strategy. Define which partners Dayforce prioritizes in Germany, how we engage them, and what success looks like, aligned with the German sales plan.
• Carry the partner number. Own partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline and bookings in Germany.
• Recruit the right partners. Identify and onboard SIs, consulting firms, and advisors with the market presence and HCM and payroll expertise to win in Germany.
• Run joint business plans. Set shared targets with each priority partner and review progress against them on a regular cadence.

Partner Relationships

• Serve as the primary Dayforce relationship owner for priority partners in Germany, from practice leads to partner executives.
• Act as a trusted advisor to partners, focused on mutual value and long-term partnership success.
• Hold partners accountable through data: pipeline, win rates, certifications, and delivery quality.

GTM and Field Execution

• Build joint go-to-market plans with priority partners, including co-sell plays, account mapping, joint campaigns, and events.
• Work with the Country Manager, Sales, Germany to connect partners to the German sales team so partner engagement is part of how every deal is worked.
• Partner with Marketing on co-marketing programs and local events that expand the Dayforce footprint in Germany.
• Make sure partners have the training, certification, and tools to position, sell, and deliver Dayforce.

Market Intelligence and Expansion

• Track market trends, competitor activity, and changes in the German partner landscape. Adjust the strategy based on what you learn.
• Bring local market insight into Dayforce, including German payroll, works council, and data protection expectations that affect how customers buy.
• Support Dayforce expansion into France and other markets as priorities evolve, including partner recruitment and early go-to-market in new countries.

Performance and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Define and track KPIs for partner success, and report regularly on partner contribution to pipeline, bookings, and joint initiative outcomes.
• Work with Sales, Product, Marketing, Services, and Customer Success to align partner activity and deliver joint outcomes.

Scope and Context

• Reports to the VP, Alliances, EMEA.
• Market focus is Germany, with coverage across DACH as needed.
• Expansion scope includes France and other EMEA markets as Dayforce grows. French language skills will directly support this.
• Works closely with the Country Manager, Sales, Germany, to align partner strategy with the German sales plan.
• Collaborates with Dayforce Marketing, Product, and Services teams in Germany and across EMEA.
• Location is Germany, remote, with regular travel to partners, customers, and Dayforce events.
• Scope is expected to grow as the ecosystem scales. We are hiring for the trajectory, not only for the role as it exists today.

Skills and experience we value

• 8+ years in alliances, partner management, or business development in enterprise software, with a strong focus on strategic partnerships in Germany or the DACH region.
• A track record of building and growing alliances with SIs, consulting partners, and advisors, with specifics: pipeline sourced, bookings influenced, partners recruited.
• Experience building and executing joint go-to-market plans that deliver measurable business results.
• Established relationships within the German SI, consulting, and advisory ecosystem.
• Familiarity with HCM, payroll, WFM, or an adjacent enterprise software category.
• Strong commercial judgment and comfort negotiating partner terms and joint business plans.
• Highly analytical and metrics-driven, with the ability to turn partner and market data into clear actions.
• Ability to build relationships at all levels and work effectively across teams in a matrixed environment.
• Comfort operating in a private equity-backed environment.
• Languages: Fluency in German and English is required.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Technology, or a related field is required.

What would make you stand out

• Knowledge of German payroll and HR requirements is a strong advantage.
• Additional language: French is a strong advantage and will support Dayforce expansion into France.
• Prior PE-backed experience is an advantage.
• An MBA is preferred but not essential.