Global Head of Cloud Alliances

About Canonical

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in more than 80 countries and very few office based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder led, profitable and growing.

The Role: Global Head of Cloud Alliances

Canonical is seeking a Global Head of Cloud Alliances to spearhead business development and partnerships with global public clouds. As the publisher of Ubuntu, Canonical is already a trusted partner with major hyperscalers, providing a leading guest OS and select services. With a large portfolio of open source software on the cloud marketplace, the focus is to expand global cloud partnerships. This role is a key driver for bringing innovation to public cloud platforms, fostering joint go-to-market strategies with public cloud sales communities and marketplaces, and managing global customer and partner contracts. You will collaborate closely with cloud partners, from engineering to product management and marketing, to deliver scalable open source solutions for their cloud customers.

The Cloud Alliance team is dedicated to building trusted relationships at all levels, from technical collaboration to executive strategy. The primary goal is to increase Canonical's market share within the cloud ISV ecosystem, develop cloud channel sales, evangelize partnerships, and lead all business interactions. The Global Head of Cloud Alliances will own the strategy, sell-to, sell-through, and sell-with motions with all cloud partners, as well as promote cloud-related activities, including campaigns, strategic opportunities, and cloud events.

This role, based in a largely distributed work environment, can be located anywhere in the Americas or EMEA.

Key Responsibilities

• Taking ownership of Canonical's global cloud partner strategy, leading efforts to forecast, driving bookings, and growing revenue worldwide.
• Building strong, cross-functional relationships across teams to ensure a unified approach to technology and market execution.
• Inspiring and guiding teams to achieve accelerated revenue growth with Cloud partners, continually refining and evolving strategies for success.
• Establishing and nurturing executive-level relationships with key partners, laying the foundation for long-term success and mutual growth.
• Steering our offering from concept to execution, aligning product management and marketing strategies while scaling success through our global sales organization.

What we are looking for in you:

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university.
• Undergraduate degree in a technical subject.
• Confidence to respectfully speak up, exchange feedback, and share ideas without hesitation.
• Track record of going above-and-beyond expectations to achieve outstanding results.
• Leadership and commitment to skills development and mentorship.
• Passion for technology evidenced by personal projects and initiatives.
• The work ethic and confidence to shine alongside motivated colleagues.
• Exceptional leadership and presentation skills, capable of energizing teams and stakeholders while delivering compelling data-driven narratives.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability.
• Appreciative of diversity, polite, and effective in a multi-cultural, multi-national organization.
• Thoughtfulness and self-motivation.
• Result-oriented, with a personal drive to meet commitments.
• Ability to travel internationally twice a year for company events up to two weeks long.
• An in-depth understanding of open source technologies, Ubuntu, and the competitive ecosystem, with an eye for identifying opportunities that others might miss.
• Autonomous, disciplined, and proactive—take ownership, and deliver exceptional results.

Nice to have:

• A track record in alliance and indirect sales management, with an ability to build partnerships that drive success.
• Solid experience in the Public Cloud sector, coupled with an understanding of the evolving landscape of technology and innovation.
• Experience with Linux (Debian or Ubuntu preferred).

What We Offer Colleagues

Canonical provides a supportive and rewarding environment. Compensation is determined by geographical location, experience, and performance, reviewed annually, with a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects our values and ensures fairness globally.

• Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person.
• Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year.
• Annual compensation review.
• Recognition rewards.
• Annual holiday leave.
• Maternity and paternity leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues.
• Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long haul company events.

Key skills/competency

• Cloud Alliances
• Business Development
• Public Cloud Platforms
• Go-to-Market Strategy
• Open Source Technologies
• Executive Relationships
• Revenue Growth
• Ubuntu Ecosystem
• Channel Sales
• Partner Management