Do you need a Partnership Manager?🤔 

After nearly seven years of experience, I’ve often asked myself this question: Do you really need a Partnership Manager?

Short answer: It depends.

Longer answer: Let’s dive into it! 🚀

Who is the Partnership Manager? 

The role of a Partnership Manager can vary widely depending on your brand’s strategy and goals. 🎯 Sometimes, their responsibilities are so broad that it’s hard to identify what exactly they do without first understanding your specific needs.

When I joined Crocoblock, my primary goal was to organize and optimize our Affiliate Program. Here’s what I tackled first:

🔍 Analyzing the database

🤝 Engaging with top affiliates and gradually connecting with others in the program

💳 Learning the payment process

📊 Creating affiliate reports to improve communication with the financial team

Once that was accomplished, we moved on to bigger goals:

1. Searching for new partners (bloggers, companies, and brands).
2. 🤝 Connecting with clients (freelancers and web agencies) who wanted to share their stories on our blog (for example: featuring their success stories)
3. 🧠 Collaborating with experts to share their knowledge and insights (for instance: highlighting their contributions through guest posts or interviews).
4. 🤖 Managing technical collaborations, such as:
   • Securing licenses for new integrations.
   • Planning promotional campaigns.
   • Communicating with the community about exciting new partnerships.

What is your Goal?

The tasks and responsibilities of a Partnership Manager should align with your brand’s objectives. Here are some considerations based on your goals:

1️⃣ Do you just need to manage your affiliate program? 

If your focus is limited to maintaining an affiliate program – checking affiliates, managing payments, and preparing reports – you’ll likely benefit from a Junior Partnership Manager.

2️⃣ Do you want to build and explore new partnerships?

For this, you’ll need someone with more advanced skills. Why?

🌟 Soft skills are essential for communicating with bloggers, companies, and brands.

✉️ Knowing who to contact and what to say is crucial.

🗂️ Organizational skills are key for creating promotional plans and driving mutual collaborations.

3️⃣ Do you need a decision-maker or idea-creator?

If you’re looking for someone to make strategic decisions and brainstorm innovative ideas, you’ll need an experienced Partnership Manager with a proven track record.

Please don’t focus solely on link-building or counting the number of emails sent. 🤔 Quality partnerships always start with thorough analysis and a clear understanding of mutual goals. 

Experience Is Everything 🔑

Recently, someone asked me:

“How do you know what to write, how to reply, or what to suggest—especially for technical partnerships?”

At first, my answer seemed simple: It comes naturally.

But after reflecting, I realized it’s not just “natural.” It’s the result of years spent:

📰 Following WordPress news

🛠️ Reading community articles, watching tons of materials

💡 Learning to create action plan with the mutual benefits of potential partnerships

Only experience has taught me how to identify collaborations that are genuinely valuable for both sides, especially for our clients. Of course, I have a team for support, but most decisions start and end with me. 

Time to decide

If your WordPress company is evolving into a brand, you’ll eventually face this question:
“Do we need a Partnership Manager?”

From my experience, the answer is clear: 

A Partnership Manager becomes essential when your brand starts prioritizing collaboration and partnerships as a growth strategy.

Before You Hire…

Here’s what to consider before starting your search:

✅ What specific tasks do you want to accomplish?

🧑‍💻 What skill set do you need?

🛠️ Do they need a technical background or not?

I hope you found my thoughts helpful! 😊 If you decide to hire a WordPress Partnership Manager, my free eBook is here to help the person you hire get started. It’s packed with tips, guidance, and insights to make the transition smooth and set the foundation for great results. 📘✨

P.S. I found featured image for this article on WordPress photo directory.