If you're seeking a sense of community and the ability for growth, look no further. Since 1982, we have been 100% dedicated to our people. Our approach permits greater ownership for individuals and welcomes input into decisions for a thriving workplace and happy employees. Our people are the core reason for AIS' success. As an employee owned company, we are looking for individuals that are passionate about finding innovative solutions, and excited about emerging technologies and capabilities.
AIS is seeking a Partner Sales Associate to help drive growth through strategic relationships within the Microsoft ecosystem. This is the entry-level role within the AIS Partner Sales job family and is designed for professionals who enjoy building relationships, creating opportunities, and operating in a high-energy, metrics-driven environment.
Unlike traditional business development roles that focus on direct outreach to prospective clients, Partner Sales Associates create opportunities indirectly by building relationships with Microsoft sellers and helping them identify situations where AIS can deliver value to their customers.
Success in this role comes from developing a broad and active network of Microsoft relationships, generating qualified enterprise client introductions, and helping AIS establish meaningful first engagements with prospective clients. You will spend much of your time understanding what motivates Microsoft sellers, how they are measured, and why partnering with AIS helps them achieve better outcomes for their customers.
This is a partner-driven growth role. You are not responsible for managing client accounts, owning delivery efforts, or leading opportunities through close. Once a qualified introduction is established and validated, AIS Account Executives, Business Development Executives, Solution Engineers, and Business Unit leaders assume responsibility for advancing and expanding the opportunity.
The Partner Sales Associate serves as the bridge between Microsoft and AIS, helping create repeatable opportunity flow that supports long-term growth across the company.
Key Responsibilities:
- Build and maintain a growing network of Microsoft sellers, including account teams, specialists, and field sales personnel.
- Develop an understanding of Microsoft seller goals, incentives, priorities, and account pressures.
- Establish AIS as a trusted and valuable partner within the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Expand relationships across multiple Microsoft teams and geographies to increase opportunity flow.
- Maintain consistent engagement with existing Microsoft contacts while continuously developing new relationships.
- Represent AIS at Microsoft events, partner briefings, community gatherings, industry conferences, and field-sponsored activities to expand relationships, increase visibility, and strengthen AIS's presence within the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Actively cultivate and maintain strong relationships with Microsoft sellers through a combination of regular business engagement, industry events, networking opportunities, and appropriate customer and partner hospitality activities.
Introduction Generation & Pipeline Creation
- Generate qualified enterprise and mid-market client introductions through Microsoft relationships.
- Focus on creating opportunities within designated AIS target industries and markets.
- Collaborate with Microsoft sellers to identify accounts where AIS has a strong right to win.
- Support qualification efforts to ensure introductions align with AIS growth priorities.
- Maintain a consistent cadence of partner-generated opportunity creation.
AIS Positioning & Partner Messaging
- Learn and continuously refine AIS's "Why AIS" story for Microsoft sellers.
- Develop a strong understanding of AIS capabilities, differentiators, solutions, and target markets.
- Clearly articulate how AIS supports Microsoft priorities, solution plays, and customer outcomes.
- Tailor messaging to different Microsoft audiences and stakeholder types.
- Position AIS as a preferred partner for cloud, data, AI, modernization, and managed services opportunities.
Opportunity Transition & Internal Collaboration
- Partner closely with the AIS Office of the CTO, Sales Engineering, Account Executives, Business Development Executives, and Business Unit leadership during early-stage engagements.
- Facilitate smooth transitions once client introductions are validated and accepted by AIS account teams.
- Ensure relevant context, relationship history, and opportunity information are effectively transferred.
- Support early positioning activities that improve the quality and effectiveness of initial client engagements.
- Help accelerate time-to-engagement for newly introduced opportunities.
Sales Discipline & Operational Excellence
- Maintain disciplined tracking of Microsoft relationships, client introductions, sourced opportunities, and resulting revenue.
- Consistently apply AIS processes for partner engagement, opportunity qualification, and handoff management.
- Maintain accurate CRM and reporting data.
- Operate with a high degree of organization, responsiveness, and follow-through.
- Track performance against introduction, engagement, and sourced revenue objectives.
- Invest time in building authentic professional relationships with Microsoft sellers through regular engagement, networking activities, and relationship-building opportunities that strengthen trust and encourage long-term referral behavior.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
- Strong communication, relationship-building, and networking skills.
- Demonstrated ability to influence others through trust, credibility, and professional engagement.
- Highly organized and comfortable working in a metrics-driven environment.
- Strong curiosity and willingness to learn complex technology, partner ecosystems, and sales processes.
- Ability to manage a high volume of relationships, conversations, and follow-up activities simultaneously.
- Experience using CRM platforms or similar relationship-management tools is a plus.
- Prior experience in sales, marketing, recruiting, staffing, customer success, partnerships, business development, account management, or similar relationship-driven environments is a plus.
- Interest in Microsoft's commercial ecosystem and partner programs.
- Coachable, resilient, and motivated by measurable results.
Success Measures:
- Consistent generation of qualified enterprise client introductions.
- Growth of an active and productive Microsoft seller network.
- Measurable pipeline and revenue attributed to sourced introductions.
- Repeat referrals and engagement from Microsoft sellers.
- Quality and efficiency of transitions into AIS account teams.
- Accurate CRM management and partner activity tracking.
- Progression toward broader partner-sales ownership and responsibility.
Why AIS?
- Employee Ownership: Your contributions directly impact the company's success, and you share in its achievements.
- Continuous Learning: Access to resources, training, and mentorship to support your professional growth.
- Inclusive Culture: A workplace where diversity is celebrated, and everyone's voice is valued.
- Mission-Driven Work: Engage in projects that make a meaningful difference for our clients and communities.
Applied Information Sciences does not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis. Employment decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs.