AddressThe primary responsibility for this position is the National support of CDW’s IBM software business and associated services to our clients and Account Managers.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities
The Principal - National Software Solution Advisor role focuses on pre-sales solution design. This role is responsible for working with internal and external sales teams to plan and organize sales strategies. The incumbent analyzes the sales environment including customer expectations, competitive environment as well as the customer's technical environment and business drivers and defines actions to be performed in the sales cycle timeframe.
The Principal - NSSA is a field-based technical pre-sales role. They are expected to spend the majority of their time engaged with CDW customers, sellers & partners. The Principal SSA develops and maintains strategic relationships with sales & leadership of the teams they support and is seen as a trusted advisor to grow business. The Principal SSA is expected to be subject matter expert in multiple IBM families of solutions. The incumbent in this role operates independently using standard approaches, existing tools, templates, and resources; shares knowledge and information that may benefit the team.
Main areas of responsibility will be advanced level of experience and understanding of:
- Modern Data Platforms
- Data Governance
- Application Modernization
- Intelligent Automation Solutions
- Data science tools and solutions
- Security & Management
- AIOs & Observability
- Storage and Data Protection
- IT Sustainability
The Principal - NSSA will have deep knowledge of the various solutions within the IBM Software Brands and will focus software pre-sales and design of technologies such as Cloud Pak for Business Automation, Cloud Pak for Integration, Cloud Pak for Watson AIOps, Cloud Pak for Network Automation, Instana, Turbonomic, Cognos, Informix, DB2, IBM Cloud Pak for Security – Guardium, Qradar, Storage for Data Resilience, Maximo, Sterling.
The Principal -National Software Solution Advisor role focuses on pre-sales solution design for CDW’s current and emerging portfolio of modern technologies. This role will have a specific focus on assisting our customers and sellers in qualifying and identifying opportunities with the IBM Software Brand stack including initiatives around Automation, Data & AI, Security, Storage and Sustainability software as well as related tools and both internal and external consulting and service delivery partners. This role is seen as a trusted advisor to grow business. As a Principal Software Solution Advisor, you will understand our client's IT environment and high-level infrastructure. You will own the process of developing scopes of work and contribute to the sale of adjacent service opportunities.
Key Areas of Responsibility
Technology Leadership
- Educates Account Managers by conducting short training classes on technology products - Explains features, benefits, and technical specifications of products and solutions
- Explains conceptually how technologies are installed and implemented for customers
- Designs solutions for primary technology products and services
- Contributes to the team’s knowledge base and readily shares knowledge with other Solution Architects and Account Managers
- Attends mandatory trainings
- Attain advanced or delivery level certifications
- Is a passionate learner who demonstrates continuous learning by proactively expanding technical depth in products, solutions, and services.
- Helps design technical solutions using multiple approaches, considering the customer’s environment limitations and opportunities; analyzes, interprets, and presents assessment results.
- Determines and defines services that complement and/or round out proposed hardware and software engagements, estimates required engineer effort.
- Conducts technology/solutions training for CDW audiences (e.g., sales, Solution Architects), using developed material.
- Assists customers in understanding their software maintenance contracts, upgrade needs, and renewals; analyzes the most cost-effective approach for the customer (e.g., renew the contract or purchase new equipment and contract.)
- Articulates to customers the Practice’s value proposition; articulates audience-centric version of the value proposition to customers, account managers, and partners and uses it to generate additional revenue opportunities for CDW.
- Leads business-focused technology solution presentations at CDW, Customer, and Partner events and meetings.
- Collaborates with Partners, other Solution Advisors or Architects and Account Executives to drive mapped opportunities; fine tunes strategies and approaches to achieve greater sales results.
- Operates in a regular cadence with multiple partners to educate, plan, and execute on joint strategies in collaboration with multiple stakeholders; understands partner alignment in geography and leads customer opportunity mapping exercises; coordinates on-site partner visits.
- Understands profit margin and how to increase profitability; works cooperatively with field sales to ensure healthy profitability. Leverages and maximizes partner pricing, partner registration programs, incentive programs, and special pricing, to win business and ensure healthy profitability, provides input on pricing to Account Managers, Field sales, SAs, and Partners to increase margin and deal size and position CDW for future opportunities; negotiates pricing with Partners.
Sales Support
- Follows up and responds to questions regarding performance of assigned coverage, and escalation needs
- Researches and reviews customer profile information; applies knowledge of the vertical to develop customer intimacy prior to sales calls and/or strategy sessions.
- Produces quotes and BOMs
- Creates quotes for high priority RFPs and/or assists with RFP content
- Responsible for sales forecasting
- Reviews quotes and orders for accuracy
- Prioritizes time spent on opportunities based on potential return on investment.
- Assists with services opportunities discovery, qualification and contribution
- Produces Bills of Materials, including product maintenance; contributes to Statements of Work (including work estimates), RFPs, RFIs, and proposal content.
- Maintains pre-sales pipeline data, develops plans, and takes actions to move opportunities to closure.
Sales
- Discusses solutions at a conceptual level with customers and potential customers - Explains the solutions features and benefits
- Explores additional sales opportunities through new service opportunities, maintenance contracts and renewals
- Advises Account Managers on pricing
- The Principal SSA is also a solution driver who has a passion for demonstrating continuous learning by proactively expanding technical depth in products, solutions, and services. If pertinent, achieves certifications in advanced technologies for CDW's Partner Certification Requirements.
- Coordinates and collaborates with Partners and Account Managers to map accounts to opportunities and achieve sales goals
- Develops and maintains a basic Territory Plan; adjusts quarterly for past performance and future expectations
- Responds to requests from customers and Account Managers to respond to customers’ needs
- Participates in CDW events on business-focused technology solution presentations for customers and prospects delivered via web-based tools (e.g., WebEx, Slack, Teams) and in person
- Is focused in the solutions tools and services space with a specific focus on identifying and qualifying sales and services opportunities into the appropriate sales pursuits, by using team building techniques (internal & external to CDW) standard approaches, considering the customer’s infrastructure limitations, investments and opportunities; analyzes, interprets, and presents assessment results
RESPONSIBILITY FOR BUILDING THOUGHT LEADERSHIP –
Principal - National Software Solution Advisor are charged with accelerating the technical development of National Software Solution Advisors.
- Technology and Innovation – Principal Technical Architects are thought leaders in their respective technology spaces having demonstrated the ability to lead teams with new solutions and innovating others.
- Coaching and Development – Collaborate with managers and National Software Solution Advisors to build staff and training plans for the IBM Software solutions, provide on-the-job mentoring for the NSSA’s. Deliver or facilitate technical training, contribute, lead or own internal online discussion groups and virtual team meetings.
Education and/or Skill-Set Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience
- 15 years of experience in IBM Software advanced technical sales, sales engineering, data engineering, computer Science/Engineering or data science
- 10 years minimum sales experience
Required Qualifications
- Proficient in Microsoft & Salesforce applications
- Ability to travel up to 25% of the time
- Proven success and experience selling technologies solutions and services
- Knowledge and proven success of engaging and working with sales teams
- Ability to execute on territory goals and metrics
- Ability to adapt and change to the business needs of the practice and team coverage model
- Strong interpersonal and presentation skills, including consulting skills
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Strong passion for learning and teaching others
- Proven group presentations skills
- Motivated and self-starting
- Ability to think creatively and come up with proactive ideas that will increase sales
- Strong problem-solving skills
- Must be able to communicate effectively and in a constructive manner with management, peers and coworkers
- Stay up to date on products, applications, technical service, market conditions, competitive activities, advertising, and promotional trends through the reading of pertinent literature, seminars, and online training
- Proven project management skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Proven success and experience selling complex technologies, solutions and services to small business, enterprise, public sector, or global customers
- Technical Accreditations and/or Certifications: - Active accreditation from leading technology partners as required
The above primary duties, responsibilities, and position requirements are not all inclusive.
CDW is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. As a government contractor, CDW takes affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans; maintains a drug-free workplace; and participates in E-Verify.
