Federal Storage Sales Specialist- Virginia Intelligence Community- Security Clearance Required

The Storage Sales Specialists are product, services, software or solution specialists that are responsible for leading pursuit within the Federal/IC Community on the storage portfolio. This role requires an active TS/SCI with Full Scope Poly clearance at time of application and will be working with the Virginia IC customers. This is required at time of hire and HPE does not have the ability to sponsor for clearance at this time.  Collaborates with and supports Account Managers and provides specialist expertise within the sales team. Drives proactive campaigns to build the pipeline, uses specialized knowledge and skills to prospect, qualify, negotiate and close opportunities. May have named accounts allocated, cover a designated geography, or may be allocated to one high-potential, competitive attack account. 

Management Level Definition:

Applies advanced subject matter knowledge to solve complex business issues and is regarded as a subject matter expert. Frequently contributes to the development of new ideas and methods. Works on complex problems where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of multiple factors. Leads and/or provides expertise to functional project teams and may participate in cross-functional initiatives. Acts as an expert providing direction and guidance to process improvements and establishing policies. Frequently represents the organization to external customers/clients. Exercises significant independent judgment within broadly defined policies and practices to determine best method for accomplishing work and achieving objectives. May provide mentoring and guidance to lower level employees.

Responsibilities:

·                  Responsible for sales of storage products and solutions in assigned territory, industry or accounts.

• Uses advanced storage expertise to seek out new opportunities for customer value by expanding and enhancing existing opportunities.
• Creates and drives the storage sales pipeline. Captures leads outside of specialization and uses closed-loop lead management to ensure assignment and follow-up by others.
• Collaborates with the account pursuit teams to leverage their solutions expertise for business development.
• Build sales readiness and reduces client learning curve through effective knowledge transfer in storage.
• Contributes to development of quota objectives and future direction for storage product lines.
• Directs and coordinates supporting sales activities related to pipeline hygiene through account managers, Presales, channel partners and other relevant stakeholders.
• Effectively uses internal sales tools to maintain a healthy pipeline and the account plan in a timely fashion.
• Collaborates across the HPE teams to deliver a consistent approach to developing business, including account planning for end to end solutions.
• Assesses solution feasibility from a technical and business perspective to determine """"qualify-in""""/""""qualify-out"""" status.
• Negotiates and drives profitable deals to ensure successful closure and a high win rate.
• Drives sales of the storage portfolio, using strong leadership and initiative to successfully prospect, negotiate and close deals.
• Establishes a professional and consultative relationship with the client by achieving an advanced understanding of the unique business needs of the client within the industry. Works with clients up to and including the C-level for mid-to-large accounts.
• Leverages advanced knowledge of competitors and industry trends to strategically position the company's products and services.
• Focuses on and works with the channel to forge relationships, provide enablement of key technologies, and co-sell to end-users.
• Effectively leads, evangelizes, and helps to coordinate Storage marketing campaigns (digital /new techniques) to ensure a successful launch and maintenance of the campaign momentum, in alignment with the account strategy.
• Acts as a trusted storage solutions consultant for the slated accounts/region.
• Reinforces and articulates HPE's strategy and portfolio to partners and champions to uncover new business opportunities and contacts, including new logos when appropriate.
• Effectively uses references to craft a story that makes complex technologies seem simple and understandable for the customers
• Actively generates customer interest and anticipates customer's buying trends. Links business and financial benefits with technology offerings. Illustrates the ROI & TCO advantages of HPE offerings for the customer's business.
• Cultivates and maintains positive relationships with customers to ensure account retention and growth, to position the company as the preferred vendor to meet business needs.
• Supports deal closure in partnership with relevant internal stakeholders including account managers and channel partners

Classification Guidance

The sections below help differentiate between levels to enable consistency.

Education and Experience

·                  Requires active TS/SCI clearance with FSP at time of application.

·                  Typically 6+ years of sales experience. 

·                  3+ years of experience working directly with the Virginia IC customers 

·                  3+ years of selling experience with a major storage company (Dell/EMC, Pure, NetApp) preferred

·                  Demonstrated achievement of progressively higher quota, interface with diverse business customers at all levels.

·                  Extensive vertical industry knowledge required.

·                  University or Bachelor's degree preferred.

Knowledge and Skills

Storage Specialist- Sales Acumen & Behaviors

·                  Storage Specialist- Sales Acumen & Behaviors

• Possesses expertise to be able to assess solution feasibility from a technical and business perspective, to determine """"qualify-in""""/""""qualify-out"""" status.
• Uses expertise to negotiate and drive deals to ensure successful closure and a high win rate.
• Demonstrates hunter mentality to actively pursue for solution opportunities in acquisition and development accounts and to pursue new business.
• Possesses the ability to independently articulate the technical solution and the commercial benefits to the client.
• Possesses knowledge of digital and modern methods to connect and sell.

·                  Uses storage knowledge to actively prospects within accounts to discover or cultivate sales opportunities.

Technology Focus

·                  Is considered an expert in knowledge of storage, cloud, solution or service offerings as well as competitor's offerings to be able to sell large solutions.

• Understands the outside-In view and possesses deep knowledge of industry trends. Stays abreast of competitors and key partner/ISV solutions, including both traditional and emerging vendors. Leverages HPE’s opportunities and mitigates challenges.
• Understands the role of IT within the area of storage. Understands how the company's solutions differentially address specific vertical industry challenges, as well as their cross-segment capabilities.

·                  Demonstrates high service, product, and solution knowledge. Can articulate and differentiate HPE's product offerings against the competition.

Solutions Acumen

·                  Understands the industry and market segments in which key accounts are situated, and integrates this knowledge into consultative selling.

• Possesses the ability to leverage the company's product portfolio and services to up sell.

·                  Possesses deep expertise of end to end data solutions leveraging the HPE storage portfolio and ecosystem of partners, with a strong focus on traditional & modern applications and change the playing field on our competitors

Other

·                  Understands how and when to engage different types of partners effectively, and is able to map the right partner to an opportunity.

• Expertise in mapping the right partner skills to the required storage related opportunity.

·                  Possesses deep understanding of business models of service providers, to be able to engage and sell

Leadership

·                  Persuades and negotiates with others, draws upon interpersonal skills, empathy, and understanding of personality types

• Motivates, coaches and supports peer sales team members to ensure effective selling; counsels through selling challenges.
• Clearly address challenges on customer's/partner's business horizon, aligns with requirements and priorities, reflects strategic partnering, and contributes to account growth objectives.
• Demonstrates courage to take calculated risks; creates a sense of trust to inspire innovation in the team.

·                  Rewards, recognizes and celebrates successes.

Other

·                  Possesses advanced financial acumen and leverages the available tools to profile each account's business unit.

• Maintains expertise on IT at all levels - new applications, maintenance, typical budgets of the CIO's, typical objectives, measures, metrics.
• Understands and applies program/project management methods and processes to define, plan, cost, resource, track and ensure successful pursuit.

·                  Collaborates with management and sales teams in shared accounts to ensure seamless integration of Storage Specialist sales with other sales activities.

Impact/Scope

·                  May lead sales engagements to position creative storage solution which is the key to a profitable and successful delivery.

• Accounts may be international or global.
• Typically assigned higher than average quota.

·                  Orchestrates the regional pursuit resources for the account.

Complexity

·                  Accounts may be international or global.

• May perform project management role.
• Coordinates external partners.