Vice President, Presales - SoftwareONE

For over 30 years SoftwareOne has been the foundation for organizations around the world for their technology solutions. With changes in the market from on-premises to cloud we have always been one step ahead. Underpinning our transitions and evolutions are our seven core values which we expect from all our current employees and look for in our future colleagues. The global nature of our organization allows us to adapt and commit to these values unique to the culture and business needs of each location.

What you should know about us:

Strip away everything. Strip away our brand, strip away our buildings, strip away our offices. What are we left with? Our people. This is what makes SoftwareOne successful.

Passionate people who live and breathe our values every day, who delight our customers, every day, and who go above and beyond, every day. Our culture is unique, and I believe that having the right people, and empowering them to succeed, is the absolute key to our success. -Patrick Winter, Founder.

What we expect from our employees:

Success at SoftwareOne is not defined by what you do for yourself, but by what you deliver for our customers, the business and for the employees around you. SoftwareOne employees are energized, agile and are laser focused on delivering world-class Customer Satisfaction and results. Our leaders motivate and inspire their teams and provide a working environment that delivers incredible levels of Employee Satisfaction. We are Humble, have a remarkably high degree of Integrity and are simply not interested in politics. Our leaders operate with a high level of Discipline but are able to work at Speed manage change in a global economy.

At SoftwareOne, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. 

Job Summary

As a Presales Leader at SoftwareOne, you will be responsible for leading and managing our presales team, driving revenue growth, and fostering strong relationships with clients. This role requires a strategic thinker with a proven track record of success in technology sales, excellent leadership skills, and a passion for driving business growth.

As a Presales Leader at SoftwareOne you will play a pivotal role in driving revenue growth by leading and managing the pre-sales team. This individual will be responsible for overseeing the pre-sales process, collaborating closely with the sales, product, and marketing teams to develop and deliver compelling solutions to our clients. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background, excellent communication skills, and a proven track record of success in a presales leadership role within the technology industry.

The Vice President, Presales, should reside in either New York City, Chicago, or San Francisco. We will also consider internal candidates in Calgary or Toronto.

Role & Responsibilities

Team Leadership

• Lead and mentor a team of pre-sales professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.

• Provide ongoing guidance, support, and coaching to help team members develop their skills and achieve their full potential.

• Conduct regular performance evaluations and establish clear goals and objectives to drive individual and team success.

• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning within the pre-sales team.

Pre-Sales Strategy

• Develop and implement a comprehensive pre-sales strategy that aligns with the companys overall sales and business objectives.

• Collaborate with senior leadership to define key priorities, target markets, and go-to-market strategies.

• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify opportunities for growth and differentiation.

• Define clear metrics and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to measure the effectiveness of the pre-sales strategy and drive continuous improvement.

Customer Engagement

• Collaborate closely with sales and marketing teams to engage with clients and prospects at various stages of the sales cycle.

• Build strong relationships with key decision-makers and influencers to understand their business needs, challenges, and goals.

• Conduct discovery sessions and needs assessments to gather requirements and identify opportunities for value-added solutions.

• Leverage customer insights to effectively position our products/services and tailor messaging to address specific pain points and objectives

Solution Development

• Work closely with product management and engineering teams to understand product capabilities, roadmap, and development priorities.

• Translate customer requirements into innovative and customized solutions that address their unique needs and challenges.

• Develop comprehensive proposals, including solution architecture, pricing, and implementation plans.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment between customer expectations and solution delivery.

Proposal Development

• Lead the creation of high-quality proposals, presentations, and demonstrations that effectively highlight the value proposition of our products/services.

• Tailor messaging and content to resonate with each customers industry, business model, and pain points.

• Develop compelling business cases and ROI (Return on Investment) analyses to demonstrate the potential impact of our solutions.

• Ensure proposals are delivered on time and exceed customer expectations in terms of quality and relevance.

Technical Expertise

• Maintain a deep understanding of our products/services, industry trends, and competitive landscape.

• Stay up to date on emerging technologies, market dynamics, and customer challenges to anticipate future needs and opportunities.

• Act as a subject matter expert during customer interactions, providing technical guidance and insights to address complex requirements.

• Collaborate with product management and engineering teams to provide feedback and input for product roadmap prioritization and enhancements.

Relationship Building

• Cultivate strong and trusted relationships with key stakeholders, including customers, partners, and internal teams.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for customer inquiries, escalations, and feedback.

• Foster collaboration and alignment between pre-sales, sales, product, and engineering teams to ensure a seamless customer experience.

• Leverage relationships to identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities and drive customer retention and loyalty.

Performance Tracking

• Define and track key performance metrics for the pre-sales team, including pipeline generation, win rates, and customer satisfaction scores.

• Develop dashboards and reports to monitor progress towards goals and identify areas for improvement.

• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback and coaching to help team members achieve their targets. Implement corrective actions as needed to address performance gaps and optimize team performance.

Process Improvement

• Continuously evaluate and enhance pre-sales processes, tools, and methodologies to streamline operations and improve efficiency.

• Identify bottlenecks and pain points in the pre-sales workflow and propose solutions for optimization.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement process improvements and best practices.

• Leverage technology and automation to simplify repetitive tasks and empower the pre-sales team to focus on high-value activities.

Market Insights

• Stay informed about market trends, customer challenges, and emerging technologies to provide strategic insights and inform decision-making.

• Monitor industry publications, analyst reports, and competitive intelligence to identify opportunities and threats.

• Proactively share market insights with internal teams to shape product strategy, sales messaging, and go-to-market plans.

• Participate in industry events, conferences, and forums to network with peers and stay abreast of the latest developments in the technology landscape.

Success Criteria

• # of Cross/up-sells

• Strategic renewal retention

• # of deal registrations processed

• Net revenue driven by accounts with engagement from Solution Architects

Organizational Alignment

• The Pre-Sales VP reports directly to the Regional President and is responsible for managing a team of Pre-Sales Leads and has overall responsibility for the pre-sales function in the region.

• Foster collaboration between Solution Architect Leads, field sales teams, and digital sales teams to effectively translate customer requirements into tailored solutions.

• Drive organizational synergy by actively engaging with Marketing, Alliances, and Field Sales teams to support business development initiatives and capitalize on cross-selling and up-selling opportunities.

What we offer

• Generous pay with a bonus structure

• Independent environment without a lot of red tape where you are empowered to make decisions

• Substantial benefits package that includes:

o Medical coverage with competitive employer contributions

o Voluntary coverage including Dental, Vision, Pet, Legal, Identity, Accident & Critical Illness

o 401k program with employer matching 50% up to the first 10% of employee’s contributions

o Wellness Program, EAP, concierge services

o Abundant paid time off that includes paid holidays, floating holidays, your birthday off, a volunteer day, and discretionary time off (DTO)

o Employee stock purchase plan

o Learning and development opportunities galore

o Tuition reimbursement

o And much more! 

o Specific to Milwaukee-based office employees: company-paid parking 

• Winning culture, inclusive environment, and friendly people all over the world

• A remote-friendly organization, with colleagues working remotely either part or full-time

As a culture-first organization, being together is how we learn and grow. We come together in person for at least 3 days for collaboration, support, and to have some fun. Where there is no physical location, we give all our employees an equal cultural experience through a remote setting.

Required Skills

• Bachelors degree in software engineering or a relevant field preferred

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in sales management roles within the software industry; minimum of 15 years in the software industry

• Technical understanding and expertise on ISVs and SWO services

• Industry-recognized certifications highly recommended

• Experience working on complex architectures, integration points and implementations across enterprise and corporate customers

• Familiar with best practices for integrated solutions across customers

• Ability to manage at both strategic and operational levels

• Occasional travel to meet clients and sales teams

• Key Sales Competencies & Behaviors of Recruiting & Selecting Top Talent, Inspiring Performance Excellence, Engaging & Developing Team Talent, Leading Sales as a Business Process, Delivering Exceptional Results, Demonstrating Sales Intelligence, and Creating Effective Growth Strategies

Preferred Qualifications

Leadership Skills

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire, motivate, and empower a team towards achieving common goals.

• Experience in coaching and developing sales professionals to maximize their potential and performance.

• Ability to attract top talent to the company and maintain a high performing team.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex ideas and information to both internal teams and external clients.

• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders.

Strategic Thinking

• Strategic thinker with a deep understanding of market dynamics, customer needs, and competitive landscape within the technology sector.

• Ability to develop and implement innovative sales strategies to drive business growth and achieve long-term objectives.

CRM Software and Sales Analysis

• Experience working with CRM software (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and proficiency in utilizing sales analytics tools to track performance, analyze data, and identify trends.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data insights into actionable strategies and recommendations.

Technology Solutions and Industry Trends

• Deep understanding of technology solutions, including software as a service (SaaS), cloud computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.

• Stay updated on industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices to remain competitive and relevant in the market.

Results-Oriented Mindset

• Results-oriented mindset with a focus on driving revenue growth, exceeding targets, and delivering measurable outcomes.

• Proactive approach to problem-solving, with a commitment to continuous improvement and achieving business objectives.

Entrepreneurial Mindset

• Consistent ownership and accountability for results, with a proactive approach to orchestration of internal teams, processes, and escalations to achieve business outcomes.

Financially Savvy

• Adept at budgeting, financial forecasting, cost management, analysis, and reporting for specific business unit / function.

Continuous Learning Orientation

• Proactive in staying updated on industry developments, emerging technologies, and best practices in account management and customer success.

• Commitment to ongoing professional development and growth.

Join our team and play a vital role in supporting our partner marketing initiatives. Apply today to contribute to the success of our partner relationships and help drive business growth through effective partner marketing!

The preceding job profile has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by associates within this role. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required. Additional duties may be assigned and may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.

Target compensation for this role will be $300-450K or $410-600K CAD (mix of base salary and bonus) and will be determined based on candidate qualifications, experience, and location