Principal Inside Solution Architect - Hybrid Infrastructure

The Principal Inside Solution Architect-Data Center Solutions supports Account Managers by assisting them in the sale of solutions related to all Data Center Solutions. The Principal ISA builds relationships and educates Account Managers on the technologies, resources, and pricing programs available to them.

The Principal ISA-Data Center Solutions develops and maintains strategic relationships with Sales Management of the teams they support and seen as a trusted advisor to grow business.

The Principal ISA-Data Center Solutions is responsible for driving a variety of initiatives and projects, providing thought leadership to the practice and customers, coaches and/or mentors others ISAs; and strategically works with sales, partners and customers to uncover and increase emerging business opportunities.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Technology Leadership

• Identifies team and account manager training needs on Data Center Solutions.
• Collaborates with Partners to define, develop, and deliver training material.
  
  
  
  • Explains the features, benefits, and technical specifications of new internal and external competing products and solutions
  • Explains conceptually the solution offerings and the products and services that will optimize a customer's environment
  
  
  
  
• Acts as a resource to ISAs for advice and recommendations on technical design issues and product choices.
• Compares and contrasts secondary, emerging, and complementary products and solutions and keeps abreast of changes and trends.
• Expert level knowledge of multiple Data Center Solutions categories inclusive of vertical specific needs
• Drive thought leadership activities including white papers, webinars, and seminars. Serve as subject matter expert for marketing activities.
• Readily shares knowledge with other ISAs and Account Managers regarding internal and external competing products and solutions.
• Coaches and provides feedback to team members to improve their technical, consulting, and sales skills; mentors less senior ISAs on Territory Planning or specific customer challenges.
• On boards new hires and serves as a subject matter expert in a domain area in alignment with the Partners, Field Solution Architects, and System Engineers.
• Attain role level certifications

Sales Support

• Writes proposals for large opportunities
• Respond to technical questions in RFPs or contributes to content for value-add
• Follows up and responds to questions regarding registrations and closed deals, and escalation needs
• Monitors and renews service maintenance contracts
• Tracks sales leads, manages sales pipeline from lead to closure for sales over segment threshold
• Registers and manages customer proposals in partner registration systems
• Produces quotes and BOMs
• Creates quotes for high priority RFPs and/or assists with RFP content
• Produces sales forecast reports
• Reviews quotes and orders for accuracy

Sales

• Discusses at a conceptual level products and solutions across practices regarding Data Center Solutions with customers and potential customers
• Articulates versions of the value proposition to customers, account managers, and partners and uses it to find additional revenue opportunities for CDW.
• Guides customers in their decision making (compares and contrasts) internal and external competing products and solutions.
• Secures funding, initiates ideas, and collaborates with partners and Account Managers to design and execute customer events. Leads business-focused technology solution presentations in industry events for customers and prospects delivered via web-based tools (e.g. WebEx, Lync) and in person.
• Negotiates pricing with Account Manager, Partner, and Customer to increase margin and deal size, yet position CDW for future opportunities.
• Operates in a regular cadence with multiple partners to educate, plan, and execute on joint strategies in collaboration with multiple stakeholders (AM, AE, SM, and ATAE).
• Proactively seeks to understand partner alignment in geography and lead mapping exercises; coordinates on-site partner visits.
• Executes strategies outlined in all aspects of their Territory Plan; helps peers develop similar strategies.
• Mentors team members on cross-sell or up-sell opportunities.
• Influences and persuades customer strategy; Gains the trust and confidence of customers in new, large enterprise environments.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate's Degree or equivalent work experience
• 3-yr experience as ISA or 5-yr min equivalent experience
• For internal applicants only:
  
  
  
  • Satisfactory internal customer scores
  • Satisfactory profit goal attainment
  • Satisfactory certification accomplishment
  
  
  
  

Other Required Qualifications

• Proficient in Microsoft office applications
• 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
• 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

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• Proven success and experience selling technologies solutions and services to small business, enterprise or global customers
• Technical Accreditations and/or Certifications:
• Active accreditation from leading Data Center Solutions partners
• Successfully completed Sr. ISA accreditations