Our sales and marketing teams are critical to Guidewire's success. For one, the revenue from new sales ensures that we have the funding required to continuously invest in our products and in scaling our growing company. Secondly, our industry is undergoing a technology-led transformation: our sales and marketing teams have the experience and knowledge to partner with insurers to help them plan for success. Of course, our sales and marketing teams are our key ambassadors in the marketplace and play a key role in how the Guidewire brand is perceived.
Description/Scope of Work
The primary responsibility of this role is to sell complex core enterprise applications into an industry vertical with a focus on Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. The Nordic region is a fast-growing area for us in which we have increased our sales coverage and are investing in product development. Supported by an effective Sales Operations, Inside Sales, Customer Success Managers, Product Marketing and Field Marketing teams the successful candidate will focus upon understanding the strategic objectives of clients and building meaningful relationships with business leaders within the target market. The successful candidate will be responsible for territory management, optimize coverage, close large strategic deals, and leverage the extended Sales Organization they have at their disposal for maximum efficiency.
Key activities for the Sales Executive include:
- Proactive development of new business customers in assigned territory.
- Build and maintain relationships with key decision makers both technical and business focused within prospects and existing clients
- Work with sales support functions maintain accurate records of contacts and prospects utilizing the Company’s systems and procedures.
- Manage with the support of the Customer Success Managers, Customer Executive Sponsors, post-sale client relationships to maximize product extension sales to existing customers.
- Lead and undertake Sales activities from initial contact until sale closure.
- Arrange and lead technical and functional presentations to clients, support the customers business case in conjunction with product experts, strategic advisory team, and professional services.
- Maintain a solid knowledge of the Company’s underlying technology, the range of existing products and consulting services.
- Prepare detailed quotations and proposals that fully meet client expectations, as well as minimizing risk to the company.
- Follow Company procedures for quotation review.
- Present regular detailed reports to Management regarding Sales and Marketing activities and success rates.
- Represent the Company at trade shows, conferences, industry meetings and other avenues to initiate sales of the Company’s products.
- Analyze competitor activities and provide feedback into marketing strategies and product development.
Required skills/experience include:
- Proven track record of selling complex SaaS enterprise applications into an insurance industry vertical (ideally within the Nordic region).
- A high level of energy and commitment, proven ability to create and close opportunities within a defined territory.
- An understanding of the dynamics, market drivers and regulatory challenges in the four countries and how changes will affect Guidewire’s customers and prospects.
- Track record in both winning new name business and managing existing accounts. The role is 70% new business, 30% add-on sales working with long (up to 3 years sometimes) and complex sales cycles with multiple decision makers
- Proven ability to tie client business needs / plans to the solution proposed in a compelling manner
- Be able to demonstrate a proactive nature, somebody who makes things happen – reluctant to take “no” for an answer
- Somebody who thinks through the situation draws up a series of potential actions and then executes the best option.
- Somebody who knows how to sell the “Value” of our solutions and support the fact that the customer must evaluate his/her business benefits against any implementation cost estimate
- Understand the impact, benefits, and cost structure to the customer of large core solution projects.
- Understand enterprise technology and the key challenges facing CIOs / CTOs at client firms
- Able to strike the right level of persistence at differing levels throughout a prospective client organization
- Fit in comfortably into a team environment, the multi-faceted nature of the opportunities requires strong teamwork and collegiality in decision making.
- An ability to quickly become an autonomous leader in the territory he/she will manage, well recognized as such by customers, partners, and his/her peers.
- Experience of working with strategic partners and system integrators.
- Ability to analyze market trends and business data to identify new market potential.
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