Vertical Sales Lead, Public Sector

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Sales Execution: Execute D-Wave's sales strategy within the Americas region to drive new business in the public sector. You will identify opportunities to propose Quantum Optimization solutions utilizing D-Wave products and services, and effectively communicate D-Wave’s vision, strategy, and product capabilities to customers, including quantifying the value customers can expect to receive from our solutions. 
• Team Leadership: Build, mentor, and motivate a high performing account team, including cross-functional internal resources and external partner contacts, to pursue opportunities to land into new accounts, and expand business in existing accounts. 
• Market Research & Analysis: Research potential public sector funding opportunities, including public sector initiatives, defense contracts, or innovation-related grants (e.g., energy, cybersecurity). Work with the team to prioritize the potential public sector engagements through direct sales, partnerships or resellers. Identify appropriate contract vehicles, program officers, etc. 
• Relationship Building with Program officers and Public Sector Contractors: Work as part of a cross-functional team to proactively engage with public sector contracting officials and program officers including participating at events, conferences, and meetings related to quantum innovation and public sector funding. Establish and cultivate relationships with decision makers and influencers to create business opportunities that align the company’s solutions with the customer’s needs and strategy. 
• Pipeline Building: Co-lead demand generation activities in the Americas targeting the public sector in partnership with our Marketing team, selecting target accounts, representing D-Wave at conferences, seminars, and other events, qualifying new leads, delivering product presentations, and developing proposals that result in a growing pipeline of new opportunities.  
• Customer Proposals: Quarterback cross-functional teams to create customer proposals including managing submissions to RFI/RFP and their lifecycle of activities. 
• Actively participate in capture activities including proposal reviews and business case development 
• Ensure the development and submission of white papers and RFI/RFP responses to proactively shape strategic opportunities. 
• Conduct after-action reviews for all pre and post proposal activities to document lessons learned and identify necessary adjustments to capture technique, strategy, and actions. 
• Grant Expertise: Understand & navigate the application process for public sector grants (federal, state) with experience teaming with external partners for public sector opportunities including grant and direct sales. 
• Deal Closing: Work with Sales Operations, Legal, Finance and Professional Services to prepare a contract packet for customer signature. Negotiate subscription services, professional services, financial terms, and legal terms with customer’s representatives from operations, IT, procurement and legal.  Address customer’s vendor qualification requirements such as information security reviews and customer references. Support the customer’s activities to establish D-Wave as a vendor in the customer’s procurement systems and issue the applicable documents such as the customer’s purchase order. 
• Customer Success: Co-lead the effort to select and position D-Wave products and services to meet individual customer needs by understanding their business challenges and creating value propositions tailored to their unique situation. 
• Quota Attainment: Drive your personal activities and your account teams to achieve and exceed your targets while accurately forecasting new bookings. 

YOU ARE:

• Someone with 15+ years of experience selling high value enterprise SaaS products and solutions in optimization applications, data analytics, or data science market categories in the public sector. 
• Prior exposure to classical optimization solutions such as ILOG CPLEX, Gurobi or equivalent is highly preferred. 
• A sales leader with experience growing bookings from past first customer to$5M+ yearly in an enterprise SaaS vendor. 
• Demonstrated successes in building an opportunity pipeline in the public sector. 
• A quarterback of fast-growing, solution-oriented, customer-focused, industry-savvy account teams with a proven track record in targeted value-based selling. 
• Existing relationships and network with public sector procurement officials and program managers are critical. Successful track record of maneuvering through public sector contracting process and knowledgeable of current acquisition trends and customer buying behaviors. Familiarity with online tools used by the Federal Government for solicitations 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical concepts to diverse audiences. 
• Intellectually curious, honest, with integrity and a passion for discovery and success.  
• College educated with an Engineering, Computer Science, or related STEM field degree. A specialization in Operations Research or similar optimization-focused studies is preferred. 
• Willing to travel frequently (up to 50%+), including some international travel in the Americas.  
• Security Clearance a plus, but not mandatory 

A D-WAVER'S DNA:

• We look at the future and say “why not”; we see possibilities where others see problems or routines. We show the way ahead and are committed to achieving ambitious goals. 
• We practice straight talk and listen generously to each other with empathy. We value different opinions and points of views. We ensure that we connect outside as well as inside to learn from others and inspire each other. 
• We hold ourselves accountable for delivering results. We make decisions and take responsibility, so that we can act and support each other. 
• As leaders, we motivate and engage our teams to go beyond what was originally thought possible, by developing our people and creating the conditions for them to grow and empower themselves through enabling and coaching.  

INCLUSION:

• We celebrate diverse perspectives to drive innovation in our pursuit. Our employees range from distinguished domain experts with decades of experience in their respective fields to bright and motivated graduates eager to make their mark. 
• Our diverse and innovative team will make you feel appreciated, supported and empower your career growth at D-Wave.