Senior Strategic Pursuit Lead

BE PART OF BUILDING THE FUTURE. What do NASA and emerging space companies have in common with COVID vaccine R&D teams or with Roblox and the Metaverse?  The answer is data, -- all fast moving, fast growing industries rely on data for a competitive edge in their industries. And the most advanced companies are realizing the full data advantage by partnering with Pure Storage. Pure’s vision is to redefine the storage experience and empower innovators by simplifying how people consume and interact with data. With 11,000+ customers including 58% of the Fortune 500, we’ve only scratched the surface of our ambitions .  Pure is blazing trails and setting records: For eight straight years, Gartner has named Pure a leader in the Magic Quadrant  Our customer-first culture and unwavering commitment to innovation have earned us a certified Net Promoter Score in the top 1% of B2B companies globally Industry analysts and press applaud Pure’s leadership across these dimensions And, our 4,000+ employees are emboldened to make Pure a faster, stronger, smarter company as we go If you, like us, say “bring it on” to exciting challenges that change the world, we have endless opportunities where you can make your mark. Job Role and Responsibilities Reporting to the regional Strategic Pursuits Director, as a core member of the PureSPP team the Senior Strategic Pursuit Leader will provide a dynamic support function to the regional Sales organization and extended Pure business, focusing primarily on delivering commercial and financial modelling and expertise to identified strategic pursuits. This role centres on developing close working relationships with Field Sales, multiple key Business Units and key strategic customers. In addition, as a business function, the Senior Strategic Pursuit Leader will focus on the development and distribution of commercial strategy and collateral for subscription-based products/solutions. Strategic Pursuit Lead primary responsibility will be working with our sales teams to accurately model and analyze the commercials and financials associated with our strategic bids and pursuits. This includes discussion with Senior management and customer engaging to explore options with the aim to create a win-win success story. The modelling necessitates thorough understanding of TCO concepts and commercial builds maximizing, deep experience of commercial and financial solutions in complex solutions. Pure Strategic Pursuit Practice The Strategic Pursuit Lead will be the single point project manager for all aspects of the pursuit from kick-off through contract signing, using consistent Strategic Pursuit Practice (SPP) methodologies to accelerate and close larger, strategic opportunities for Pure. This role will drive the momentum of the pursuit, leading all members of the pursuit team to make certain that deliverables are met, duties are shared appropriately, and enthusiasm and motivation remain high. A critical success requirement for this role will be, within the complex pursuit framework, to lead team members and stakeholders in developing and executing a successful pursuit plan. Key Responsibilities • Assist and advise field sales teams on the structure of complex deals while using the pricing thresholds, existing analysis tools, and rules of engagement to drive the appropriate approvals with internal stakeholders and partners. • Champion/coordinate bid specific T&Cs/pricing internally (approvers, Revenue, Legal, Deal Desk) • Understand and develop Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) modeling to promote and underpin the Pure differentiators • Provide strategic opportunity value propositions including pricing options and related tactical customer-facing recommendations and presentations. • Provide analysis and insight into customers' current investment, helping sales teams to identify new opportunities and secure existing ones. • Provide insight and advice for contract structures, terms, and conditions. • Co-develop negotiation strategy with field sales determining give to get strategy etc. • Orchestrate customer proposal slide deck, summary of the offer highlighting both the business and financial benefits to create a compelling and salient value proposition. • Provide potential up-sell and cross-sell opportunity best practice at prospectus/proposal stages. • Proactively consider and recommend improvements to large deal eco-system (process, pricing). • Partner in development of commercial strategy and term sheets by aiding in research of customers spend history, renewals, and prior contract analysis. • Scope deal structure and develops commercial pricing models with associated stakeholders Be the go-to person for large strategic pursuits where sales teams across International require detailed financial analysis and/or complex modelling support. • Lead a cross-functional pursuit team from the start of pursuit, conceptualizes and executes win strategy, pricing strategy and sales / relationship strategy for the pursuit. S/He briefs senior management team at appropriate junctures during the pursuit and facilitates strategic pursuit decisions to improve win ratio. • Participate and lead in Account Planning Sessions for Strategic Pursuits. • Participate in the PureSPP Business Management processes. • Be the voice of the field sales to Pure corporate to continually improve and ensure successful outcomes. • Enthusiastic self-starter with an outgoing personality, comfortable working both independently and in a team setting. • Strong customer facing and relationship building skills, coupled with excellent listening and inquisitive selling skills. • Create a focused plan for a pursuit, highlighting use of SPP resources, various channels, large deal team resources, commercial strategy, win themes, etc. to win the deal. • Understand and potentially lead Business Value Selling or equivalent Solution Selling discussion to develop winning sales strategies. • Oversee the development of documents required for review/governance checkpoints and manage pursuit risks and issues. Escalate issues, risks and conflicts that need to be mitigated. • Manage communications and performance against process milestones. • Provide sales teams and leadership with deal options and impact analyses to drive winning strategies for the customer and for Pure. • Manage deal engagements across International, creatively structure and model deals and support internal approvals for them. • Close engagement and collaboration with sales teams to understand the intricacies of a pursuit and develop competitive and sustainable options for success. • Understand common deal patterns and drive pricing and monetization strategies to win deals. • Execute the close down process (post pursuit) and hand-offs, including a win/loss review capturing knowledge to support enablement and future Pure pursuits. • Preferred understanding / appreciation of Bid Management and the associated programmatic approaches. Measurements of Success • % YoY Growth of Larger Deals > $2M in Territory • % YoY Number of Larger Deals > $2M in Territory • % YoY increase in Larger Deal Closure > $2M in Territory • % increase Rep Participation in Larger Deals > $2M in Territory Skills and Experience Required • 10+ years of combined IT sales, sales operations, or other customer facing experience. • Proven deal management, bespoke pricing or finance/Sales Ops experience. • Proven experience with various contracting vehicles (e.g., Master Services Agreements, License Agreements, etc.). • Thorough Understanding of P&L economics and ability to analyze and take measures. • Experience with procurement and licensing models such as XaaS (Subscription). • Strategic thinker & analytic problem solver with the ability to break down complex problems in a simplified way. • Experience and demonstrable success with Solution Selling techniques including Business Value Selling. • Creative with the ability to develop and run analytical models to test out and refine the various strategies we may be considering. • Customer facing negotiation/presentation experience with value selling focus. • Project and Program Management Skills with experience in estimation, planning, design, and implementation of business and IT efforts. • Business Leadership Skill with a strong, team-oriented leadership mentality. Able to frame and confront issues and make tough decisions. • Strong communicator equally adept at communications strategy and execution, with the ability to craft a full range of clear, high-impact communications. • Ability to communicate in an open and authentic manner in all situations • Ability to establish and build close working relationships. • Strong personal credibility and counselling skills. Team-oriented planner, decision-maker and able to creatively drive consensus • Strong analytical and critical thinker with the ability to solve complex problems • Excellent business modeling skills • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, strong ability to mine data and ensure modeling is driven by facts to the maximum extent possible • University Degree or equivalent business experience BE YOU—CORPORATE CLONES NEED NOT APPLY. Pure is where you ask big questions, think differently, and make an impact. This is not just a job, but a place where you have a voice and can accelerate your career. We value unique thoughts and celebrate individuality, and with ample opportunity to learn, develop yourself, and expand into different roles, joining Pure is an investment in your career journey. Through our Pure Equality program, which supports a flourishing field of employee resource groups, we nourish the personal and professional lives of our team members. And our Pure Good Foundation gives back to local and global communities through volunteering and grants. And because we understand the value of bringing your full and best self to work, we offer a variety of perks to manage a healthy balance, including flexible time off, wellness resources, and company-sponsored team events. PURE IS COMMITTED TO EQUALITY. Research shows that in order to apply for a job, women feel they need to meet 100% of the criteria while men usually apply after meeting about 60%. Regardless of how you identify, if you believe you can do the job and are a good match, we encourage you to apply. Pure is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or any other characteristic legally protected by the laws of the jurisdiction in which you are being considered for hire.  If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at TA-Ops@purestorage.com . APPLICANT & CANDIDATE PERSONAL INFORMATION PRIVACY NOTICE. If you're wondering how or why Pure collects or uses information you provide, we invite you to check out our Applicant & Candidate Personal Information Protection Notice . 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