JOB DESCRIPTION

How You Will Contribute: 

Reporting to Senior Director, as an Accounts Director, you will be responsible to position the sales of Ciena solutions in Government Sector, working closely with the existing sales team. The individual will be responsible for positioning Ciena’s leadership in packet optical, packet networking, advanced services, as well as articulating Ciena Unique value proposition.

This opportunity will be well suited to an individual who is motivated by developing new sales opportunities. The Individual will be responsible for:

• CIENA sales to one of the most significant segments and region within the CIENA customer base. 
• Overall account management including the creation and execution of the strategic account plan, goal obtainment and revenue growth. 
• Lead overall account strategy and matrix management of sales, services and other resources to ensure value-added benefits and deeper/wider reach into the customer. 
• Driving on-site customer engagements, managing executive and Working level relationships
• Leading Existing project fulfilment working closely with delivery and services organization. 
• Should take a consultative approach to selling and work toward a trusted advisor status serving as the executive contact across the customer on behalf of CIENA, communicating CIENA s unique value. 
• Set the account strategy that drives new CIENA revenue through the ownership and implementation of an actionable, business-outcome based account plan.
• Help develop strategic joint go to market plans and helps in developing and growing successful partnerships with these customers.
• Manage tactical business while investing in larger, longer term strategic opportunities.
• Maintain high touch & trusted advisor status with the customer establishing trust.
• Maintain operational command of the business through forecast accuracy and demand generation.
• Act as an inspired leader for a large extended team of direct/virtual resources to ensure consistent and effective team engagement and ensuring optimal usage of resources across management, supporting and partner organizations
• Prioritize various sales opportunities.
• Responsible for weekly status/progress and forecast reports
• Work with extended Ciena team, including Executive team, product marketing, product management, and sales operations to achieve sales and revenue objectives
• Thorough understanding of Ciena products and future portfolio

What Does Ciena Expect of You? 

• You’re a proven relationship builder – you know how to build trusted and long-term customer relationships quickly. 
• Proven sales expertise – you know how to readily identify new business opportunities, close the deal and effectively manage regional, large and strategic accounts.   
• Collaborator – you possess the ability to lead, direct and collaborate with global teams in a highly matrixed and cross-functional environment.   
• Agility – you are readily able to manage competing and ever-changing account priorities and maintain a balanced and methodical approach to problem solving. 
• Business acumen – you will have detailed knowledge of Ciena’s products, the competitive landscape and an in-depth understanding of sales cycle and stage requirements. 
• Communication expertise – you can effectively tailor a message/articulate a value proposition to an audience to enable engagement at all levels of an organization, i.e., able to communicate a good blend of technology/networking trends, as well as an understanding of customer priorities and business outcome objectives as well as the business value of Ciena solutions. 
• The ability to influence – you’re capable of working with internal stakeholders to drive decision-making and strategic thinking, and with external stakeholders to influence the adoption of Ciena solutions. 
• A commitment to learning – you keep abreast of the market and competition and use that information to Ciena’s advantage. 

The Must Haves: 

• Business or Science/Engineering degree in a technical field or equivalent experience
• Proven track record in winning Government and Public Sector telecom Business.
• Sound understanding of government policies that impact the business.
• Good relationships and understanding of partner ecosystem relevant for govt business.
• Extensive experience in Sales, Presales, system sales or system engineering or product management
• Demonstrated knowledge of the competitive landscape and the regional business market 
• Effective communicator (executive presence, synthesized messaging (+) strong written/verbal/visual/video/social skills)
• Track record of closing multi-million dollar deals, including positioning solutions, developing comprehensive pricing & commercial strategies, and negotiating contracts
• Proven ability to identify, understand, and manage relationships and decision-making processes across complex organizations
• Drive Sales activities requiring Techno-commercial presentations at all levels of Ciena and client organization
• Drive responses to RFPs, RFIs and quotes
• Strong background in Optical and Data Networking and telecom operator service offerings and requirements

Assets: 

• MBA and/or advanced technical degree
• Proven understanding of markets, including market segmentation and enterprise business. 
• Demonstrated understanding of regional and/ or major account sales and ability to think strategically about new business opportunities, coupled with the ability to make sound – and tough – judgment calls
• Keen awareness of market intelligence with respect to competitors – in India and globally
• Budgetary assessment and planning experience to enable succinct forecasting at weekly. monthly and quarterly intervals as required
• Management and leadership skills to drive activities to achieve business objectives
• Ability to prioritize, organize and operate in a fast moving, aggressive environment
• Excellent analytical, collaborative and communications skills
• Highly motivated, ability to handle many competing priorities within multiple accounts.
• Willingness to travel frequently.