Regional Sales Lead
Avanade · Amsterdam ·
- Seniority
- Lead
- Category
- Sales
- Experience
- 10+ years
At Avanade, we believe in making a genuine human impact in everything we do. We transform businesses and help our clients envision new paths forward; we uncover ways technology can improve the way we work and live; and provide opportunities for our people to leave the world better than we found it.
For more than two decades, we’ve tapped into the power of our people and cutting-edge Microsoft technology to deliver business-critical technology capabilities to thousands of organisations around the world. Our deep expertise and relentless commitment to client success is the reason we are Microsoft’s #1 global partner. We’re also driven by an innovative spirit and a growth mindset, and we value leaders who can bring the best out in our people and nurture their careers while inspiring excellence for our clients and one another.
Role Overview
Avanade operates globally across geographic Regions; each Region has a community of sales professionals who are accountable for identifying, qualifying and developing business opportunities which connect the full breadth and depth of Avanade’s market-leading capabilities and solutions with the business and technology needs of our clients, seizing the market opportunity for Avanade.
Our sales professionals are often the first point of contact for clients and bring critical market-facing and competitive insights into Avanade’s business to ensure that we collectively focus on high quality, differentiated, client-specific value propositions. Our Sales teams are accountable for owning and driving Avanade’s ambitious sales growth, bringing Avanade’s Integrated Go-to-Market (IGTM) approach to life for clients, within each of our Regions.
Practices are where Avanade’s employees are ‘homed’. The Regional Sales Practice is where Avanade’s in-region selling professionals and sales-focused employees are homed. Working closely with the Global Practice Lead, the Regional Sales Practice works in alignment with Avanade's global strategic business and sales priorities, with an emphasis on creating and supporting an engaged community of expert, high-performance selling and sales-focused professionals who have access to ongoing skills, capability and career development. Having a dedicated, engaged Regional Sales Practice will foster a community of sales professionals who are highly motivated and capable to drive ambitious business growth while ensuring excellent client business outcomes, bringing the ‘voice of the customer’ into Avanade.
The Benelux Regional Sales Lead has responsibility for leading our overall sales organisation and targets, including the sales teams and sellers for the Benelux region (Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg), owning the local relationship with the regional Accenture Microsoft Business group Sales Lead and the regional Microsoft executives.
Benelux as a region is a very important part of Avanade’s European business with impressive growth rates for both sales and revenues with favourable market conditions and a strong presence across all three geographic markets.
The position is a member of the Benelux Leadership team and European Sales Leadership team and will have the influence and scope to ensure that Avanade is ideally positioned for successful growth over the long term.
This role will provide expert guidance, support and oversight to the regional sales activities and work towards a high level of consistency in the design, execution and efficiency of sales. The role requires a thought leader with a growth mindset, able to transform and develop the existing sales capabilities, positioning Avanade as an innovator for customers and the ability to develop and grow long term, high value customer relationships at Executive level.
Key to this will be a demonstrative understanding of our business, managed services and the consulting eco-system. As a solutions based business we also want to see a leader who has driven cross-solution selling and exhibits an instinctive approach to client challenges that culminates in solution orchestration for mid-market customers.
The Benelux Regional Sales Lead role requires a track record in developing and growing high performance sales teams in local markets whilst working as part of a wider team; demonstrating and role modelling team player behaviours.
A strategic outlook will assist the ideal profile in the navigation of a “new normal”, both for Avanade and its client and partner ecosystem. A strong orientation towards execution will also be required, to lead Sales will be involved with key customers and big deals as Executive Sponsor or Deal strategist. A combination of hands-on strategic deal and client relationship experience, together with gravitas and impact, will drive continuous value for the organisation's top clients. This individual will be entrepreneurial and results oriented and will contribute to the overall business.
In summary:
A highly credible commercial leader with a proven track record in consulting-led growth, managed services, sales origination and executive stakeholder management. This individual will accelerate growth across the Enterprise, Corporate and Medium Business markets in Benelux, strengthen Avanade's market position, and connect consulting, sales, solutioning and delivery into a single growth engine that delivers sustainable client and business outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Sales Strategy & Planning
Responsible for regional planning, pipeline development, complex channel management, strategic deal shaping, bid management, and ongoing sales effectiveness program implementation, as well as the development and management of various sales reporting processes
Work in partnership with the local Client Group Leaders who are responsible for the industry portfolio of clients
Build, manage, and orchestrate GTM and sales efforts with both regional MSFT and Accenture CF/AMBG
Articulate an inspiring sales vision and strategy for the region working with Client Group Leads and Integrated Go to Market Lead
Develop business growth plans including annual growth plans and sales target/quota plans
Work in partnership with the Region General Manager and Accenture/Microsoft leaders to agree on the sales territory to target (both direct and indirect)
Support the development of region growth plans across all Business Groups in partnership with Region BG Leads and translate into quota plans
Promote and drive best practices in business development and selling
Drive Sales Performance
Manage and assess performance of regional practice members, in line with agreed plans and KPIs, working closely with Client Group Leadership
Operate as a sales leader and coach to drive a set of specific deals and mentor to pursuit teams across the region
Define and align region practice workforce needs and plans with Global and Area Sales Leadership, Regional Business Leadership
Pro-actively work with Client Account, and Line of Business/Play Leads to identify, qualify, and prioritize opportunities that will drive sales and revenues and align on seller deployment
Foster a high-performance culture encompassing both the immediate sales team and the broader sales community
Practice Leadership and Growth of the Region Sales Practice
Define, align (with Global, Area Sales Leaders, Global Practice Lead and Regional Business Leadership), implement, and evolve regional sales practice development strategy to ensure the region has market leading capabilities, in line with agreed Global, Area, Regional key KPIs for the Sales Practice community
Incorporate global/area practice priorities into regional practice priorities, cascade to region practice team members and provide feedback loop upwards to global
Work closely with the Regional Sales Practice Champions to advocate strongly for the Regional Sales Practice, building a thriving and engaged sales community
Leverage GTM assets and resources
Ensure best practice leverage of GTM assets and resources across the Regional Sales Practice to support sales success
Provide feedback on specific selling and delivery needs/support required in the region
Communicate practice-related trends and client feedback as input and contribution to global new/evolved assets and solutions
People & Culture
Accountable for sales compensation planning and assessment for the region
Act as the functional lead for sales professionals and lead and drive the sales practice Work closely with Area and Regional Business Leadership to develop talent plan and align on hiring sales talent, to meet business and market growth projections and ensure a robust, future ready workforce
Integrate company I&D strategy to optimize diverse community across the Regional Sales Practice, working closely with Regional TA and Area I&D team
Working closely with Area Sales Enablement, Global Sales Practice Lead and Regional Sales Practice Champion, execute practice-specific skill/capability development plan within the region to ensure regional practice practitioners have the skills required to deliver sales growth and success in Region
Work closely with Area Sales Enablement, Global Practice Lead and L&D team to ensure the right practice capabilities and capacity are available to meet regional needs and learn from other Regional Sales Practice Leads
Identify, communicate, and resolve challenges in the ongoing development of the skills and capabilities of the Regional Sales Practice, working closely with Global Practice Lead, Area Sales Leadership and Regional Leadership team
Leverage career development pathways to help region practitioners broaden their skills and experience, undertake new roles, and secure promotion
Foster the network connection to Avanade's Communities of Practice
Build Avanade's culture for growth within the sales team in the region, drive Avanade’s I&D agenda, promote wellbeing, and bring the EVP to life
Key Performance Indicators
1) Owned KPIs
Sales Targets
Pipeline Growth
Channel mix target
Type of work target (tracked today)
Cost of Sale
Sold CCI
Sales Mix (LOB, BG, SA)
Direct Sales Growth in the Microsoft Majors
% Growth in Accenture Penetration (Diamonds & Foundation)
% Growth in New Business
Headcount Management per agreed plans
Voluntary Attrition
Employee Engagement
Inclusion, Diversity & Wellbeing
2) Shared KPIs
Sales growth in prioritized industries
Partner Sales Targets
Size and shape of Regional Sales Practice
Sales capability development
.
Preferred Skills, Behaviours and Qualifications
Competencies
Leads Others: Drives Vision & Purpose, Develops Talent
Transforms the Business: Demonstrates Strategic Mindset, Cultivates Innovation
Runs the Business: Plans & Aligns, Drives Results
Builds Our Culture: Client Focus, Instills Trust
Knowledge, Skills and Ability
Senior executive leadership, excellent communication skills, strong sales and sales leadership track record, and the ability to influence executive stakeholders, internally and externally
Ability to build a thriving sales culture, drive employee engagement, strengthen inclusion and diversity, reduce attrition, attract and retain top talent in the sales practice
Market-focused with a growth mindset
Ability to collaborate effectively in a highly matrixed company to deliver sales results regionally
Track record in selling and closing large complex deals
Sales Leadership of senior sales professionals and sales coaching ability to support both sellers and deals. Ability to mentor pursuit teams
Capacity to demonstrate persistence and resilience when confronted with obstacles
Strategic deal and client relationship experience, gravitas, and impact to drive continuous value for the organizations’ top clients
Entrepreneurial approach to developing innovative ideas to stretch the organization
Expertise in working at CXO level on selling and influencing large-scale systems integration, consulting or outsourcing decisions
Possess an entrepreneurial mindset, a strong focus on achieving results, and exhibits a proactive approach that will contribute to the overall success of the business
Profound expertise in technology and solutions, along with a proven track record of operating within intricate settings, collaborating with major partners like Microsoft and Accenture
Collaborative negotiating style capable of effecting change and driving results and experience working in a matrixed and fast paced, growing organization
Education, Certificates and Experience
Education and/or experience in the relevant field/business
Likely has 10 + years’ experience in Sales such as Solutions Sales or Management Consulting, and relevant experience in a sales leadership role, ideally in Global technology consulting/professional services organizations.
Experience building or scaling a sales organization within a region, hitting financial targets, owning budgets, coaching shaping, developing and leading sales professionals
Deep experience in understanding complex matrixed organizations and developing successful collaboration plans across organizations to deliver business growth
.