Lead North America optical technical sales and business development teams to define strategy, create pipeline, influence product roadmaps, drive RFQ/RFP responses, craft technical customer solutions with account managers, and meet sales, order and margin targets while engaging customers and traveling across NAM.
The Head of Optical Technical Sales for the North America Market leads teams of Business Development & Engineering professionals to create the overall strategy, business pipeline, and develop opportunities for Nokia’s Opticals products. They will ensure their teams collaborate closely with Account Managers to craft compelling offers using innovative products, services, and solutions to solve customer problems and leverage their technical expertise to directly influence customer buying decisions. This position plays a key role in enabling the AI Supercycle by ensuring our differentiated fiber solutions continue to lead the market. The ability to engage with external clients, understand their business strategies, and position our cutting-edge solutions through presentations and demonstrations is fundamental to drive impactful results in this role.
Responsibilities- Represent the Optical business in the NAM Market as part of the NAM Market Leadership team
- Provide technical consulting and evaluate new strategic business opportunities, develop and enter new FN markets, and support product launches in conjunction with the Sales and Segment Leads
- Create and execute competitive attack plans
- Capture market and competitive feature requirements and push them into the Fixed Networks business division to influence roadmaps
- Stay current on evolving technology evolution and engage with Optical R&D to evaluate applications in portfolio and NAM market
- Regular business and roadmap reviews with Optical BU to insure alignment across portfolio and market dynamics
- Steer and approve the technical solutions adopted in customer offers in alignment with Sales teams
- Work in tandem with the Sales Leaders and Account managers to set the overall sales strategy and tune the value proposition to the specific customer needs
- Meets Orders, Sales and Sales Margin targets using commercial acumen and competitive knowledge while positioning Nokia solutions with the customer
- Responsible for technical RFQ answers related to the products and solutions. Uses this information to actively define a mid to long term account strategy in full alignment with the sales team.
- Use customer relationships to proactively influence content of RFPs
- Present and discuss proposed solutions with the customer, both during the prospect phases and the negotiation phases. Provides pre-sales technical expertise and market knowledge to solve customer business issues.
- Act as a trusted advisor to the customer and as a bridge between Nokia groups and stakeholders (account managers, consulting engineers, sales engineers, commercial management, etc.) to drive the opportunity from initial lead to successful award.
- Minimum of BA/BS degree or equivalent practical experience in the Telecommunications field. MS is preferred.
- 15 years+ experience in Pre-sales, Sales or Business Development role in Telecom, Service Provider, Data Center, or Enterprise SW firms
- Deep knowledge of the Optical networks market and competitive environment, both technically and commercially.
Travel:
- Up to 50% travel within North America is expected
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