Ensono is a leading, large-scale provider of mainframe and infrastructure services serving mid-tier to large enterprise clients. The Gartner Group says that, “Ensono is one of the top three mainframe services providers and a top ten provider of data center outsourcing services in North America… helping clients transform to a more standardized, and ultimately, cloud-based delivery”

Ensono recently spun out of a larger entity (Acxiom) whose core business plan did not include infrastructure and IT services. Ensono is now operating under new ownership as a new, independent entity that is fully focused on IT infrastructure services and dedicated to growing these services and the client base that enjoys them. Our company and community is one that focuses on philosophy of we win together. The right candidate will have a true partnership with all pillars of our business as we work as a team to grow.

What you will do:
The VP, Sales must have a proven track record selling “as-a-service” complex technology offerings that include managed services, public cloud, mainframe, security and outsourcing.  He/she will have accountability for the creation of new bookings as well from the acquisition of new clients through consultative engagement process.    He/she must be highly motivated and have the ability and desire to run their self-functioning sales unit by partnering with Sales Engineering, Operations, and Marketing within the business.

The candidate will be a strategic thinker and self-starter who is focused on creating solutions and solving business problems with a consultative sales approach, and be a multi-dimensional thinker who operates not only on the basis of important past experiences but with the incorporation of new approaches and developments that occur in the this fast-moving market.

The candidate also must possess strong presentation skills and be able to communicate professionally in written responses to emails, RFPs, and reports.  As a key leader in the Ensono Sales team, they will ensure proper execution for the lifecycle of a deal establishing sound relationships with internal stakeholders and client executives. 

Key activities include:

• Proactively identify new revenue opportunities and relationships to drive account and revenue growth
• Create new and sustain existing senior relationships
• Promote and drive client relationships by providing thought leadership and consultation on the alignment of client business needs to Ensono and partner products and services
• Ability to partner in a cross-functional model with Sales Engineering, Marketing, and Product
• Drive contract negotiations for new and existing business in partnership with Legal
• Work closely with Sales Engineering and the customer on solution, value, and pricing scenarios
• Responsible for developing and delivery of prospective client proposals
• Represent Ensono at field events such as conferences, seminars, etc.
• Communicate information effectively to diverse audiences, internal and external to the company, recognizing business and product terms and value
• Challenge the current thinking, assumptions, and status quo to drive results and innovation
• Recruit, train, and grow account executive team
• Successfully run business with Sales Operations and SFDC framework

What you will need:

• A minimum of 15 years of sales leadership
• A minimum of 10 years of selling technology/managed service solutions
• Must be organized, analytical, creative and adaptive.
• A proven track record of both achieving and over-achieving goals in past sales positions
• Significant experience and discipline in managing, reporting and accurately forecasting sales pipelines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent teamwork capabilities.
• Experience in managing and closing complex sales opportunities
• Proven success in managing clients with multiple lines of business
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct line authority.
• Experience in working with managed services, hosting, mainframe, security and outsourcing is a must.
• Ability to serve in a consultative role as it relates opportunity development
• Broad relationship development and people networking experience.
• Ability to cultivate and strengthen strong client relationships with senior business and IT staff members.
• Ability to technically consult with C-level executives within client environment.
• Demonstrated experience at increasing deal close rates, utilizing a structured qualification process with identifying customer compelling events
• Candidates must be able to articulate technology and product positioning from a business perspective in addition to creating and maintaining relationships with the clients and vendors.

The VP, Sales will work directly for the SVP of North American Field Operations and be a member of the senior management team at Ensono.

What will set you apart:

• 15+ years experience in sales leadership and talent development
• Experience in IT infrastructure transformation engagements
• Mastery of legacy IT such as IBM mainframe and mid-range with linkage to modern platforms like public cloud
• Located in the Chicagoland area
• Team leader who can attract top sales talent
• Existing relationships and contacts that will drive a robust pipeline

Travel:
Travel to various client sites will be frequent; estimate 50% of weeks will involve travel.  Travel will be mostly Central region of U.S..