Community Sales Director, Japan

Our client

Our client is a fast growing, innovative and trusted provider of software that improves productivity and profitability for engineering, manufacturing and infrastructure industries. Our unique, resilient and open software platform allows subscribers to deliver sustainable performance with flexibility and agility to address evolving market requirements.

Why join 

First and foremost is their open and collaborative approach. It’s about providing an environment that encourages personal growth, and recognizes and rewards success. Our client offers a clearly different employment experience than other global organizations. They don’t place limits on what people can achieve.

General Responsibilities

The Community Sales Director Japan will lead a team of highly specialized Technical Account Managers professionals within the Japan organization. The Director will report to the Vice President Operations Japan. As such, he/she will lead the growth of new software subscription in Japan and will lead the direct business in the region.

Key responsibilities include:

• Meet and exceed regional team Net New ARR goals by leading and building a consultative selling sales team
• Lead, coach, and mentor a team of senior direct Technical Account Managers focused on generating Net New ARR with target Accounts in the Japan territory
• Understand the competitive PLM landscape and customer needs so he/she can effectively coach and lead the team and engage into strategic sales pursuits when needed
• Cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with strategic account customers
• Manage complex sales cycles from start to finish to new subscribers and expansion accounts
• Recruit the best talent and develop competence and excellence while continuously optimise team performance and building a bench of future talent
• Act as the operational sales engagement leader for the broader Japanese team
• Deliver operational excellence and measure and grow the sales pipeline in an organized and programmatic manner

Individual Profile Education:

Undergraduate University degree, preferably in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, or Economics MBA or graduate degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Economics or Engineering, or professional qualifications in Law or Finance are considered a major plus. Fluency in Japanese and English, both verbal and written mandatory.

Experience:

Considerable software sales management in an enterprise solution selling environment to the process industry

• Experience in managing fast growing software businesses in an ARR subscription environment both in Japan and the US
• Closing multi-year subscription deals of $5-10m in contract value
• Knowledgeable of Business Solutions and PLM in key industries such as Automotive, Aerospace & Defence, High-Tech Electronics, Medical Devices, and engineering in general
• Proven experience as a leader of a successful sales team
• Ability to establish CXO level relationships
• Track record of meeting/exceeding yearly goals
• Experience in enterprise business transformation solutions
• Experience selling solutions with alliance partners
• In-depth experience including RFI/RFP proposal strategy, management and response
• Strong contract negotiations and closing skills
• Knowledge of digital marketing and the tools and processes associated with building a strong pipeline
• Travel up to 50%
• Significant experience and demonstrated achievement in one or more of the following fields:
  • Management, Strategic sales, relationship, and account management experience at a major software organization, preferably on a global basis.
  • Senior level management responsibility within a major software firm.
  • Senior-level strategic consulting and/or strategy consulting to major organizations

Knowledge Base:

• Industry relationships - Established relationships within targeted industries (Automotive, Aerospace & Defence, High-Tech Electronics, Medical Devices, and engineering)
• Marketplace - A strong knowledge base of targeted industries
• Industry and technology insight - A deep understanding of the impact of the software and PLM software solutions on a firm's business
• Knowledge, understanding of the predominant business problems and process as well as people, firms, products, services and solutions that are most important to the targeted industries. Insights into emerging players and key trends in the PLM marketplace.

Professional Skills:

• Leadership - Strong management and leadership skills. Ability to motivate, assemble, direct, coach and coordinate teams, in different locations and from different parts of the assigned territory and organization as well as partner firms, engaged in multiple simultaneous sales initiatives
• Software Sales/Program/Budgetary Management - A strong background and proven track record in the construction of complex large-scale software subscription sales transactions
• Technology expertise - Strong appreciation and understanding of key current and emerging technologies, third party solutions and packaged software applications of importance to the global markets.

Personal Attributes:

• Possesses key leadership attributes: Strong personal conviction, vision, strong emotional bonds, inspirational, team orientated, risk taker, ability to drive a team to excel and be able to have difficult conversations when the team is not performing.
• Highly organized and disciplined with a self-starter attitude and the ability to work in a dynamic environment
• Have a proven track record in digging out business changing opportunities
• Know how to improve sales team pipeline/funnel close ratios in a B2B tech environment
• Stature and presence - the ability to interface with and command the attention and respect of senior industry executives.
• Strong communications skills, both written and oral, ability to present at senior customer level.
• Planning - Ability to develop, communicate and execute both tactical and strategic sales plans.
• Cultural sensitivity - Ability to bring together highly diverse teams to achieve superior results.
• Judgment - Ability to think and act independently and exhibit consistently sound business judgment and an action-oriented ability to take measured risks and take responsibility for the consequences.