IBM Z Lead Architect – Middle East & Africa

Job Description

Introduction
At IBM, work is more than a job - it's a calling: To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you've never thought possible. Are you ready to lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world's most challenging problems? If so, lets talk.
Your Role and Responsibilities
The world is in the midst of a digital transformation. IT leaders need a secure cloud platform to deliver insights to enrich customer experiences, protect data and exceed service expectations. As businesses adapt to capitalize on digital, trust is becoming the currency that drives this new economy.
As the IBM z Lead Pre Sales Architect, you will partner with customers, Business Partners, ISVs, our sales team and several other regional and global IBM teams to lead highly scalable, flexible and resilient IBM z architectures that address customers most pressing business problems and accelerate the adoption of IBM infrastructure, software and services on the platform.
Trust is why 44 of the top 50 banks and 90% of the largest airlines run on IBM Z mainframes - the most secure cloud platform on the planet. The world’s most trusted servers offer 100% encryption to protect data from internal and external threats. IBM mainframes deliver record uptime and 99.999% availability. Mainframes process billions of transactions on a single server with speeds 2.8x faster than competitors.
The IBM Z Lead Architect is a key and active member of our regional System technical sales organization for Middle East, Africa & Turkey. The role is based in Dubai and responsible to meet/exceed client expectations and key business measurements.
You will have the opportunity to help shape and execute a strategy to build mindshare and broad use of IBM z within enterprise customers. The ideal candidate must be self-motivated with a proven track record in software/technology pre-sales. The ability to connect technology with measurable business value is critical and you should also have a demonstrated ability to think strategically about business, products, and technical challenges.
Job Description
The ideal candidate is an experienced, passionate, and highly motivated team leader with a proven track record in IBM Z technology pre-sales. He/She is expected to be a creative problem solver, who is able to translate business requirements into a technical solution, exhibit drive to do things efficiently, and excel in a team environment.
The key objective is to drive revenue growth in collaboration with sales by helping the in country teams to craft highly scalable, flexible and resilient IBM Z architectures, and first of a kind (FOAK) solutions, that address customer business problems and accelerate the adoption of IBM hardware, software and services on the platform.
As the role model for the rest of the technical pre sales team, the candidate will also be responsible to strengthen the architectural thinking and capabilities of the and to lead our contemporary skills initiative and to fully support team members to achieve customer success.
Responsibilities
• Accountable for projects or programs involving multi-functional, country-wide, or regional teams
• Actively use social media channels to reach out to business connections, blog and spread platform news across the network
• Lead the IBM z contemporary skills initiative, strengthen the architectural thinking capabilities, share best practices and success from across the region and mange internal enablement sessions
• Connect technology with measurable business value and think strategically about business, products, and technical challenges
• Deliver new and complex high-quality solutions to clients in response to varying business requirements
• Help organizations understand best practices around advanced digital transformation and cloud-based solutions, and how to modernize existing workloads as a trusted customer advocate
• Identifying new revenue opportunities
• Influence client personnel and organizations, including executive management, when issues are complex/difficult and require considerable diplomacy
• Organize regional roadshows with substantial topics and agenda resonating with the target audience
• Partner with customers, BPs, ISVs, our sales team and several other regional and global IBM teams
• Provide the expert technical knowledge in the sale of highly complex large hardware and software solutions
• Review and Conduct Technical Delivery Assessments for solutions led by others in the region
• Stay up to date with the latest and greatest enhancements announced and added to the platform
• Uncover business requirements, develop a solution sales strategy, and create and effectively demonstrate solutions that address customer requirements
Required Technical and Professional Expertise
• Deep understanding the IBM z ecosystem
• Exhibit external eminence by speaking at events (IBM and non-IBM)
• Experienced Technical Sales profession with 10+ years of related experience in technical sales leadership roles and coaching IBM z architecture and solution sales required.
• Guide other professionals and assume overall technical responsibility for the success, the solution construction, implementation and system integration in IBM Z mainframe servers and software
• Have considerable latitude and responsibility to define and select tools, processes, priorities and resources necessary to manage, analyze, design and implement general business unit directives
• Have expert knowledge across multiple platforms, processes or architectures
• Knowledge of IBM Systems especially IBM Z and z/SW Portfolio software solutions.
• Passionate for technology. Constant and contagious desire to learn new technologies (e.g. Blockchain, Cognitive, Security) is required
• Recognized as an expert in his/her specialty and industry
• Remove all technical objections in the sales cycle
• Savvy in using collaboration tool
• Strong written communication skills
• Utilize high level analytical ability and creativity to analyze complex/new situations, anticipates potential problems and future trends, assesses opportunities, impacts and risks while developing and implementing plans and solution deliverables to customer problems
• Utilize in-depth knowledge of leading-edge products and technology in conjunction with industry and business skills to influence functional strategy
Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise
• Deep understanding the IBM z ecosystem
• Exhibit external eminence by speaking at events (IBM and non-IBM)
• Experienced Technical Sales profession with 10+ years of related experience in technical sales leadership roles and coaching IBM z architecture and solution sales required.
• Guide other professionals and assume overall technical responsibility for the success, the solution construction, implementation and system integration in IBM Z mainframe servers and software
• Have considerable latitude and responsibility to define and select tools, processes, priorities and resources necessary to manage, analyze, design and implement general business unit directives
• Have expert knowledge across multiple platforms, processes or architectures
• Knowledge of IBM Systems especially IBM Z and z/SW Portfolio software solutions.
• Passionate for technology. Constant and contagious desire to learn new technologies (e.g. Blockchain, Cognitive, Security) is required
• Recognized as an expert in his/her specialty and industry
• Remove all technical objections in the sales cycle
• Savvy in using collaboration tool
• Strong written communication skills
• Utilize high level analytical ability and creativity to analyze complex/new situations, anticipates potential problems and future trends, assesses opportunities, impacts and risks while developing and implementing plans and solution deliverables to customer problems
• Utilize in-depth knowledge of leading-edge products and technology in conjunction with industry and business skills to influence functional strategy
About Business Unit
IBM Systems helps IT leaders think differently about their infrastructure. IBM servers and storage are no longer inanimate - they can understand, reason, and learn so our clients can innovate while avoiding IT issues. Our systems power the world’s most important industries and our clients are the architects of the future. Join us to help build our leading-edge technology portfolio designed for cognitive business and optimized for cloud computing.
Your Life @ IBM
What matters to you when you’re looking for your next career challenge?
Maybe you want to get involved in work that really changes the world? What about somewhere with incredible and diverse career and development opportunities – where you can truly discover your passion? Are you looking for a culture of openness, collaboration and trust – where everyone has a voice? What about all of these? If so, then IBM could be your next career challenge. Join us, not to do something better, but to attempt things you never thought possible.
Impact. Inclusion. Infinite Experiences. Do your best work ever.
About IBM
IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that progress is made through progressive thinking, progressive leadership, progressive policy and progressive action. IBMers believe that the application of intelligence, reason and science can improve business, society and the human condition. Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are the largest technology and consulting employer in the world, with more than 380,000 IBMers serving clients in 170 countries.
Location Statement
For additional information about location requirements, please discuss with the recruiter following submission of your application.
Being You @ IBM
IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.