Senior Lead Account Executive - Financial Services

The CenturyLink Sr. Lead Account Executive is responsible for uncovering opportunities to penetrate net new accounts within the Financial Services vertical (FNSV). The primary focus of the account executive is to develop a strong presence in a competitive landscape (i.e.: Cloud, ITO, Colocation Solution) while achieving profitability and performance standards. The Account Executive is considered a master in his/her profession, requiring essentially no oversight from management and can be trusted to assist less experienced professionals.

Position Summary:

• Prospects on a continual basis to identify, qualify, and close high quality net new business/new logo.

• Achieve or exceed monthly revenue targets to achieve CenturyLink profitability.

• Ensure and maintain minimum funnel goals are met or exceeded.

• Strategically leads internal resources to develop and execute successful pursuit plan.

Essential duties:

• Lead all prospecting and sales-related activities within an assigned territory of prospective strategic enterprise accounts to grow net new revenue and new bookings

• Utilize professional networks, relationships within customers, and other industry forums to create new opportunities/prospects

• Build insightful and influential champions and coaches within accounts to help identify and qualify opportunities in complex environments

• Effectively qualify opportunities (in or out) to ensure greatest return on time and resource investment across territory (financial state/budget, propensity to outsource, etc.)

• Use an effective consultative approach to create highly differentiated solutions that establish CenturyLink as a strategic business partner

• Effectively leverages internal resources at multiple levels within CenturyLink and the customer to build the best solution for customer

• Fully understand the customer’s decision process and create a formal trial closing process to ensure deal closure in a complex environment

• Creates a methodical territory pursuit plan to achieve maximum profitability.

• Provide accurate forecasting and effectively balance opportunity development with prospecting activities

• Provide thought leadership related to building a compelling set of IT solution offerings for the assigned territory

• Identify, understand and solve any obstacles or objections to the successful sale of CenturyLink services

• Effectively transition newly acquired customers to post-sales internal organization

• Manage the CRM tool and provide weekly feedback on prospects and opportunities

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

• Minimum of 10 years of sales experience in Technology Services and 12+ years of business experience

• Demonstrated success in applying consultative selling techniques to opportunities

• Proven and verifiable track record in exceeding sales quotas

• Demonstrated ability to close large, complex managed services opportunities

• Demonstrated level of success in the development of client relationships

• Advanced knowledge of CTS offerings, products and services

• Existing industry relationships including partners, VARs, system integrators

• Existing C-level contacts in assigned territory market

• Experience selling into Buyside/Sellside

• Experience selling into Tier 1 and Tier 2 Banks

Demonstrated success in having sold one or more of the following:

• IT Infrastructure Services/ Outsourcing

• Application solutions

• Cloud solutions

• Managed Hosting

• Managed Security

• CDN

• Colocation

• Consulting/Professional Services

Candidate Profile:

• Exudes high level of personal enthusiasm, energy and drive

• Opportunistic by nature

• Thrives on the quest for new business

• Adaptable and flexible

• Enjoys solving problems and keeps long term goals in mind throughout process

Education/Certifications:

• Bachelor's degree preferred

• Technical sales certifications (VCP, Cisco, etc.) preferred

• Consultative or solutions selling training (Miller Heiman, Sandler, etc.)

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

About the Company

CenturyLink is an industry-leading provider of communications, high speed Internet and entertainment services from coast to coast.  Our combination of business and residential service solutions – including home and wireless voice solutions and digital television – provide innovative solutions to our customers.  CenturyLink is proud to be a participant in the U.S. General Services Administration Networx program, the largest communications services contract in the world.  CenturyLink offers you the opportunity to develop and cultivate your career as we lead the communications industry into the future.