Microsoft Strategic Account Manager 

Germany 

983237081

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Significant number of years experience in working in the industry of Telco and driving digital transformation
• Several years of customer relation with Deutsche Telekom incl. a brought network internal at the customer and outside in the partner network
• Deep and brought know-how in our AI, Copilot and security solutions
• Bachelor's or Master's Degree OR equivalent experience.
• Several years of experience making recommendations to and/or collaborating with mid-to-senior level executives.
• Many years of experience closing large, complex agreements/deals.
• Fluent German

Competitive Knowledge

• Leverages internal network of industry experts to strengthen knowledge of the industry (e.g., emerging trends), competitors (e.g., AWS, GCP) and customer business priorities (e.g., challenges, competitive landscape) and leverages in-depth knowledge of Microsoft's offerings (e.g., product landscape, solutions, strategy to address customer needs) to share knowledge internally, influence customers' business capabilities, drive more competitive solutions, and enhance growth of the account team.

Sales Excellence

• Orchestrates high-impact solutions that enable digital transformation for assigned accounts and drive outcomes that create business value for customers. Owns the development of strategies that showcase the value added by Microsoft's innovative cloud offerings and ideas grounded on a deep understanding of industry trends and based on account needs and customer's expectations. Brings greater ecosystem together with the customer to discuss how to enrich customer's value to their customers.
• Orchestrates the creation of long-term strategies aimed at building a level of loyalty that would be hard for competitors to overcome. Anticipates issues/risks on customer satisfaction, determines the root cause of problems, removes blockers, and establishes recovery action plan to improve customer's overall experience. Builds trust and loyalty with the customer by providing up-to-date insights, challenging the customer when necessary, and introducing innovative ideas relevant to the customer's business strategy. Enables customers to provide feedback directly to executives to help transform account space by establishing open communication channels for feedback, providing executive sponsorship, and providing direction to others to ensure customer feedback is addressed through One Microsoft approach.
• Leverages understanding of customer business and engages Microsoft decision makers to drive customer's strategy, goals, and optimization. Engages and influences decision makers of the account (e.g., senior leaders, executives) to position Microsoft to increase customer's budget allocated to Microsoft, and tailor solutions that satisfy customers' Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Account Management

• Manages the development and application of a mature/dynamic multi-year customer account plan based on proven methodologies to manage a sustainable, long-term business portfolio. Leads strategies for the assigned account that yield high-volume sales and open new opportunities for both Microsoft and the partners, aligned to goals, budgets, and forecasts.
• Proactively solicits feedback on additional needs, products, and features to develop targeted strategies for customers. Demonstrates a understanding of the customer's business model to articulate growth opportunities, leveraging industry experience to shape ecosystem. Influences relevant (internal and external) stakeholders and resources to drive change on behalf of the customer and to enhance team capabilities, improve Microsoft offerings, and adapt Microsoft's messaging to the assigned account.
• Proactively solicits feedback on additional needs, products, and features to develop targeted strategies for customers. Demonstrates a understanding of the customer's business model to articulate growth opportunities, leveraging industry experience to shape ecosystem. Influences relevant (internal and external) stakeholders and resources to drive change on behalf of the customer and to enhance team capabilities, improve Microsoft offerings, and adapt Microsoft's messaging to the assigned account.

Customer Engagement

• Proactively develops a comprehensive understanding of customer's business needs, priorities, strategies, and industry insights. Anticipates customer's needs to deliver new insights on their business strategy, and educate customers on ways to address them jointly. Shows long-term differentiated value for the customer, leveraging industry experience and guides internal colleagues on ways to develop deeper customer knowledge. Delivers solutions into overall long-term business strategy.
• Proactively elevates stakeholder relationships and uses Microsoft sales strategies through multiple levels of the customer's organization to secure buy-in and execution. Expands strategic customer relationships to drive larger impact for the customer and spread into other areas of the organization.

Strategic Thinking

• Articulates Microsoft's and partners' point of view and creates deep connections with decision makers throughout multiple levels of the customers' organization to drive purchase decisions and increase interaction and participation, leveraging relevant tools and resources (e.g., LinkedIn). Leverages relationships to address complex political blockers and drive execution for the customer.
• Leverages unique, strategic, industry-focused business insights and opportunities to create long-term, competitive advantage for the customer.
• Engages in strategic discussions by articulating ideas to evolve and facilitate evolution of customer business model, using Microsoft capabilities to solve customer's complex business problems. Drives strategic initiatives to promote a more holistic digital approach between Microsoft and the customer.