VP Solutions, Strategic Accounts

Overview

As a Calix VP Solutions focused on Calix’s Strategic Accounts (Tier 1 & 2), you will lead a team of solutions business architects and solution sellers to work with existing account teams to target and sell Calix’s software solutions to the Tier 1 and 2 customer segment including current and prospective customers globally with a focus on the Americas. The Calix software portfolio consists of the Broadband Service Provider Platform (BSPP) which delivers a set of capabilities that enable the management of a network, subscriber experiences and subscriber engagement.

Calix is a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment where you will be empowered to sell business applications solutions and be set up for success. Our goal is to build an organization of smart, ambitious cloud software sales executives, committed to our mission and focused on winning, and able to balance this with a respectful, healthy environment and lifestyle. At Calix, integrity and reliability are as important as talent and effort.

• As a VP of Solutions you will be responsible for multiple sales teams selling to new Tier 1 & 2 accounts along with established Calix customers. Primarily, you will be responsible for ensuring the Solutions Team has all the tools necessary to deliver on the ambitious business goals Calix has set for them. You will also work with Calix Product and Marketing Leadership to provide critical field input to help define the next generation of analytics-based cloud solutions at Calix as we blaze a new trail in next-generation business applications. You will also play a key role on the Solutions Leadership Team. You will be expected to provide leadership on our BSPP, Premises and AI solutions as we blaze a new trail into next-generation business applications.
• 1.Meet and exceed established sales goals
• Participate in the development and setting of annual and quarterly goals and lead your team to exceeding those goals.
• 2.Overseethe execution of your team
• Ensure that the team is responding to internal and external customers including critical enterprise partner relationships. Collaborate with account team sales leaders to bring subject matter expertise, strategy and support for customer engagements.
• 3.Support Sales and Bid Activity
• Contribute to bid strategy, win themes, and differentiators based on the latest AI technologies (e.g. GenAI, LLMs, computer vision, NLP, predictive modeling).
• 4.Co-lead the development of business and account planning
• Work with Account Teams to ensure that account and business plans achieve the objectives of the business.
• 5.Coach, Lead and Recruit
• Leverage your sales leadership experience to coach, develop and motivate the team as sales solutions professionals and to plan and hire as our needs grow.

• 8+ years of sales management experience
• Proven experience in pre-sales or client-facing architecture roles involving AI, data science, or analytics
• Track record of leading teams who have over-achieved quota (top 10-20% of company)
• In depth understanding of cloud enabled business solutions with a specific focus on Communications Service Providers
• Experience managing complex sales cycles from business champion to the CEO/CFO/CMO level
• 10+ years of quota carrying software or technology sales or pre-sales and account management experience
• Experience managing and closing complex sales-cycles and ownership of all aspects of territory management
• Candidates must be competitive, cooperative, collaborative and work well with customers both internal and external
• Strong computer skills, including Salesforce.com, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel

• Strong collaboration
• Clear communication
• Instills trust
• Natural storytelling ability
• Organization
• Accountability

• Experience in software/SaaS solutions and leading a team are required.
• Comprehensive understanding of how to identify customer value and align the sales cycle to the customer’s business and technical objectives for Tier 1 communications service providers.
• Ability to negotiate an executive level commercial/procurement cycle.
• Proven track record and experience in solving business challenges in an enterprise environment either as a technologist or as a consultant to telecommunications.
• Previous sales methodology training (Value Selling, Challenger, SPIN).

• Bachelor or University Degree Strongly Preferred