Data Solutions Sales Specialist

Job Title: Data Solutions Sales Specialist Company: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa Job Overview This role has been designed as ’Onsite’, with the expectation that you will primarily work from an HPE partner/customer office. Who We Are Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the global edge‑to‑cloud company advancing the way people live and work. We help companies connect, protect, analyse, and act on their data and applications wherever they live, from edge to cloud, so they can turn insights into outcomes at the speed required to thrive in today’s complex world. Our culture thrives on finding new and better ways to accelerate what’s next. We value diverse backgrounds and work here with flexibility. We make bold moves together and are a force for good. If you are looking to stretch and grow your career, our culture will embrace you. Open up opportunities with HPE. Job Description Sales Specialists & Consultants are product, services, software, or solution specialists responsible for leading pursuit in their assigned focus areas. They collaborate with and support Account Managers, providing specialist expertise within the sales team. They drive proactive campaigns to build pipelines, and use specialised knowledge to prospect, qualify, negotiate and close opportunities. Allocation may include named accounts, a designated geography, or high‑potential competitive attack accounts. This role applies an intermediate level of subject‑matter knowledge to solve a variety of common business issues, working on moderately complex scope and providing analysis and limited project direction input. The Storage Sales Specialist is the primary Subject Matter Expert for Storage and related products, responsible for driving storage sales in an assigned territory, industry, or account(s). They demonstrate a solid understanding of evolving storage‑technical solutions and how HPE solutions differentiate from competitors. They maintain an outside‑in view, stay abreast of competitors, leverage HPE’s opportunities, and mitigate challenges. They use references to craft understandable stories for customers, actively hunt solution opportunities, and generate customer interest linking business and financial benefits with technology. They apply a services‑led approach to create stickiness through consultative engagements and financial constructs, focusing on the channel to forge relationships, enable key technologies, and co‑sell to end users. They are responsible for the close plan for storage‑related opportunities. Responsibilities Responsible for sales of storage products and solutions in assigned territory, industry or accounts. Actively prospect new storage opportunities. Discover or cultivate opportunities for storage solutions within existing accounts. Manage, coordinate and drive sales activities. Build pipeline and drive opportunities to successful closure using internal sales tools. Execute pursuit plans as appropriate. Formulate and expand solutions to generate additional product or service attachments and upsell to increase revenue. Build sales readiness and reduce client learning curve through effective knowledge transfer in storage. Coordinate supporting sales activities related to pipeline hygiene through account managers, presales, channel partners, and other relevant stakeholders. Use internal sales tools to maintain a healthy pipeline and the account plan in a timely fashion. Collaborate across HPE teams to deliver a consistent approach to developing business, including account planning for end‑to‑end solutions. Negotiate profitable deals to expand opportunities based on existing business and increase the company’s footprint and revenue in storage. Establish a professional and consultative relationship with the client, developing an understanding of the client’s unique business needs. Interface with internal and external/industry experts to anticipate customer needs and facilitate solutions development. Work with the channel to forge relationships, provide enablement of key technologies, and co‑sell to end users. Coordinate marketing campaigns associated with storage to ensure successful launches and maintain campaign momentum. Support deal closure with relevant internal stakeholders, including account managers and channel partners. Education & Experience University or Bachelor’s degree preferred. Demonstrated achievement of progressively higher quota and interface with diverse business customers. Typically 2‑5+ years of sales experience. Storage‑related sales experience preferred. Knowledge & Skills Assess solution feasibility from a technical and business perspective; determine qualify‑in/qualify‑out status. Negotiate profitable deals, expanding opportunities and increasing footprint and revenue in storage. Demonstrate hunter mentality to pursue solution opportunities in acquisition and development accounts. Articulate technical solutions and commercial benefits to clients independently. Conceptualise and articulate well‑targeted solutions in storage from proposal to contract sign‑off. Use digital and modern methods to connect and sell. Technology Focus In‑depth knowledge of storage, service, cloud, and solution differentiators. Understand outside‑in view; stay abreast of competitors and partner/ISV solutions. Use storage expertise to help customers make IT business decisions. Solutions Acumen Apply specialized storage technical product/service/solution knowledge in working with account teams to screen and prioritise leads for feasibility. Engage different types of partners effectively, mapping the right partner to an opportunity. Leadership & Additional Skills Strong communication and presentation skills at IT manager level. Positive behaviours and approachable demeanor. Build contingencies to manage changing requirements and unintended consequences. Willing to take calculated risks in line with senior leadership vision. Financial acumen: grow business and achieve revenue, gross margin, retention, and cost control metrics. Accountability, active learning, active listening, assertiveness, bias, building rapport, buyer personas, coaching, complex sales, creativity, critical thinking, cross‑functional teamwork, customer experience strategy, design thinking, empathy, high‑level planning, ambiguity management. Impact / Scope Account size ranges across small‑medium, enterprise or corporate segment; varied sales cycle. Complexity Participate in sales strategy; define specific sales plans with manager. Sell a storage product/solution independently. May be transactional and/or demand‑generation focused. May work with external partners to deliver sale. Interface with any level in customer organisation focusing on specialist buyers (e.g., IT). Benefits We provide a comprehensive suite of benefits supporting physical, financial and emotional wellbeing. We invest in your career development, offering programs to help you reach any career goals. We celebrate uniqueness and embrace inclusion. Legal & EEO Statements HPE is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Veterans, Disabled, LGBT employer. We do not discriminate on race, gender or other protected categories. Decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. Equal Employment Opportunity notice can be found online. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is EEO Protected Veteran/ Individual with Disabilities. HPE complies with all applicable laws regarding use of arrest and conviction records. No Fees Notice & Recruitment Fraud Disclaimer HPE and its recruitment agencies will never charge any candidate a registration fee, hiring fee or any other fee in connection with recruitment and hiring. Any hiring agency claiming to work with HPE should be verified by the candidate. Candidates are solely responsible for verification. HPE disclaims liability for any damages or claims arising from fraudulent agencies. #J-18808-Ljbffr