Vad Sw Leader

**Introduction**
Over the past 100 years, IBMers all over the globe have helped make the world work better and smarter. In this new era of Hybrid Cloud Computing, IBM is helping to reshape industries by bringing together our expertise in Data & AI, Automation and Security. Changing how we create, collaborate, analyze and engage. From transforming healthcare to improving the retail shopping experience - it’s what IBMers do. In Africa, we’ve been changing the way the continent does business for more than 50 years, and as our company continues to grow, we’re looking for talented professionals to join us in this new era.

Join us and be part of a diverse and global team of thinkers and doers, and make an impact.

**Your Role and Responsibilities**

The IBM Software Distribution Leader will be responsible for managing and growing the IBM Software business through our South Africa Value Added Distributors. You will also establish, develop, maintain and manage relationships with Key Business Partners supported by the Distributors.
What you will do:

- Strategic Management of Distributors in the Channel Ecosystem
- Sales planning & implementation - facilitate the development of strategic sales plans by the distributors so that they reflect IBM’s business strategy
- Account Planning - assist distributors in planning sales strategy so that it is reflective of, and aligns to, the overall IBM corporate strategy and business unit objectives;
- Develop plans with the distributors that articulate the strategies/requirements essential for focusing sales activities, forecast and communicates sales progress upline
- Actively manage and sign off on account business plans through scheduled quarterly reviews and updates.
- Pipeline management - support the distributors with building, monitoring and orchestrating sales pipelines to ensure continuous population of near and long-term opportunities.
- Deal management - regularly review deals to ensure soundness and problem-free processing by IBM back-end operations
- Selling as a Distribution Leader
- Focus on strategic direction and understand the overall IBM strategic direction and portfolio.
- Assist distributors in customizing solutions with business partners with due consideration of the IBM skills and capability gaps within the channel eco-system.
- Prepare for new business partner calls in partnership with distribution sales teams and supports the efforts of the team during new business partner meetings;
- Ensure that the distribution sales teams have access to IBM resources and encourage them to nurture relationships with client influencers and decision makers.
- Sales enablement to distributors in line with business unit needs to empower business partners with resources to effectively sell IBM products according to the GTM model that is best suited to their business

**Required Technical and Professional Expertise**
- Has in-depth sales, business and professional skills to work at any level within the Distributor & Business Partners.
- You will use your effective communication skills as you engage team members to define approaches and goals, especially as they relate to the Route-To-Market approach, Solution positioning, or defining sales action plans.
- You will facilitate teams, where members represent a diverse set of business interests or objectives.
- You will need to negotiate effectively with multiple levels of channel management, resulting in successful closing of the sale.
- Creative problem solving capabilities will be required as you actively understand & identify market trends and build a distribution strategy in anticipation of major business opportunities.
- You will execute the Business Partner on-boarding Framework of Identification, Qualification, Enablement, Certification, Lead Generation & Sales Engagement.

**Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise**
NA

**About Business Unit**

Are you craving to learn more? Prepared to solve some of the world's most unique challenges? And ready to shape the future for millions of people? If so, then it's time to join us, express your individuality, unleash your curiosity and discover new possibilities.

Every IBMer, and potential ones like yourself, has a voice, carves their own path, and uses their expertise to help co-create and add to our story. Together, we have the power to make meaningful change - to alter the fabric of our clients, of society and IBM itself, to create a truly positive impact and make the world work better for everyone.

It's time to define your career.

**About IBM**

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 50 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on ou