Sr Business Development Specialist - Cisco

What We Do

We calm the confusion of IT by guiding the connection between people and technology. If a customer is looking for a better way to manage their warehouse inventory, equip their workforce, or secure their data, we make it happen. All it takes is finding the right combination of tech hardware, software, cloud solutions, and support services. That’s what we do. We’re the IT Department’s IT Department.

Who We Are

Our team is made stronger by a multitude of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. It’s what makes Connection unique—what drives us to innovate and create technology solutions that stand apart from the crowd. We’d love for you to be a part of that fabric, to share your ideas and experiences with a team that thrives on fresh thinking, creativity, and helping others.

Why You Should Join Us

You’ll find supportive teammates and a rewarding career at Connection—plus great benefits. We take pride in supporting employees with a total rewards package that provides financial, emotional, and physical resources for you and your family.  Our compensation, 401k plans, medical insurance, and other benefits are progressive and competitive.  We value the importance of our employees’ emotional wellbeing. To support employees, we provide free therapy visits, mental health coaching and tools, and meditation resources. You’ll also enjoy a generous paid time off package that includes not only vacation and sick time, but also Wellness and Volunteer Time Off days. 

Job Summary

Working under general supervision of the applicable Manager of Product Management, relying on experience and judgement to plan and accomplish goals, the Senior Business Development Specialist proactively increases sales in their funded partner and/or partner’s specific practice area (e.g. Data Center, Networking, Workforce Optimization, Software) by working directly with the Sales teams to penetrate accounts and increase our market share in the focus business segment(s). The Sr BDS maintains and increases knowledge of their specific technology practice area by attending trainings and achieving certifications. Supports new hire onboarding for BDS team members. Backup assistance for manager. Leads partner team business development. Works to create new strategies to support partner growth by collaborating with PM and Marketing teams. Collaborates with cross functional teams through Connection and their assigned partner (s). Creates value across their partner’s alliance ecosystem. Seeks out new partner relationships that support their assigned partner(s). Owns specific projects that support their assigned partner. These include but are not limited to sales enablement, customer events, partner sales teams events and business development process improvements. Collaborates with their PM, partner and manager. Engages directly with clients to deliver solution demo’s, evaluations, and other activities to drive the value of their partner(s) solutions. Serves as highest-level subject matter expert than other positions within the organization and partners with other key SME’s in departments like TSX, TIDC and others.

Primary Job Duties:

• Proactively increases sales in their funded partner and/or partner’s specific practice area (e.g. Data Center, Networking, Workforce Optimization, Software) by working directly with the Sales teams to penetrate accounts and increase our market share in the focus business segment(s).
  • Works directly with Sales teams and Sales Managers to identify solution opportunities in the practice area through book of business reviews.
• Maintains and increases knowledge of their specific technology practice area by attending trainings and achieving certifications.
• Supports new hire onboarding for BDS team members. Backup assistance for manager. Leads partner team business development. Works to create new strategies to support partner growth by collaborating with PM and Marketing teams.
• Collaborates with cross functional teams through Connection and their assigned partner (s). Creates value across their partner’s alliance ecosystem. Seeks out new partner relationships that support their assigned partner(s).
• Owns specific projects that support their assigned partner. These include but are not limited to sales enablement, customer events, partner sales teams events and business development process improvements. Collaborates with their PM, partner and manager.
• Engages directly with clients to deliver solution demo’s, evaluations, and other activities to drive the value of their partner(s) solutions. Serves as highest-level subject matter expert than other positions within the organization and partners with other key SME’s in departments like TSX, TIDC and others.
• Performs all other duties or special projects as assigned.

Required Competencies:

• Proficient use of Microsoft Excel, Cisco WebEx and relevant internal business systems
• IT aptitude with strong desire to continually learn and apply latest technologies.
• Fully competent knowledge of Cisco Security Solutions includng the User Protection, Cloud Protection, and Breach Protection suites.
• Fully competent knowledge of respective practice area technologies and related product solutions.
• High aptitude to stay current and train on related technology areas.
• Fully proficient account planning skills with experience in up-sell and cross-sell strategies.
• Ability to clearly articulate and demonstrate the value proposition to the customer.
• Fully skilled at providing IT solutions based on customer needs.
• Proven experience managing projects and delivering expectations, both internally and with clients.
• Action oriented with strong executional skills.
• Strong interpersonal and proactive communication skills with ability to collaborate with Account Managers and to engage customers.
• Highly self-motivated and results-driven.
• Excellent time management skills.
• The following criteria must be met in order to be promoted to a Sr. Business Development Specialist:
  • A minimum of 24 months in Business Development Specialist role (BDS)
  • Attained 100% cumulative revenue goal in the last 12 months in the BDS role
  • Recommendation for promotion by direct managerSufficiently demonstrate proactive business development in the Sr. BDS review meeting with the employee’s manager and director.

Additional Preferred competencies or preferred qualifications 

• Cisco Sales or Technical certifications especially security specific.
• Industry security certification
• In addtion to 24 months business development role, prefer 24 months in a Cisco focused sales pre-sales capacity