Introduction
We are seeking a dynamic and results-oriented Sales Go-to-Market Product Leader to drive the expansion and market presence of the IBM Db2 business. This pivotal role will be responsible for defining and executing comprehensive go-to-market strategies, empowering sales teams, and serving as a passionate evangelist for Db2's innovative database solutions. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the enterprise software landscape, particularly within data management, and demonstrate a proven ability to translate product capabilities into compelling value propositions that resonate with customers and accelerate business growth. If you are a strategic thinker with a strong sales and product acumen, and a knack for fostering market excitement, we invite you to lead our efforts in shaping the future of Db2 adoption.
Your Role And Responsibilities
Go-to-Market Strategy & Execution:
- Develop and refine comprehensive GTM strategies: Create robust plans for new Db2 product releases, features, and market segments, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.
- Market analysis and segmentation: Identify target markets, customer profiles, and competitive landscapes to inform strategic GTM initiatives.
- Define value propositions and messaging: Craft compelling, customer-centric value propositions and core messaging that resonate with key buyer personas.
- Launch planning and coordination: Lead the cross-functional planning and execution of GTM launches, ensuring seamless coordination between product, marketing, sales, and enablement teams.
Sales Enablement & Empowerment
- Develop sales tools and collateral: Create high-impact sales presentations, demos, battlecards, FAQs, and other resources that equip sales teams to effectively position and sell Db2.
- Conduct sales training: Deliver comprehensive training sessions to internal sales teams, partners, and channels, ensuring deep understanding of Db2's features, benefits, and competitive differentiators.
- Support strategic deals: Provide expert guidance and support on key customer engagements, helping sales teams articulate Db2's value and overcome objections.
- Gather sales feedback: Establish mechanisms to collect feedback from sales teams on GTM strategies, product messaging, and sales tools, and iterate accordingly.
Market Evangelism & Thought Leadership
- Serve as a primary Db2 evangelist: Represent Db2 at industry events, conferences, webinars, and customer briefings, passionately communicating its vision and value.
- Create thought leadership content: Develop and contribute to whitepapers, blog posts, case studies, and other content that positions Db2 as a leader in data management.
- Engage with analysts and influencers: Build relationships with industry analysts, media, and key opinion leaders to enhance Db2's market perception and influence.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Alignment
- Partner with other Product leaders: Work closely with product management colleagues to provide market insights, influence product roadmaps based on GTM needs, and ensure product readiness for market.
- Collaborate with Marketing: Align with marketing teams on campaign strategies, content development, and demand generation activities to maximize market reach.
- Interface with Customer Success: Work with customer success teams to understand post-sales experiences and identify opportunities for improved customer adoption and retention.
- Communicate performance: Regularly report on GTM effectiveness, sales enablement impact, and market perception to senior leadership and key stakeholders.
Performance Monitoring & Optimization
- Define and track GTM KPIs: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of GTM initiatives, sales enablement programs, and evangelism efforts.
- Analyze market and sales data: Utilize data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement in GTM strategies and sales execution.
- Iterate and optimize: Continuously refine GTM approaches based on performance data, market feedback, and evolving business needs.
Preferred Education
Master's Degree
Education
Required technical and professional expertise
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
- An MBA or Master's degree in a relevant discipline is highly preferred.
Experience
- 5+ years of progressive experience in sales leadership, product marketing, or product management roles, specifically within the enterprise software or data management industry.
- Proven track record of successfully developing and executing go-to-market strategies for complex technical products.
- Demonstrable experience in sales enablement, including developing training programs and creating impactful sales tools and collateral.
- Experience serving as a product evangelist, speaking at industry events, and engaging with analysts/influencers.
- Understanding of database technologies, with specific experience or familiarity with IBM Db2 or competing database solutions being a significant advantage.
- Experience in cross-functional collaboration with product, marketing, sales, and customer success teams.
Skills & Competencies
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to analyze market trends, competitive landscapes, and customer needs to define effective GTM strategies and value propositions.
- Communication & Presentation: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences (technical, sales, executive, external). Strong public speaking and presentation abilities are essential.
- Sales Acumen: Deep understanding of the enterprise sales cycle, sales methodologies, and the needs of a global sales force.
- Product Knowledge: Ability to quickly grasp technical product details and translate them into business value and compelling customer narratives.
- Leadership & Influence: Proven ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams without direct authority, driving alignment and execution.
- Analytical Skills: Proficiency in using data to measure GTM effectiveness, identify opportunities, and optimize strategies.
- Market & Customer Focus: A strong customer-centric approach with an understanding of buyer personas and their decision-making processes.
- Results-Oriented: Demonstrated ability to drive measurable business outcomes and contribute directly to revenue growth.
Preferred Technical And Professional Experience
- Background in Db2
- An MBA or a Master's degree in a relevant discipline
