Sales Leader @ Investment Management Software Provider

We are seeking a proven, results-driven and solution-oriented Director of Sales who will be accountable and fully responsible for the Commercial Strategy and Enterprise Sales of our holistic suite of products and services.

For over 50 years, our integrated front-to-back investment management platform has served leading asset managers, pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, banks, and wealth managers globally. The platform covers multi-asset investment management including equities, fixed income securities, derivatives, private markets and alternatives.

At the core is our industry-leading Investment Book of Record (IBOR), which centralizes real-time trade, cash, and holdings. Our platform supports the complete investment lifecycle from trading and analytics to settlement, performance measurement, risk management, fund administration, and accounting.

This role requires a broad understanding of various financial markets, ranging from trading, analytics, settlement, to performance measurement, risk management, fund administration and accounting. Due to the broad asset class coverage, there will be exposure to everything from straightforward equities, fixed income securities and alternatives to more complex derivative, credit and OTC instruments.

The Director of Sales is a seasoned individual contributor who is instrumental in advancing sales growth through expert product knowledge, strategic sales techniques, and a deep understanding of client needs. With typically 10-15 years of experience in enterprise sales, this role manages high-value accounts, builds relationships with key stakeholders, and provides tailored sales strategies to support the acquisition of major clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and execute the our Japan Commercial Strategy
• Achieve new license revenue targets across Japan
• Territory development ensuring all opportunities are qualified, developed and managed effectively through to closure
• Research, analyze and confirm addressable market in Japan
• Support sales and marketing campaigns as defined by global and regional marketing functions
• Maintain accurate information in Salesforce
• Engage with clients and develop initial relationships to discover opportunities
• Create and implement strategic plans to improve market position, product range, innovation sales support, brand awareness and customer focus
• Lead, coach, motivate and develop the team to deliver effective marketing strategies
• Explore new routes to market – identifying new technologies, services, and partnerships
• Negotiate contract pricing and manage legal matters
• Identify and prioritize key players and top targets for growth opportunities

Types of Work This Role Engages With

• Leading sales efforts for large, strategic accounts, including complex negotiations and high-stakes contract discussions
• Collaborating with senior management to align sales strategies with our business objectives
• Mentoring and coaching junior sales staff
• Conducting market research and competitive analysis
• Providing insights to product teams based on customer feedback

Required Qualifications
Essential Requirements:

• Relevant bachelor’s degree
• At least 8-10 years of relevant Enterprise Sales experience (critical)
• Experience covering Japanese market
• Japanese language speaker (required to liaise with local stakeholders and clients)
• Demonstrated interest and ability to engage in solutions-oriented discussions with senior leaders of the fund industry

Key Skills & Competencies:

• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with senior leaders across asset managers, consultants, trust banks, pension funds, and insurance funds
• Deep understanding of business issues that our company offerings solve
• Strategic and tactical thinking abilities
• Balance of people skills, selling, and relationship development
• Experience leading the full lifecycle of the sales process including sales forecasts and Salesforce.com management
• Skill in recognizing market trends that influence corporate sales strategies

Personal Attributes:

• Decision maker – collaborative team player but decisive when needed
• Effective communicator – ability to articulate product features and benefits
• Detail-oriented – strategic decision-making with focus on sales metrics
• Versatile and collaborative
• High integrity – commitments are promises
• Capable and accountable
• Able to deal with demanding challenges