Introduction
Are you a self-starter, a go-getter and a leader? In the IBM AI Applications business unit, you will find a culture that rewards such entrepreneurial spirit! We are looking for talented, energetic individuals who have a strong sense of ownership, execution, and focus on customer success!
As a Solutions Engineer at IBM, you are THE technical expert and advisor to our customers, to the sales team and to our Business Partners. You understand the customers’ business requirements, technical requirements, and competitive landscape. You apply your business insight, build and maintain customer relationships, incorporate technology and services, and ensure customer readiness for the implementation of proposed technical solutions.
This is YOUR opportunity to shape the future for both IBM and our customers, as well as for yourself. Start your journey now, by joining our amazing team of experts!

Your Role and Responsibilities
The IBM Brand Technical Specialist (a.k.a Solutions Engineer – SE, Technical Seller) is a technical pre-sales specialist who provides prospects, customers, IBM business partners and the IBM’s sales team with in-depth domain, product, solutions and/or technical product expertise covering the IBM Sustainability Software Data Exchange Solutions portfolio (B2B/EDI/etc.). This portfolio includes solutions such as IBM Sterling Supply Chain Business Network, B2Bi, Connect Direct, etc. You apply your business insights, build and maintain client relationships, incorporate hardware, software and services into client-valued solutions and ensure client readiness for the implementation of technical solutions. This is an opportunity to shape the future for both IBM and its clients. Start your journey now!
The SE engages in pre-sales activity of the sales cycle including sales/business discussions, solution discovery, solution and business assessments, solution demonstrations, pilots and Proof of Concepts. They understand the client's business requirements, technical requirements and competitive landscape as it pertains to the IBM Sustainability Data Exchange solution pillar. This role requires a consultative, solutions-focused approach that requires in-depth needs analysis (discovery), art of the possible demonstrations, customized presentations and demonstrations, and delivery of written documentation and other material to support the sales team and sales opportunities. When engaged for a specific opportunity or project, the SE role is responsible for the technical accuracy of the proposed solution.
Responsibilities of a SE Professional as trusted advisor includes

• Client discovery, delivering art of the possible and tailored solution demonstrations for key client stakeholders
• Supporting responses to RFPs (request for proposals/RFPs and requests for information/RFIs)
• Creatively prescribing solutions to help solve a client’s business initiatives and challenges
• Communicating solution proposals at any level of the business required from a CxO to a detailed business and/or technical sponsor

Key Responsibilities

• Performs in-depth analysis/discovery of customer’s business and technical requirements and develops clear definition of the appropriate solution including business use case demonstrations, associated operational and value benefits, and overall value proposition of the IBM solution set
• Develops, maintains and delivers solution demonstrations to solve customer’s business and technical requirements
• Leads and participates in pre-sales solution architecture discussions and is able to maintain an advanced understanding of the IBM Sustainability Software solutions and ecosystem including Supply Chain, EDI, Managed File Transfer, Value Added Networks, Systems Integration, Data Transformation, Transaction Visibility, Hybrid Deployments including Cloud and Container technologies, etc.
• Ensures client success through deployment strategies (i.e. Engaging services and business partners to help a customer successfully deploy the technology)
• Contributes to Opportunity Identification

Additional Information

• The Solution Engineer should have a thorough knowledge and industry background of the Data Exchange solutions.
• Must have a proven record of successfully understanding client issues and pulling together strategies to ensure the client is successful.
• Excellent customer relations; verbal and written communications skills.
• Ability to successfully work with sales reps to close business deals.
• Ability to manage multiple accounts and associated opportunities simultaneously.
• Ability to learn IBM’s line of products and services.
• Ability to analyze and resolve business and technical challenges.
• Ability to negotiate and prioritize projects.

Candidates located in VA, DC, WV, MD, are preferred

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• Demonstrable experience with IBM Data Exchange solutions and/or competing solutions and/or appropriate industry knowledge
• Expertise and knowledge in around Managed File Transfer and associated protocols (AS/2, SFTP etc) and Business Systems Integration technologies
• Experience with Data Transformation technologies and common file formats including X12, XML, iDOC and JSON
• Travel up to 60% or 3 days a week (home on weekends- based on project requirements)

Preferred Technical and Professional Expertise

• Experience and understanding of pre-sales support processes is a plus
• Experience with the Sterling B2B collaboration portfolio including one or more of B2B Integrator, Sterling File Gateway, Connect:Direct, Control Center, Transformation Extender, and Secure Proxy
• Strong expertise and knowledge in around Managed File Transfer and associated protocols: (AS/2, SFTP etc) and Business Systems Integration technologies
• Experience with Data Transformation technologies and common file formats including X12, XML,iDOC and JSON
• Understanding of the systems and products that make up the Supply Chain ecosystem (Order Management, ERP, Transportation Management, Warehouse Management, B2B Collaboration, MFT etc.)
• Experience with Cloud and container technologies such as Docker, Kubernetes and OpenShift
• Formal sales training courses (i.e. Demo2Win, Solution Selling, Strategic Selling, Challenger Sale, Target Account Selling, Integrity Selling, etc.)

IBM has a global presence, operating in more than 175 countries with a broad-based geographic distribution of revenue. The company’s Global Markets organization is a strategic sales business unit that manages IBM’s global footprint, working closely with dedicated country-based operating units to serve clients locally. These country teams have client relationship managers who lead integrated teams of consultants, solution specialists and delivery professionals to enable clients’ growth and innovation. By complementing local expertise with global experience and digital capabilities, IBM builds deep and broad-based client relationships. This local management focus fosters speed in supporting clients, addressing new markets and making investments in emerging opportunities. Additionally, the Global Markets organization serves clients with expertise in their industry as well as through the products and services that IBM and partners supply. IBM is also expanding its reach to new and existing clients through digital marketplaces.

This job requires you to provide your COVID-19 vaccination status with supporting documentation, where legally permissible.

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

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 our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:

• Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being

- Financial programs such as 401(k), the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long- term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs

• Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law
• Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry-recognized certifications to achieve their career goals
• Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.

This position is eligible for participation in an IBM Sales Incentive plan. Actual incentive opportunity will be based on performance and the eligible Target Incentive, as addressed in the applicable plan, all of which is subject to change. The compensation range listed for this position is the IBM Reference Salary that is used when you are not actively participating in a sales plan. Your actual base pay plus incentive opportunity will be determined by the Incentive Plan assigned to you.

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.