Business Development Director

XConnect, A Somos Company

We work with the largest Tier 1 A2P messaging aggregators, MNOs and Carriers to solve the world’s toughest numbering and interconnect challenges.

What do we do?

XConnect provides a trusted global registry of network and subscriber information, based on privacy compliant phone number data including number portability, to optimise global communication services.

XConnect delivers carrier-grade services to operators globally, including MNOs, business messaging (A2P) hubs, aggregators, carriers and interconnect providers.

These services are used for voice and messaging routing, fraud protection and to identify and validate insights. They also support the deployment and evolution of next-generation communications, such as VoLTE and RCS. XConnect’s Number Information Services are accessed through its global distributed hybrid cloud platform using simple, secure, scalable real-time protocols and APIs.

Business Development Director:

We are seeking a highly professional sales and business development executive with “Big Tech” experience and contact base to maximise the significant sales opportunities within the United States, both from existing XConnect relationships and new prospective accounts, developing commercial sales of cloud-based validation and routing information services.

This role reports to and is line managed by XConnect’s Commercial Director in the United Kingdom. There will be significant interaction with the existing XConnect European sales and product teams. In addition, there will be liaison with Somos commercial & product teams in the USA.

The Director of Business Development will represent XConnect at industry events as well as prospect meetings and will be expected to travel extensively across the USA with some international travel likely.

The successful candidate will regularly report market intelligence and business development opportunities to the XConnect senior management team in the UK.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Business Development

• Identify and clarify market opportunities and insights with clear, concise reporting to UK senior management team
• Prospect, report on and close new business opportunities
• Manage prospects through rigorous sales cycle process ensuring qualification criteria
• Understand prospect key business drivers and requirements to deliver appropriate solutions
• Successfully navigate and penetrate prospects’ organisations to understand their decision-making processes (wide and deep)

Sales & Account Management

• Meet and exceed sales performance targets and KPIs as set
• Manage ongoing customer relationships, explore & close, cross & up sell opportunities within accounts
• Work closely with our parent company, Somos to exploit opportunities for XConnect within their existing/prospect customer base
• Work closely with XConnect Operations’ teams to ensure that new customers or existing customers with new/expanded services are effectively provisioned and accounted

Commercial leadership & support

• Qualify, identify and report on market and industry opportunities and threats
• Present proposed methods to exploit opportunities and threats, guiding and working closely with the XConnect marketing team
• Feedback to the product management/development teams any required product enhancements in line with target market and industry requirements and regulations
• Develop & maintain detailed Account Development Plans (ADP) for key customers and prospects, co-ordinating with marketing, support and executive teams
• Develop & maintain detailed knowledge on relevant market conditions for the business messaging ecosystem: market conditions, competition, partners, regulation, industry, portability, etc.
• Act as the XConnect spokesperson and ambassador in North America, attend & present at relevant conferences to progress prospecting and sales activities & expand XConnect’s brand & message
• Support the procurement function through the identification of number information sourcing opportunities in all relevant markets

Reporting

• Ensure prospecting, customer qualification reporting and deal progress information is correctly captured and maintained within XConnect business support systems
• Regularly report against sales pipeline, prospect lists, addressable market, account development plans, key milestones and increased revenue/profits
• Report and present market insights to the senior management team

Skills and Experience

• 10 years minimum commercial/sales experience gained within hi-tech environments (telecoms/number information experience a definite advantage)
• Experience of commitment to a metrics-driven, quantitative sales process with demonstrable results
• Ability to translate technical product specification into sales messages for prospects
• Significant new business sales experience with demonstrable success at managing accounts through a structured prospecting process
• Detailed knowledge of Big-Tech environments, business messaging applications and SMS technologies
• Capacity to work both on a bigger strategic scale as well as managing detail
• Exceptional interpersonal, presentation and communication skills
• Experience with home/independent working environments with local office and remote support
• USA and International travel work environments
• Wide and deep level of existing relationships and contacts within target markets
• Ability to build and weave powerful relationships both internally and externally
• Strong customer orientation
• Proven negotiation skills
• Fluent English plus additional language preferable
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
• Degree level qualification desirable

 If you're interested in this role, please email careers@xconnect.net with your CV and a covering letter.