Senior Product Specialist

Provides pre-sales technical support for the development and implementation of complex products/applications/solutions, focused on a specific product line/offering.  Uses in-depth specific product line knowledge to provide technical expertise to sales staff, other presales resources, and the customer. Assists the sales staff in assessing potential application of company products to meet customer needs and may prepare detailed product specifications for the development and implementation of customer products/applications/solutions. May create detailed design and implementation specifications for complex products/applications/solutions. May build a mini-application based on customer requirements to demonstrate feasibility of the application, often requiring rapid prototyping and/or product demo for client. May provide consultation to prospective users and/or product capability assessment and validation. This is a field pre-sales role that requires travel to customer locations up to, and may exceed, 50% of the time, based on the needs of the business.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities 

• Works to ensure technical wins during sales cycles by performing technical qualification of opportunities where regional teams lack resource on the subject matter, architect solutions from customer requirements, performing solution demonstrations & other proof points, and proving Informatica’s technical capabilities in order to reinforce the value proposition driven by the account team.
• Actively participates in obtaining "technical closure" when the product specialist team is responsible for leading an opportunity.
• Providing the interface between the field presales and other technology functions within Informatica for product direction and feedback.
• Advises on competitive stance and creates counter strategies to competitive threats in accounts (identify, evaluate their influence and positioning eg. SWOT analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats).
• Creates competitive analysis, keeps up-to-date with industry thinking and product space, promotes integrated solutions, and defines and assists in development of cross-products solutions and promotes cross-product initiatives.
• Contributes and maintains the knowledge-base of commonly used demos, presentations, best practices and FAQ's and provides subject matter material to support the broader presales team.
• Provides enablement and mentorship to the broader presales community on new and advanced capabilities of Informatica’s solutions and sufficient knowledge of the technical domain.
• Assists in building and assessing certifications.
• Consistently contributes to the Ambassadors Program; creates/leads strategies for Ambassadors Program outreach and enablement in area of expertise.
• At this level, be recognized as an internal/external spokesperson who actively seeks opportunities for speaking engagements at conferences, partner events, and user groups.  May also have work published.

• Contributes to the knowledge base of subject matter material for your area of expertise and provides feedback for enhancements and future market opportunities to fill product issues and gaps or extend competitive advantage.

Knowledge & Skills

• Holds broad expertise or unique knowledge to contribute to development of company objectives or to achieve goals in creative and effective ways.  
• Extensive industry knowledge and understanding of a customer’s decision-making process, goals, strategies, and business objectives.
• Exhibits confidence and expertise with presentations, customer service, financial/business acumen, and negotiation skills at all levels of customer engagement.
• Holds a complete understanding and can articulate upon the business and technical contexts of key accounts.
• Authoritative leader by example on accounts and compels others to get on board.
• Mentors others at consultative effectiveness and establishing trust with internal and external customers.
• Deep technical knowledge of hybrid deployment of software solutions, Data Warehousing, Database, and/or Business Intelligence software concepts and products.

Education/Experience

• BA/BS or equivalent educational background is preferred.
• Minimum 12+ years of relevant professional experience.