Business Development Specialist Fortinet - Connection

What We Do

We calm the confusion of IT by guiding the connection between people and technology. If a customer is looking for a better way to manage their warehouse inventory, equip their workforce, or secure their data, we make it happen. All it takes is finding the right combination of tech hardware, software, cloud solutions, and support services. That’s what we do. We’re the IT Department’s IT Department.

Who We Are

Our team is made stronger by a multitude of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. It’s what makes Connection unique—what drives us to innovate and create technology solutions that stand apart from the crowd. We’d love for you to be a part of that fabric, to share your ideas and experiences with a team that thrives on fresh thinking, creativity, and helping others.

Why You Should Join Us

You’ll find supportive teammates and a rewarding career at Connection—plus great benefits. We take pride in supporting employees with a total rewards package that provides financial, emotional, and physical resources for you and your family.  Our compensation, 401k plans, medical insurance, and other benefits are progressive and competitive.  We value the importance of our employees’ emotional wellbeing. To support employees, we provide free therapy visits, mental health coaching and tools, and meditation resources. You’ll also enjoy a generous paid time off package that includes not only vacation and sick time, but also Wellness and Volunteer Time Off days. 

Working under minimal supervision of the Manager/Senior Manager, Technical Sales, referring only exceptional problems and issues for management review or approval, the Business Development Specialist proactively increases sales in the funded vendor and/or partner’s specific practice area (e.g. Data Center, Networking, Workforce Optimization aka Systems, Software) by working directly with the Account Managers and Sales management team to penetrate accounts and increase our market share in the focus business segment(s). The BDS maintains and increases knowledge of their specific technology practice area by attending trainings and achieving certifications.

Primary Job Duties

•  Works directly with Account Managers and Sales Managers to identify sales opportunities in the practice area through book of business reviews.
  • Develops focus accounts in practice area (eg. active accounts but under-penetrated or inactive/declining accounts).
  • Partners with sales and engages in customer calls to help identify, develop and close where applicable.
  • Collaborates with vendor or partners inside and/or field team to jointly target specific accounts.
  • Engages on and reviews deal registrations and manages open pipeline for additional opportunity to help close.
  • Drives vendor or partner promotions and programs with the Sales teams.
•  Collaborates on business development and communications with the sales teams.
  •  Strategizes with Sales management on tactics for success related to growing the related business segment and practice area.
  •  Frequently dialogues with Account Managers and the Sales management team on plan Created By: Karen Kervick October 30, 2023 Version: 4 progress and strategies for tactics to be successful.
•  Increases knowledge of technology in respective practice area, keeps abreast of changes, and maintains or achieves certifications for professional development.
  •  Attends applicable industry and manufacturer training
  • Achieves vendor certifications through online or onsite training.
• Assists in the creation and presentation of technical training to our selling organizations.
  •  Coaches Account Managers on practice area technologies.
• Act as the subject matter expert to Account Managers for pre-sales questions relating to their assigned products(s).
• Performs all other duties or special projects as assigned.

Required competencies:

• Proficient use of Microsoft Excel, Cisco WebEx and relevant internal business systems.
• IT aptitude with strong desire to continually learn and apply latest technologies.
• Working knowledge of vendor specific technology.
• Working knowledge of respective practice area technologies and related product solutions.
• High aptitude to stay current and train on related technology areas.
• Account planning skills with experience in up-sell and cross-sell strategies.
• Ability to clearly articulate and demonstrate the value proposition to the customer.
• Adept at providing IT solutions based on customer needs.
• Proven experience managing projects and delivering expectations, both internally and with clients.
• Action oriented with strong executional skills.
• Strong interpersonal and proactive communication skills with ability to collaborate with Account Managers and to engage customers.
• Highly self-motivated and results-driven.
• Excellent time management skills.

Because of the possibility for fraudulent job postings on many popular job boards, please be advised that Connection will never offer a position of employment without a complete interview process and communication with a “live person".