Licensing Sales Specialist
Reports to : Director for Licensing
Overview:
The LSS is at the center of Microsoft’s Licensing Annuity business, with annual revenue now exceeding $30B. The required key competences are Sales and Relationship Management related to a thorough understanding of MS volume licensing offerings. The LSS adds value by negotiating licensing agreements that maximize long-term revenue and enhance the customer experience. It is a sales role that requires an ongoing working relationship with customers and close cooperation with CIAM (Corporate inside Account Managed) and CPM (Corporate Partner Managed) segment field Sales Management and the Business Desk.
The LSS role is primarily focused on the EA (Enterprise Agreement) lifecycle, including New and Renewal negotiations. This includes helping customers to understand how to purchase, renew and maximize the licenses for their Microsoft technology solutions. Success in the role includes growing the licensing annuity business, closing deals within guidance, and increasing customer satisfaction. The success is measured by meeting or exceeding Sales objectives such as: EA (and Select & Select Plus): revenue, penetration, renewals, revenue recapture, up sell / cross sell (BPOS, Enterprise Application Platform) and Services (Premier / MCS) attach.
Responsibilities:
The LSS role adds value by:
1. Providing volume licensing expertise within the sub / district / region. This includes mastering Program and Product Licensing scenarios focused principally on EA, EAS (EA Subscription) and Select Plus offerings.
2. Performing a Sales role, including
a) Contributing to the overall account plan by developing appropriate licensing strategies to further grow revenue and annuity penetration,
b) Developing and selling licensing solutions by driving customer licensing proposals and
c) Negotiating with customers to maximize contract value and Customer Satisfaction, whilst simplifying the licensing experience for the customer and driving for “right licensing”.
1. Managing external and internal relationships, including
a) Customers (procurement customer engagement, aligning Microsoft’s total value proposition to procurement levers)
b) Field (Field enablement - link licensing solutions with subsidiary targets)
c) Partners (Partner Enablement - in conjunction with PAM role: driving LAR self-sufficiency)
In detail, the LSS will
1. Create and manage comprehensive account specific licensing annuity plans for his/her territory or subsidiary along with the EPG segment.
2. Drive Account penetration for EA, through full platform EAs, attach / re-attach and cross-sell / up-sell opportunities, incl. BPOS, MDOP, EAP, ECI, Premier, whilst supporting license compliancy initiatives
3. Provide licensing consultation (e.g. negotiation tactics, up-selling scenarios) to account and / or opportunity strategies, in collaboration with AMs (Account Managers), SAM (Software Asset Management Manager), LAR PAM (Partner Account Manager), MS Financing (where applicable) and SSPs (Solution Sales Specialists).
4. Define, drive and execute on negotiation strategies and tactics, in collaboration with the AMs, SAM, LAR PAM, MS Financing, SSPs and MS Partners, while managing exceptions within “Field Empowerment”. For exceptions beyond Field Empowerment, the LSS consults with the Business Desk to create appropriate exceptional licensing solutions.
5. Develop accurate, relevant and complete financial analyses for customers, including MS Financing scenarios (where applicable), TCO Analysis for Microsoft software purchase and Cost Savings through acquisition and deployment of Microsoft technology
6. Proactively offer strategic licensing consulting to both internal and external stakeholders that drives more effective business and opportunity management.
7. Contribute to the licensing community and WWLP (World Wide Licensing & Pricing), by sharing best practices and insights on how best to close Licensing Annuity Business.
