Head of Solutions Marketing

Role Overview:

To take ownership of an exciting and innovative opportunity to help develop, manage and grow the UK business for Star’s On-demand Business Services. You must have exceptional leadership qualities, as well as a desire to own and execute the Product Marketing strategy, promote the brand and ensure commercial success. You must clearly articulate Star’s company and service level propositions to ensure differentiation and help stimulate business growth for Star.

You will have an understanding of the market for managed services and how cloud computing is transforming the way technology is delivered and paid for. You will have experience of supporting the business-to-business direct sales process and know how to support the sales cycle to the successful conclusion of solution deals. You will have a full rounded appreciation of what assets, training, and content needs to be created and delivered to the rest of the business. You will have highly developed messaging skills that clearly communicate the quantifiable benefits for customers that choose Star as their provider for virtual private cloud services.

Purpose

This role requires a deep understanding of market trends in order to drive the creation of engaging customer focussed propositions to the UK mid-market and is central to the strategy to drive long term revenue and EBIT growth. You will lead the Solutions Marketing function and be the brand champion for Star On-demand Business Services both internally and externally.

You must be confident and visionary enough to create and own the product marketing plan as well as find the answers to the challenges surrounding the go-to-market strategy and competitive landscape and bring them back to the business as recommendations. This role will only suit an individual prepared to commit themselves to the cause and who can challenge conventional thinking and practices with new and innovative ways of engaging with and supporting UK businesses in the mid-market sector with solutions that offer true business transformation opportunities.

You will provide insight and leadership in the following areas:

• Customer analysis
• Market and competitor analysis
• Segmentation
• MessagingContent and asset creation
• Sales support and training
• Product launch
• Solution development

Principle Accountabilities

You will work as a key member of the Star Marketing team and liaise closely with the Campaign Marketing Manager and Head of Brand, Online, and Communications as a peer whose role is interdependent both within the marketing team and across other key functions in the business. Those other key functions are Sales, Customer Services, Product Management, Alliance and Vendor Management teams.

The Head of Solutions Marketing will initially manage two Proposition Marketing Managers. Solutions Marketing will deliver engaging propositions by analysing information and getting close to the customer in order to understand their needs.

• Define and continuously develop the product marketing strategy and help execute the go-to-market plan
• Define marketing strategy in conjunction with other marketing, sales and product development functions, including: competitive positioning, messaging, benefits, promotional mix and sales tools
• Understand and define the context in which the customer is making buying decisions
• Engage with customers to gain greater insight and to inform and influence product development and messaging development
• Utilise the data, information and market knowledge available to Star and obtained through analysts to draw insight that in turn makes the proposition to the customer more relevant
• Anticipate market reaction and competitive response to Star’s proposition and provide insight to overcome obstacles
• Build compelling market focused propositions using Star’s range of services in specific target market segments and augmenting them, where appropriate, with third party applications/services
• Develop and execute launch plans for each new service release that becomes part of the Star portfolio/service catalogue.
• Develop collateral and content to be used: online, in service overviews, in Sales Proposals, for product guides, demos etc.
• Work with other functions within marketing to deliver content, collaterals and assets to help meet objectives for lead generation, awareness, sales support etc.
• Work closely in particular with sales teams and regional directors to give them the tools they need to be successful
• Establish credibility and confidence with all teams within Star and directly with customers and vendors
• Deliver messaging and competitive positioning training across star for new and existing services/solutions
• Manage any third party providers or marketing agencies appropriately and to budget
• Work within Star’s existing systems and processes and seek to develop and adapt over time
• Ensure communication and activity is consistent and all key internal stakeholders are regularly updated

Key Perfomance Indicators:

• Ensure messaging is constantly developed and ahead of competitors propositions
• Fully communicate messaging to all Star employees with training provided where necessary
• Accelerated growth of large solution deals in the pipeline and closed business
• Increased number of segment deals as a result of sector solution focus

Profile of job holder:

• Proven leader and track record in product marketing
• Ability to align Star services to customer demand and market trends
• Deep product marketing experience in a relevant technology sector
  o Experience in any of the following technology fields: Managed Services, Cloud Computing, SaaS, Virtualisation, hosting, telephony and networking
• Proven background in growing revenues for customer focused solutions
• Experience of managing and developing teams
• Must have extensive technology and solutions marketing experience to Senior Marketing Manager level, preferably in managed services, mid-market oriented vendor
• Ensure differentiation is clearly defined by being the champion of Star’s messaging for:
  o The Star value proposition
  o Solution & Service level propositions
  o Quantifying the value of Star’s proposition to the customer
• Support segmentation programme with insightful guidance of the appropriate sector solution to meet the desired customer outcome
• Experience in B2B solutions marketing and solution selling concepts
• Experience of working closely with Sales and Product Management functions
• Energetic and flexible individual possessing a high level of self-confidence and ability to influence individuals at all levels
• Analytical and ability to gain insight from customer and market data/reports and analyst engagements
• Provide up-to-date and relevant competitor analysis
• Excellent communication, presentation and inter-personal skills
• High levels of initiative, drive and self-motivation
• Experience in complex, highly dynamic environments where the ability to learn quickly and contribute immediately is required
• A Bachelor’s degree in business and/or technology
• Act as a senior member of the marketing team to help drive innovation and strategy
• Confident in front of prospective customers, articulate, well read and a good orator
• Experienced in supporting sales processes and working with senior sales professionals
• UK based, with flexibility of working nationally
  o You will be expected to travel between all the Star offices regularly and build a strong personal profile throughout the business

Essential:

• Up-to-date with the concept of “cloud services” for business customers
• Able to understand and communicate technology and Star’s vision
• Relevant experience and expertise in working with sales teams and driving programmes that help the effectiveness of a sales community
• Excellent written and verbal skills
• Degree level qualified in the any of the following areas: Computing, Engineering, Business Studies, Marketing
• Relevant IT market experience
• Self-motivated problem solver
• Must be a team player first and foremost, with ability to assimilate information and make decisions 
• Effective under pressure with a strong ability to prioritise and deliver
• Understanding of UK mid-market

Desirable:

• Understanding of the IT market and the developments in cloud computing embracing:
  o PaaS
  o IaaS
  o SaaS
  o IPT & Unified Communications
  o Virtualisation & data centre services
  o Business Application landscape