SAP FICO Pre-Sales Leader

Introduction

At IBM, work is more than a job - it's a calling: To build. To design. To code. To consult. To think along with clients and sell. To make markets. To invent. To collaborate. Not just to do something better, but to attempt things you've never thought possible. Are you ready to lead in this new era of technology and solve some of the world's most challenging problems? If so, lets talk.

Your role and responsibilities

The Director of Pre-Sales - Financial Services leads and scales a high-performing pre-sales (solution consulting / sales engineering) organization supporting complex, enterprise sales pursuits within the Financial Services sector. This role owns technical sales strategy, solution alignment, and deal execution for strategic accounts, ensuring solutions address regulatory, risk, security, and operational requirements unique to Financial Services clients.

The Director partners closely with Sales, Product, Delivery, and Alliances teams to drive win strategy, improve conversion rates, and position differentiated, value-driven solutions across the sales lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Pre-Sales Leadership & Strategy

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Pre-Sales Consultants / Solution Architects supporting Financial Services accounts

Define pre-sales strategy, operating model, and coverage aligned with revenue and growth objectives

Establish best practices for discovery, solution positioning, demos, and proposal responses

Act as executive sponsor for complex, high-value sales pursuits

Sales & Deal Execution

Partner with Sales leadership to shape win strategies for enterprise and strategic deals

Lead solution design for complex opportunities, ensuring alignment to customer business objectives

Support executive-level client engagements, presentations, and solution deep dives

Influence deal success through strong value articulation and competitive differentiation

Financial Services Domain Expertise

Ensure solutions align with Financial Services requirements including:

Regulatory compliance (e.g., SOX, AML/KYC, GDPR, PCI, SOC)

Risk management and data privacy

Financial reporting and controls

Security and resiliency expectations

Stay current on Financial Services industry trends, regulatory changes, and technology modernization initiatives

Translate industry challenges into differentiated solution narratives

Solution & Product Alignment

Collaborate with Product Management to influence roadmap decisions based on market and customer needs

Ensure consistent, scalable solution messaging across Financial Services offerings

Support development of demos, industry use cases, and solution accelerators

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Delivery/Implementation teams to ensure smooth transition from sales to execution

Coordinate with Alliances and Partners (e.g., SAP, Salesforce, AWS, Azure, GCP) on joint pursuits

Work closely with Marketing on industry messaging, thought leadership, and go-to-market initiatives

Operational Excellence & Metrics

Own pre-sales performance metrics including win rate, deal velocity, and solution quality

Forecast pre-sales capacity and hiring needs based on pipeline demand

Drive continuous improvement in tools, processes, and enablement

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Technology, or related field

12+ years of experience in pre-sales, solution consulting, or sales engineering

5+ years in a leadership role managing pre-sales or solution consulting teams

Strong experience selling complex technology or services into Financial Services clients

Proven success supporting enterprise or multi-million-dollar deals

Preferred Qualifications

Experience selling ERP, core banking, cloud platforms, data/analytics, or digital transformation solutions

Background in Banking, Insurance, Capital Markets, or FinTech

Experience working with C-suite and senior executive stakeholders

Prior hands-on solution architect or implementation experience

MBA or advanced technical certifications (preferred, not required)

Core Competencies

Pre-Sales & Solution Consulting Leadership

Financial Services Industry Expertise

Executive-Level Communication & Storytelling

Complex Deal Strategy & Execution

Team Development & Mentorship

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Why This Role

High-impact leadership role driving revenue growth in Financial Services

Direct influence on enterprise sales outcomes and go-to-market strategy

Opportunity to build and scale a world-class pre-sales organization

Work at the intersection of industry expertise, technology innovation, and client transformation

Required technical and professional expertise

12+ years of experience in pre-sales, solution consulting, or sales engineering

5+ years in a leadership role managing pre-sales or solution consulting teams

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.