Global Industry Lead - Energy & Utilities

Level: Sr. Director or Executive

At Avanade, we believe in making a genuine human impact in everything we do. We transform businesses and help our clients envision new paths forward; we uncover ways technology can improve the way we work and live; and we provide opportunities for our people to leave the world better than we found it.

For more than two decades, we’ve tapped into the power of our people and cutting-edge Microsoft technology to deliver business-critical solutions to thousands of organizations around the world. Our unmatched expertise in the Microsoft platform, our understanding of our focus industries, and our relentless commitment to client success are the reasons we are Microsoft’s #1 global SI partner. We’re also driven by an innovative spirit and a growth mindset, and we value leaders who can bring the best out in our people and nurture their careers while inspiring excellence for our clients.

Role Overview

The Global Industry Lead (GIL) for Resources/Energy & Utilities is responsible for the overall strategy, vision, performance, and growth of the global Resources market for Avanade. The GIL understands the market opportunity for Avanade in the Energy & Utility industry, designs the industry strategy, and works with key stakeholders across the organization to implement the strategy and drive performance for Avanade.

The Global Industry Lead for Resources/Energy & Utility sits within the Integrated Go to Market team and represents Avanade’s capabilities in their industry across Avanade and to our clients, Alliance Partners (Microsoft and Accenture) and our broader partner community. The GIL also works directly with our client teams on strategic engagements that can set the tone for repeatable and transformational work that helps realize the industry vision for our clients.

Key Responsibilities

Market and Strategy Development - Identify the market opportunities and develop a global industry strategy for the Energy & Utilities market to strengthen our position with existing and prospective clients and amplify our alignment with Microsoft and Accenture. The strategy must balance the need to support our legacy resources business with new sustainable energy business to capitalize on the full market potential:

• Identify and prioritize the case to address new areas of market opportunity.
• Creating the business case and/or executive support to incubate and scale new industry propositions.
• Communicate the global industry strategy to key stakeholders in the Avanade Regions including the Client Group Leads and sales leaders. This ensures a continuous feedback loop with Client Group Leads to capture region/client feedback to iterate the strategy.
• Manage the relationship with partners and Microsoft and Accenture industry owners at global level. This includes monthly connects with global industry stakeholders at Microsoft and Accenture and quarterly business reviews.

Sales - Collaborate with the sales team to develop winning proposals that demonstrate the Energy & Utilities market value and differentiation that Avanade brings to clients, and engage with clients to drive our industry agenda:

• Support Region teams in management of industry sales targets and focus clients; monitor performance against targets and adapt strategies.
• Support specific Energy & Utility client engagements to meet chargeability/market utilization targets.
• Collaborate with, and educate, account and sales team to drive solutions/use-cases to target clients.

Solution/offering strategy - Partner with key Integrated Go to Market team members to develop Energy & Utilities use-cases and Industry Plays and go-to-market propositions that differentiate us and that Avanade can take to market:

• Ensure use cases/Industry Plays address identified market challenges for the industry.
• Prioritize potential use-cases/Industry Plays that are most relevant to meet company sales targets.
• Review use-cases/Industry Plays performance against targets and adapt strategies as needed.

Go to Market - Engage with stakeholders across Avanade, Accenture, and Microsoft to drive Energy & Utilities-led strategies and GTM propositions for our solutions/use cases:

• Take the lead in authoring go to market content, inclusive of starter decks, use cases and credentials. Work to curate a comprehensive set of Energy & Utilities-specific assets, including specific go-to-market content and tailored value propositions.
• Co-creation of an industry marketing plan with our Marketing team to build brand awareness in the industry and to promote the key areas of Avanade differentiation.

Thought Leadership - Act as a thought leader for the industry through support to marketing campaigns and events and analyst relations.

Industry Capabilities - Support Avanade’s industry focus by growing and supporting industry capabilities across the organization:

• Identify the industry skills and capabilities needed to sell and deliver Energy & Utilities solutions to our clients and support training program development to address gaps.
• Help identify people across the organization with Energy & Utilities experience to develop the Industry Network.
• Manage the Energy & Utilities Industry Network through monthly Network meetings with members and ongoing engagement through Teams/Yammer forums.

Opportunities and Challenges

This role provides an opportunity to drive the strategy and growth of one of Avanade’s key global priority industries. The challenge will be to capture the right balance between legacy resources businesses and driving new focus on renewable resources and support Avanade’s focus on Sustainability.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Deep Energy & Utilities experience and track record in market/strategy development and execution; direct experience in sustainable energy is a bonus.
• Proven track record of building, positioning, selling, and delivering Energy & Utilities-centric use cases, value propositions and solutions.
• Leadership track record in developing and growing long term, high value client relationships.
• Ability to effectively team with/and influence peers in a large, matrixed organization.
• Strong consulting / project-based background, including assessing and managing the opportunity and risk associated with large scale, complex projects.
• Education and/or experience in the relevant field/business/industry
• 18+ years of relevant technology business leadership experience, including solution sales, GTM creation, delivery, and business management.

Top Behavioral Competencies

• Business insight: Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organizations goals.
• Customer focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Strategic Mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
• Drives results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances.
• Organizational savvy: Maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related organizational dynamics.