Account Executive| France | Install Base (covering Southern Europe) | IFS Copperleaf

About the role

In this position, you will be responsible for managing existing customer accounts and actively seeking new business opportunities within your designated territory. Your primary focus will be on engaging with current Copperleaf and IFS clients to foster growth and increase revenue through licenses, support, and services. You will play a key role in strengthening customer relationships, understanding their needs, and aligning our solutions to help them achieve their strategic objectives. This role requires a proactive approach to sales, excellent relationship management skills, and a deep understanding of the asset-intensive sectors we serve. You will work closely with internal teams to develop tailored solutions, support sales strategies, and ensure customer satisfaction. The role is based in Paris and involves on-site engagement, with travel expected within Southern Europe to meet clients and industry events.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Develop and nurture strong, long-term relationships with clients across various functions and organizational levels to understand their business challenges and opportunities.
• Conduct in-depth discussions with clients to gain a comprehensive understanding of their portfolio planning, asset management, and operational needs.
• Collaborate with clients to develop customized solution roadmaps that align with their strategic goals and operational requirements.
• Manage procurement and commercial processes efficiently to facilitate deal closure and ensure smooth sales cycles.
• Lead Copperleaf deal teams, coordinating efforts across departments to support solution development, proposal creation, and sales execution.
• Act as a trusted advisor for clients, advocating for their needs within Copperleaf and ensuring their voice is heard during the sales process.
• Stay informed about competitors' offerings and market trends to position our solutions effectively and highlight our unique value propositions.
• Drive the sales process by emphasizing the strategic benefits of our solutions, demonstrating how they address customer pain points and add value.
• Maintain an organized opportunity pipeline in the CRM system, regularly updating deal statuses, next steps, and customer interactions.
• Coordinate with internal teams such as technical support, product management, and delivery to ensure customer expectations are met and solutions are successfully implemented.
• Prepare and deliver compelling presentations, proposals, and demonstrations tailored to client needs.
• Travel approximately 50% within Southern Europe to visit clients, attend industry events, and support sales activities.
• Provide feedback from clients to internal teams to influence product development and service improvements.
• Participate in industry conferences and networking events to increase brand awareness and generate new leads.
• Support account planning and strategic initiatives to expand the Copperleaf footprint across existing accounts.
• Monitor customer satisfaction and proactively address any issues to maintain high levels of client retention.

Requirements

• Proven experience in building and maintaining relationships with clients, especially in complex sales environments.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver positive outcomes for customers and achieve sales targets.
• Strong focus on customer success, with a consultative approach to understanding and solving client challenges.
• Motivated and driven to succeed, with a proactive attitude toward identifying opportunities and overcoming obstacles.
• Excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and negotiation skills.
• Experience selling enterprise software solutions to C-level executives and decision-makers.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational structures and manage multi-stakeholder sales processes.
• Skilled in developing and executing effective sales strategies tailored to customer needs and value propositions.
• Capable of leading cross-functional teams to support sales efforts and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Strong presentation and communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical concepts and business value clearly.
• Familiarity with consultative selling methodologies is advantageous.
• Willingness to travel around 50% of the time within Southern Europe for client visits, industry events, and meetings.
• Background in asset-intensive sectors such as Utilities, Oil & Gas, Mining, Public Sector, or Transportation is preferred.
• Fluency in French is required; proficiency in other languages relevant to Southern Europe is a plus.

Nice to have

• Experience in consultative selling methodologies.
• Knowledge of asset management, portfolio planning, or enterprise asset management solutions.
• Existing network within the utilities, oil & gas, mining, or transportation sectors.
• Familiarity with the competitive landscape in asset management software.
• Ability to adapt sales approaches based on customer industry and organizational maturity.

Skills & tools

• Proficiency in CRM systems for opportunity and pipeline management.
• Strong presentation and communication skills, capable of engaging diverse audiences.
• Ability to develop tailored proposals and demonstrations that resonate with client needs.
• Good organizational skills to manage multiple accounts and opportunities simultaneously.
• Basic understanding of the technical aspects of asset management solutions is beneficial, though not mandatory.

Practical notes

• This role involves significant travel within Southern Europe, approximately 50%, to visit clients, attend industry events, and support sales activities.
• The position is based in Paris and requires on-site presence at the office.
• IFS fosters a flexible work environment that balances remote work and on-site collaboration, encouraging innovation and team connection.
• The successful candidate will be part of a dynamic, global team committed to delivering innovative solutions and exceptional customer service.
• The role offers an excellent opportunity to grow within a leading enterprise software company, working with a diverse range of clients across asset-intensive industries.
• Candidates should be prepared to engage in continuous learning about industry trends, product updates, and sales techniques to stay ahead in a competitive market.