About Zones

Zones is a global provider of end-to-end IT solutions with an unmatched supply chain. Positioned to be the IT partner you need, Zones, a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) in business for over 35 years, specializes in Digital Workplace, Cloud & Data Center, Networking, Security, and Managed/Professional/Staffing services. Operating in more than 120 countries, leveraging a robust portfolio, and utilizing the highest certification levels from key partners, including Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, Lenovo, Adobe, and more, Zones has mastered the science of building digital infrastructures that change the way modern organizations do business. Whatever you need, you can Consider IT Done.

Visit the Zones Innovation Center, zones.com, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Zones has an exciting opportunity for a Director, Innovation Center to join our Solutions Team. You will own the Innovation Center’s strategy, execution and operations. Zones Innovation Center based physically in Carol Stream, IL is available virtually to anyone. It is an important differentiator today for showcasing Zones capabilities and thought leadership in architecting transformational Solutions and Services for our customers, prospects, partners and for our employees. The charter for this role is simple – Exponentially expand the influence of Zones Innovation Center in our sales and customer management processes. To do so, this leader will be responsible for all actions necessary to create, execute and monitor the strategy to make Zones Innovation Center an integral part of our industry leading growth plans

Key Responsibilities:

You will create and execute a strategy for showcasing Zones Innovation and thought leadership with the following focus areas:

• Strategy: Zones is a large organization serving customers across various segments, industries and geographies across the world offering a bewildering range of products, solutions and services in a fast-changing technology landscape. Based on a thorough understanding of Zones strategy and plans, you will play a key role in positioning Zones Innovation Center for the following stakeholder groups:
• Customers: Showcasing use cases, demos and Zones IP. Providing a lab environment for disruptive skunk works activities, enable try-and-buy and testing of technologies for customer specific use cases
• Partners: Showcase Partner solutions and technologies either as a standalone or in combination with Zones IP as well as solutions from other partners
• Employees: Provide technology environments for employees to learn in instructor led or self-learning as well as to build opportunity specific demos

You will work closely with the Practice Heads of the four practices – Digital Workplace, Cloud and Data Center, NextGen Networking and Cyber Security as well as with Sales, Pre-sales, PPM and Marketing to determine how best you can drive each Practice’s growth by leveraging the assets in the Innovation Center. This will include a practice wise:

• Innovation Center catalog: What capabilities, solutions, use cases, demos we should showcase targeted at specific segments and industry verticals
• Investments: What resources (hardware, software, people and physical facilities) are needed to create, operate, maintain and refresh Innovation Center
• Execution plan: How will we integrate the Innovation Center as a core component of our branding, training, sales and ongoing customer engagement processes

You will present a 3 year and an annual Innovation Center strategy and plan to the executive leadership and begin execution

• Product, Solutions and Services:You will work with the Pre-sales, Product and Partner Management team as well as OEMs to identify the technologies and products we will showcase as a product, service or solutions (product + services). You will secure the required investments from the partners with help from PPM and build the Innovation Center capabilities as per plan
• IP: You will work with the Practice Heads, Pre-sales and PPM to create IP for products, services and solutions that will help us differentiate in the marketplace for products, services and solutions
• Sales Enablement: You will work with the Sales enablement team to train the Sales and Pre-sales teams to effectively leverage the Innovation Center at various stages of an opportunity’s life cycle.
• Sales/Pre-Sales: You and your team will orchestrate customer visits and engagements with the Innovation Center in a manner that leaves a strongly positive impression. This will be achieved by working closely with the Sales/Pre-sales team to plan, schedule and host such visits and engagements
• Marketing: You will work with the Marketing team to ensure that the Innovation Center is a key theme in our branding and marketing activities that include customer and partner events, campaigns, white papers, webinars, social media

Required Skills

• Strong technology expertise centered around Data Center and Networking at a minimum and a strong understanding of Cyber Security and Digital Workplace (End User Computing) Solutions
• Healthy balance of solutioning and delivery skills across products and services that will help lead and assimilate inputs from different technically savvy stakeholder groups towards creating a consensus around the strategy and plans. Experience with Product Management functions would be a plus
• High impact customer presence

Experience:

• 10+ years of experience across solutioning and delivery at a Major OEM or Solutions and Services provider
• Experience in a technology lab, innovation center role

Key Result Areas:

• Number of Innovation Center visits, engagements, activities
• Leads generated and revenue influenced by Innovation Center activities

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Zones offers a comprehensive Benefits package

While we’re committed to providing top-tier solutions, we’re just as committed to supporting our own team. Our employees enjoy a variety of comprehensive benefits, including medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, a 401(k) plan with matching provision, paid time off, and much more. And as a Minority Business Enterprise, a Corporate Plus member of the Northwest Minority Supplier Development Council, and an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, our community is just as diverse.

At Zones, work is more than a job – it's an exciting career immersed in an inventive, collaborative culture. If you’re interested in working on the cutting edge of IT innovation, sales, engineering, operations, administration, and more, Zones is the place for you!