Head of Mid-Market Sales

The Head of Mid-Market Sales at Hawk is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive sales strategy tailored for mid-market accounts in the EU. This role includes leading a team of Account Executives, driving pipeline generation, and building strong relationships with customers. You’ll engage in complex negotiations and work closely with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful results.

To succeed as Head of Mid-Market Sales at Hawk, candidates should have over 8 years of B2B sales experience focused on mid-market accounts, a proven track record of exceeding revenue targets, and strong leadership skills. Experience in the SaaS, RegTech, or financial services sectors is a plus. Proficiency in CRM tools and a Bachelor's degree in a business-related field are also required.

The Head of Mid-Market Sales at Hawk will develop sales strategies, lead and coach a team of Account Executives, manage a robust sales pipeline, engage in key negotiations, and foster relationships with mid-market customers, all while collaborating across various departments to achieve sales targets effectively.

Working at Hawk comes with numerous perks, including a competitive salary, personal development budget, flexible working hours, a gym membership subsidy, generous holiday time, and the opportunity to work remotely for a portion of the year. Employees are also welcomed into a diverse and innovative work environment.

As Head of Mid-Market Sales, you'll play a crucial role in marketing our advanced AI solutions that help banks and payment providers combat financial crime, including money laundering and fraud. By identifying market opportunities and facilitating strategic sales, you'll directly contribute to Hawk's mission to prevent 1.6 trillion USD from being money-laundered annually.

Hawk prides itself on a culture of mutual trust, support, and passion. Employees are encouraged to take ownership and innovate. The workplace is dynamic and diverse, with over 20 nationalities collaborating towards a meaningful goal, making it a fantastic environment for personal and professional growth.

In the Head of Mid-Market Sales role at Hawk, you'll engage with a cutting-edge tech stack, including tools and platforms such as Kafka, Elasticsearch, AWS, MongoDB, Kubernetes, and programming languages like Java, Python, and React. This tech is integral to advancing our AI solutions and enhancing sales operations.

To effectively target mid-market accounts, I would start by developing a tailored sales strategy focused on understanding their specific needs. This entails segmenting the market, creating tailored engagement approaches, and building strong value propositions that resonate with mid-market customers.

Building a robust sales pipeline involves consistently identifying prospects, assessing their potential, and qualifying leads efficiently. I would leverage CRM tools for tracking progress while creating regular communication cadences with the team to ensure opportunities are nurtured and progressed through the sales funnel.

Leading a diverse sales team involves recognizing individual strengths and creating an environment where members feel supported and valued. I promote open communication, focus on inclusive coaching and mentoring practices, and encourage collaboration to maximize our collective potential while celebrating our unique backgrounds.

Closing complex deals requires a consultative approach, where understanding the customer's pain points is essential. Building relationships, effectively navigating negotiations, addressing objections promptly, and aligning the solution with the customer’s value proposition are key techniques that I prioritize.

To ensure my team exceeds sales targets, I would set clear and achievable KPIs, provide regular training to enhance their skills, and create a culture of accountability with recognition for achievements. Additionally, I would facilitate regular performance reviews aligning with business goals.

I stay informed about industry trends and customer needs through continuous learning, including reading industry publications and participating in webinars. Networking with peers, engaging with customers directly for feedback, and collaborating with cross-functional teams are also effective methods.

A successful sales strategy I implemented involved segmenting the market into specific verticals and customizing our pitches accordingly. We emphasized our technology's unique value propositions based on each vertical's challenges, resulting in a significant increase in engagement and closed deals.

Teamwork is crucial in achieving sales goals as it fosters collective problem-solving and idea-sharing. By collaborating with my team and other departments, such as marketing and customer success, we create a holistic approach to meet customers’ needs and drive sales growth together.

I utilize a combination of quantitative metrics, such as revenue growth, quota attainment, and pipeline velocity, along with qualitative metrics like customer feedback and team satisfaction scores. This balanced approach enables me to gain a comprehensive view of sales performance and areas for improvement.

Handling underperformance involves a respectful approach where I would first engage in open dialogue to understand the underlying issues. By providing targeted coaching, establishing clear expectations, and offering support, we collaboratively work towards improvement while treating each individual with understanding and respect.