Associate Partner-Technical Presales

Introduction

Join IBM Consulting's Platform Engineering Services team and help shape the future of AI-first technology operations. As a Technical PreSales Leader, you will work with Fortune 500 clients to solve complex business and technology challenges across hybrid cloud, platform engineering, automation, AIOps, and managed services.

You will collaborate with sales, solution architects, delivery leaders, and client executives to develop innovative solutions that drive measurable business outcomes. Combining deep technical expertise with business and sales acumen, you will help clients modernize, automate, and continuously optimize their technology environments while contributing directly to IBM's growth and market leadership.

Your role and responsibilities

As a Technical PreSales Leader within Platform Engineering Services (PES), you will drive growth by partnering with sales, solution architects, delivery leaders, and clients to shape, position, and close complex services opportunities. You will serve as a trusted technical advisor, helping clients modernize, operate, and continuously optimize their hybrid technology environments through AI-first operating models, cloud platform engineering, automation, SRE, AIOps, and managed services solutions.

This role requires a blend of executive presence, technical depth, business acumen, and solution-selling expertise. You will lead solution strategy from early opportunity identification through deal closure while ensuring proposed solutions provide measurable business outcomes for clients.

Your primary responsibilities will include:

Opportunity Identification & Growth

• Identify, qualify, and pursue new business opportunities across Platform Engineering, Cloud Operations, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), AIOps, Automation, and Hybrid Cloud Managed Services.

• Partner with Market Sales and Client Partners to build pipeline, develop account growth strategies, and expand IBM's footprint within strategic clients.

• Contribute directly to revenue growth, signings, and bookings targets through active engagement in qualified opportunities.

Solution Strategy & Technical Leadership

• Lead technical discovery sessions with client stakeholders to understand business objectives, operational challenges, and technology requirements.

• Develop differentiated solution strategies that align client needs with IBM's Platform Engineering and AI-first operating model capabilities.

• Act as a subject matter expert for platform engineering, cloud operations, automation, AIOps, observability, DevOps, SRE, and managed services offerings.

Deal Shaping & Solution Development

• Collaborate with solution architects, delivery leaders, pricing teams, and partners to create compelling, competitive, and executable solutions.

• Lead the development of client proposals, statements of work, solution presentations, business cases, and executive briefings.

• Support RFPs, competitive pursuits, workshops, oral presentations, and executive-level client discussions.

Client Engagement & Executive Influence

• Establish trusted-advisor relationships with client executives, technology leaders, and operational stakeholders.

• Translate complex technical concepts into clear business value propositions and measurable client outcomes.

• Present solutions to executive audiences and articulate the value of AI-enabled operations, automation, resilience, modernization, and continuous optimization.

Market Development & Offering Evolution

• Work with offering management and practice leadership to identify market trends, client demand signals, and competitive opportunities.

• Help refine and enhance Platform Engineering offerings, assets, accelerators, and solution playbooks.

• Share client insights and field feedback to continuously improve IBM's go-to-market strategy and offerings.

Preferred Experience

• 10+ years of experience in technology consulting, managed services, cloud operations, platform engineering, pre-sales, or solution architecture.

• Deep experience in one or more areas including:

• Platform Engineering

• Hybrid Cloud Operations

• SRE/Observability

• DevOps

• AIOps

• Automation & Infrastructure as Code

• Managed Services

• Cloud Modernization

• Experience leading technical solutioning for large, complex outsourcing, managed services, or transformation opportunities.

• Demonstrated ability to influence executive stakeholders and participate in complex sales cycles.

• Strong presentation, communication, and business development skills.

Success Measures

• Pipeline creation and opportunity influence.

• Signings and bookings contribution.

• Win rate on qualified pursuits.

• Executive client engagement and relationship development.

• Expansion of Platform Engineering Services offerings within target accounts.

• Development and reuse of solution assets, accelerators, and GTM content.

Required technical and professional expertise

Platform Engineering & Cloud Operations Expertise: Demonstrated experience in Platform Engineering, Hybrid Cloud Operations, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), Infrastructure Automation, and Managed Services operating models. Ability to articulate both technical solutions and business outcomes to client stakeholders.

Technical Solutioning & PreSales Leadership: Proven ability to lead solution discovery, opportunity qualification, solution architecture development, and executive presentations for complex technology transformation and managed services engagements.

AI-First Operations & Automation: Experience applying AIOps, observability, automation, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), DevOps, and AI-enabled operational practices to improve reliability, efficiency, productivity, and business value.

Business Development & Deal Shaping: Track record of identifying, developing, and advancing new business opportunities, including account expansion, pipeline development, pursuit leadership, proposal response support, and deal closure activities.

Executive Client Engagement: Ability to build trusted advisor relationships with CIOs, CTOs, Infrastructure, Cloud, and Operations leaders. Skilled at translating complex technical concepts into clear business outcomes and value propositions.

Managed Services & Outsourcing Experience: Deep understanding of managed services delivery models, service management practices, governance frameworks, transition and transformation programs, and operational service excellence.

Financial & Commercial Acumen: Experience developing business cases, solution economics, pricing models, productivity assumptions, and value realization strategies that support profitable growth and competitive positioning.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration: Proven ability to collaborate across sales, solution architecture, delivery, engineering, partner ecosystems, and executive leadership teams to develop differentiated client solutions and drive successful outcomes.

Communication & Presentation Skills: Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills with experience leading client workshops, executive briefings, proposal defenses, and oral presentations for strategic pursuits.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Experience leading technical solutioning and pursuit support for large-scale managed services, platform engineering, cloud operations, or digital transformation opportunities.

• Expertise in AI-first operations, AIOps, observability, automation, SRE, DevOps, and Infrastructure as Code.

• Experience engaging executive stakeholders and presenting solution strategies to C-level technology and business leaders.

• Knowledge of hybrid cloud platforms including AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, and Red Hat OpenShift.

• Experience developing business cases, value propositions, pricing strategies, and transformation roadmaps.

• Understanding of global delivery models, managed services governance, and partner ecosystems.

• Professional certifications in cloud, platform engineering, DevOps, SRE, automation, or IT service management disciplines preferred.

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.