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Introduction


At IBM, work is more than a job — it’s a calling: To build. To consult. To sell. To solve the world’s most complex technology challenges. Not just to do things better, but to reimagine what’s possible.

Are you a fearless hunter who thrives on building relationships, creating opportunities, and closing deals? Do you want to help the world’s leading enterprises modernize in place and position the mainframe as a critical part of their hybrid cloud strategy? If so, this is your chance to make an impact.


Your role and responsibilities


As a zStack Software Sales Specialist, your mission is to help clients transform the way they use IBM Z — not by replacing it, but by modernizing it in place and integrating it into their end-to-end hybrid cloud. Your focus will be on z/OS Application Modernization as the primary entry point, with a secondary focus on driving new Linux workloads and expanding IBM’s middleware management footprint.

You will:

  • Lead Modernization Journeys: Position IBM’s z software portfolio as the enabler of in-place modernization — helping clients refactor, recompile, or replatform COBOL and PL/I applications, while connecting seamlessly to cloud-native services.
  • Sell Middleware Management Tools: Drive adoption of IBM tools that help clients better manage, automate, and secure their mainframe middleware environments, ensuring resiliency, agility, and cost efficiency.
  • Expand Linux on Z: Grow new workloads on Linux for Z and Red Hat OpenShift, highlighting the unmatched performance, security, and sustainability advantages of running modern applications on the platform.
  • Hunt Relentlessly: Build pipeline through proactive prospecting, new business development, and account expansion. You won’t wait for leads — you’ll create them.
  • Consult & Build Trust: Develop strong, trusted client relationships quickly. Engage senior IT and business leaders to uncover needs, align IBM’s solutions to their strategy, and deliver compelling business cases.
  • Collaborate Across IBM: Partner with technical specialists, architects, and ecosystem partners to deliver complete modernization and middleware solutions while keeping full ownership of the client relationship and the close.


Required education
High School Diploma/GED
Preferred education
Bachelor's Degree
Required technical and professional expertise


  • Proven Software Sales Success: 3–5 years of solution sales experience with measurable results in new business development.
  • Application Modernization Expertise: Understanding of z/OS workloads and modernization entry points, with the ability to position modernization in place as part of a hybrid cloud journey.
  • Middleware Awareness: Knowledge of how enterprises manage mainframe middleware and the tools IBM provides to optimize these environments.
  • Hunter Mentality: Persistent prospector and closer, energized by building new opportunities and resilient in the face of “no.”
  • Client Relationship Builder: Strong interpersonal skills to rapidly establish trust and credibility with senior decision-makers.
  • CRM Discipline & Consultative Selling: Ability to run structured sales cycles, manage pipeline, forecast accurately, and sell with a consultative approach.


Preferred technical and professional experience


  • 5-10 years experience selling enterprise modernization, DevOps, middleware management, or hybrid cloud solutions.
  • Familiarity with Red Hat technologies (Linux, OpenShift, open source workloads).
  • Understanding of IBM Z’s unique role in security, resiliency, and data at scale.
  • Experience selling to clients through contract vehicles such as Enterprise License Agreements (ELAs) or other enterprise-wide purchasing structures.
  • Ability to become a trusted advisor to CIOs, CTOs, and senior executives quickly.


ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM has a global presence, operating in more than 175 countries with a broad-based geographic distribution of revenue. The company’s Global Markets organization is a strategic sales business unit that manages IBM’s global footprint, working closely with dedicated country-based operating units to serve clients locally. These country teams have client relationship managers who lead integrated teams of consultants, solution specialists and delivery professionals to enable clients’ growth and innovation. By complementing local expertise with global experience and digital capabilities, IBM builds deep and broad-based client relationships. This local management focus fosters speed in supporting clients, addressing new markets and making investments in emerging opportunities. Additionally, the Global Markets organization serves clients with expertise in their industry as well as through the products and services that IBM and partners supply. IBM is also expanding its reach to new and existing clients through digital marketplaces.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

 

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

 

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.


Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business. 


At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM 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, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:

  • Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being
  • Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long- term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs
  • Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law
  • Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry-recognized certifications to achieve their career goals
  • Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year. 

This position is eligible for participation in an IBM Sales Incentive plan. Actual incentive opportunity will be based on performance and the eligible Target Incentive, as addressed in the applicable plan, all of which is subject to change. The compensation range listed for this position is the IBM Reference Salary that is used when you are not actively participating in a sales plan. Your actual base pay plus incentive opportunity will be determined by the Incentive Plan assigned to you.

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.

IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.