What is an Account Executive at Alten Delivery Centre Spain?

An Account Executive at Alten Delivery Centre Spain acts as the vital link between complex engineering challenges and high-impact business solutions. In this role, you are not just a salesperson; you are a strategic partner responsible for identifying opportunities within the engineering and technology consultancy landscape. You will drive growth by connecting Alten’s deep technical expertise with the evolving needs of clients across sectors like Energy, FSI (Financial Services and Insurance), and Telecommunications.

The impact of this position is significant, as you directly influence the company’s revenue and the career trajectories of the consultants you help place. You will be tasked with managing the entire sales lifecycle, from initial prospecting and tender procurement to long-term account management and consultant career development. At Alten, the Account Executive is at the heart of the "Delivery Centre" model, ensuring that technical delivery aligns perfectly with client business objectives.

This role is particularly critical because of the scale and complexity of the projects Alten undertakes. You will navigate high-stakes environments where your ability to understand technical requirements and build trust-based relationships determines the success of multi-million euro contracts. For a driven professional, this position offers a unique blend of business development, talent strategy, and strategic consulting.

Common Interview Questions

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for the Account Executive role requires a dual focus on your proven sales track record and your ability to think introspectively about your work methodology. You must be prepared to demonstrate not just what you have sold, but how you approach the market and manage the human element of consulting.

Sales Methodology & Business Development – Alten evaluates your systematic approach to growing a portfolio. You should be ready to discuss your prospecting techniques, how you qualify leads, and your experience with tender processes and procurement. Demonstrate strength here by providing concrete examples of how you’ve successfully opened new accounts in competitive sectors.

Domain and Market Expertise – Interviewers will look for your familiarity with specific industries such as Energy or FSI. You need to show that you understand the technical language, the key players, and the current challenges within these sectors. Researching Alten’s current client portfolio and identifying potential growth areas will show you are proactive and market-ready.

Soft Skills and Introspection – A unique aspect of the Alten process is the focus on how you think and reflect. You will be evaluated on your communication style, your ability to handle pressure, and your resilience. Be prepared to discuss your failures as clearly as your successes, showing a high degree of emotional intelligence and self-awareness.

Stakeholder Management – This role involves managing relationships with both external clients and internal "Career Direction" managers. Interviewers evaluate how you balance these often-competing interests. Demonstrating a collaborative mindset and an ability to mobilize internal resources to meet client needs is essential for a high score in this area.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process at Alten Delivery Centre Spain is designed to be thorough yet efficient, typically consisting of three distinct stages. It begins with a standard Recruiter Screen, often initiated via LinkedIn, which focuses on your basic qualifications and alignment with the role's requirements. This initial conversation is your opportunity to set the stage by highlighting your experience in procurement and business development.

Following the initial screen, the process moves into a more rigorous phase involving Career Direction Managers. This stage often includes a case study and a highly introspective interview aimed at understanding your cognitive processes and soft skills. The final stage involves meetings with your future N+1 and N+2 managers, where the focus shifts toward your sales methodology, client portfolio knowledge, and cultural fit within the specific team.

The timeline above illustrates the progression from the initial HR contact to the final leadership interviews. Candidates should use this visual to pace their preparation, ensuring they save their most detailed "methodology" and "portfolio" deep-dives for the later stages with management.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Sales Methodology and Business Development

This area is the cornerstone of the Account Executive role. Alten needs to know that you have a repeatable, successful process for generating revenue and managing a client base. They are looking for candidates who don't just "wing it" but instead follow a structured approach to the sales funnel.

Be ready to go over:

• Prospecting Techniques – How you identify and approach new business opportunities in a crowded market.
• Tender and Procurement Management – Your experience navigating formal bidding processes and legal/contractual requirements.
• Account Growth – Strategies for "farming" existing accounts to find new project opportunities for Alten consultants.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through your process for responding to a complex tender in the Energy sector."
• "How do you prioritize your daily activities between prospecting new clients and managing existing ones?"
• "Describe a time you turned a 'no' from a procurement department into a successful contract."

Introspective and Behavioral Analysis

Alten places a high value on "how" you work, not just "what" you achieve. During the second stage, expect a deep dive into your personality and work ethic. They want to ensure you have the resilience and self-awareness required to succeed in a fast-paced consulting environment.

Be ready to go over:

• Critical Thinking – How you analyze problems and arrive at logical conclusions.
• Handling Ambiguity – Your approach to situations where client requirements are not clearly defined.
• Resilience and Work Ethic – Your ability to maintain high performance during intense periods or when facing rejection.

Advanced concepts (less common):

• Managing the "Career Direction" of consultants under your purview.
• Balancing aggressive sales targets with the long-term well-being of the delivery team.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a significant professional failure. What did you learn about your own thinking process from it?"
• "How do you handle a situation where a client’s demands conflict with the contractual conditions previously agreed upon?"

Sector-Specific Knowledge (FSI, Energy, Telecoms)

To be effective, an Account Executive must speak the client's language. You will be evaluated on your ability to understand the nuances of the industries Alten serves.

Be ready to go over:

• Market Trends – What are the current technological shifts in the Financial Services or Energy sectors?
• Competitor Landscape – Who are Alten's main rivals in the Spanish market, and how do we differentiate ourselves?
• Portfolio Management – Your existing network and how it aligns with Alten's target sectors.