Senior Sales Engineer - SLED, Mid Market - Central

About Us:

Proofpoint is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity. We protect how people, data, and AI agents connect across email, cloud, and collaboration tools. Over 80 of the Fortune 100, 10,000 large enterprises, and millions of smaller organizations trust Proofpoint to stop threats, prevent data loss, and build resilience across their people and AI workflows. Our mission is simple: safeguard the digital world and empower people to work securely and confidently. Join us in our pursuit to defend data and protect people.

How We Work:

At Proofpoint you’ll be part of a global team that breaks barriers to redefine cybersecurity guided by our BRAVE core values: 

Bold in how we dream and innovate

Responsive to feedback, challenges and opportunities

Accountable for results and best in class outcomes

Visionary in future focused problem-solving

Exceptional in execution and impact

The Role and the Team

At Proofpoint, the members of our Sales Engineering team are highly valued business partners that play a critical role in our sales process every single day.   

As a Senior Sales Engineer working with accounts in the SLED space, you will be one of the most important members of the Proofpoint sales team. You will become a trusted advisor to both the Account Managers you are paired with, as well as our current and future customers. As a technical liaison and subject matter expert on all things Proofpoint, you will help to deliver People-Centric solutions that protect against today’s cyber threats. 

This role will focus on State and Local Government, as well as Education accounts primarily in the Central U.S.

Very strong preference for candidates to be located in the U.S. Central time zone.

You will get to develop and tell a compelling story that will excite your customer and have them eager to hear more. Your story may include onsite product demonstrations, white-boarding sessions, mini-trainings, Lunch-n-Learns, Proof-of-Concept, Production Evaluations, all in pursuit of providing a solution to your customer that you will take pride in being a part of. It’s an exciting time to be at Proofpoint! 

• The Senior Sales Engineer is the Technical Lead for the Proofpoint Pre-Sales process, including: 

• Collaborate with the sales team to develop and execute targeted account penetration strategies 

• Build trust and rapport with customers and prospects in person, and be their main technical point of contact throughout the process 

• Deliver compelling product demonstrations that address today’s most pressing cyber threats 

• Work closely with customer/prospect security staff for technical discovery, as well as planning, execution and wrap up of Proof-of-Concept (POC) and Production Evaluations 

• You will design and champion complex People-Centric Security solutions encompassing the entire Proofpoint portfolio 

• You may, occasionally, be called upon to assist in professional services deployments, technical training, and to present at or attend industry seminars and/or trade shows 

• You will be able to provide valuable customer insight and real-world experiences to Product Management, Marketing and Product Development (Engineering) teams to help keep our solutions the best in the industry 

• You will become an expert in Email Security Gateways, Advanced Persistent Threats, Attack Protection, Threat Response, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and the threat landscape 

Senior level duties 

• Mentoring new team members in multiple areas including Proofpoint products, sales process, and relationship management with both customers and account managers 

• Develop and deliver training presentations to peers, account managers, and other teams within Proofpoint 

• Contribute across all corporate communication channels, write and help upkeep internal documentation and training  

• Help develop solutions to common challenges and establish processes within the local team, department, and across the sales engineering organization 

Job Requirements

• 6+ years of hands on technical experience, either as a Sales/Systems Engineer, Technical Account Manager, Security Engineer or senior level product support, preferably in the cyber-security industry 

• Proven track record developing and maintaining customer relationships through in person meetings, ideally in a local territory 

• Experience working with large (Enterprise) clients/organizations  

• Self-starter and ability to own and drive initiatives 

• History of conducting large-scale assessments and/or evaluations, including managing expectations, deliverables, and complex systems as well as the teams that support them 

• Comfortable presenting to individuals and/or teams including technical staff through C-suite 

• You have experience in Enterprise or Cloud Security, including cloud/SaaS platforms, messaging, data, network, endpoint, NOC/SOC, or MSP-related cybersecurity 

• Experience selling and positioning a platform is highly valued 

• Exposure to at least two of the following skill sets are recommended: 

• Cloud security and shadow IT monitoring  

• IT security, vulnerability or risk assessments, and policy enforcement 

• Data Loss Prevention (DLP), compliance and privacy 

• Enterprise email solutions such as Exchange, G-Suite, Lotus Domino or working knowledge of SMTP 

• Additional skills that are added bonuses include: 

• Directory Services and protocols such as AD, Azure AD, LDAP, iDP (identity providers) 

• Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) 

• Networking and protocols such as SMTP, DNS, LDAP, HTTP, etc. 

• Experience with frameworks such as MITRE and/or NIST 

• You have a background in consultative approach to solving problems and/or have a strong desire to pivot your career towards a sales direction 

• You can thrive in a fast paced, high-energy environment 

• You can work independently, adapt quickly and maintain a positive attitude 

• Strong PowerPoint, presentation and organizational skills are a must 

• CISSP or other relevant cyber-security and/or cloud security certifications are valued  

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in a relevant field, or work equivalent experience 

• Travel is required in this position

Why Proofpoint?

At Proofpoint, we believe that an exceptional career experience includes a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Here are just a few reasons you’ll love working with us:

• Competitive compensation

• Comprehensive benefits

• Career success on your terms

• Flexible work environment

• Annual wellness and community outreach days

• Always on recognition for your contributions

• Global collaboration and networking opportunities

Our Culture:

Our culture is rooted in values that inspire belonging, empower purpose and drive success-every day, for everyone.

We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, please reach out to [email protected].

How to Apply

Interested? Submit your application along with any supporting information- we can’t wait to hear from you!