Introduction

A Salesforce Sales Engineer is a pivotal intermediary between the advanced technical functionalities of the Salesforce platform and the multifaceted business objectives of prospective clients. This role demands a blend of technical proficiency and communication skills to contribute meaningfully throughout the sales process—demonstrating solutions, addressing intricate product-related inquiries, and building relationships of trust with clients. The position is characterized by a requirement for robust sales acumen, deep subject matter expertise, and problem-solving abilities.

Role Summary

Commonly referred to as a Solution Engineer or Pre-Sales Engineer, the Salesforce Sales Engineer collaborates closely with account executives and sales teams to deliver product demonstrations, respond effectively to complex client questions, and architect best practice solutions that fulfil each client's business requirements. This role is client-facing and necessitates both the technical mastery of the Salesforce product suite (including Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, and Marketing Cloud) and the ability to show how the proposed solution solves/enhances business opportunities.  

Key Responsibilities

• Teamed with Sales Executives to conduct Discovery Sessions: Engage with potential clients to ascertain their business challenges, technical environments, and organizational objectives. Elicit and document comprehensive business and technical requirements to align Salesforce solutions accordingly.
• Product Demonstrations: Develop and present customized product demonstrations that show the value and capabilities of Salesforce offerings given the client-specific requirements.
• Solution Design: Engineer scalable, secure, and best-practice Salesforce solutions to meet customer requirements.  Identify and recommend necessary customizations, integrations, or third-party applications as appropriate.
• Technical Validation: Address complex technical questions concerning Salesforce product features, APIs, integrations, and data security. Offer guidance on best practices, platform limitations, and strategic roadmap considerations.
• Proposal and RFP Support: Assist in the preparation of proposals, statements of work, and responses to Requests for Proposal (RFP), ensuring technical accuracy and alignment with client objectives.
• Proof of Concept (POC) and Pilots: Design and implement proof-of-concept and pilot solutions to substantiate the feasibility and business value of proposed Salesforce deployments.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Establish and nurture relationships with client executives, IT professionals, and business users. Serve as a trusted technical advisor and advocate for the client throughout the sales cycle.
• Internal Collaboration: Coordinate effectively with Account Executives, Product Managers, Solution Architects, and technical resources to ensure continuity and excellence throughout the client engagement process.
• Continuous Learning: Maintain expertise in the latest Salesforce products, features, industry developments, and competitive technologies
• Sales Enablement: Provide mentorship and knowledge transfer to sales colleagues regarding technical aspects of the Salesforce platform.

Required Qualifications

• Technical Proficiency: Demonstrable experience with Salesforce platform administration, configuration, or development.
• Comprehensive understanding of CRM processes, cloud computing architectures, SaaS models, and associated technologies.
• Proficiency with Salesforce declarative tools (including Flows, Process Builder, Lightning App Builder) and, preferably, familiarity with Apex, Visualforce, or Lightning Web Components.
• Acumen in data integration, APIs (REST, SOAP), and authentication protocols (such as OAuth).
• Awareness of security models, data governance, and compliance standards.
• Sales Competencies: Capacity to describe complex technical concepts/solutions  to non-technical (business) audiences
• Experience supporting or advancing enterprise sales cycles, ideally within a pre-sales engineering or solution consulting context.
• Documented ability to identify business value and articulate return on investment (ROI) to stakeholders.
• Personal Attributes: Excellent verbal and written communication skills; presentation and demonstration abilities; robust analytical and critical thinking capabilities with a solution-oriented disposition; effectiveness within collaborative, dynamic, and customer-centric environments; self-motivation, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to continuous learning.
• Certifications (Preferred): Salesforce Certified Administrator, Salesforce Certified Platform App Builder, Salesforce Certified Sales Cloud Consultant, or other relevant Salesforce certifications.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience with industry-specific Salesforce solutions (such as Public Sector Solutions or Health Cloud).
• Prior experience in client-facing, account management, or consulting capacities.
• Knowledge of supplementary SaaS platforms and technologies (including AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform).
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and project management tools.

Work Environment and Expectations

• This position is characterized by a high degree of collaboration, adaptability, and client interaction. Occasional travel may be necessary to engage with clients or participate in industry events and on-site demonstrations.
• Work schedules may vary in accordance with client requirements and project timelines.
• Remote and hybrid work arrangements are frequently available, some business travel may be required to establish relationships with clients.