Sr. Director - Solution Engineering & Architecture

About Salesforce

We're Salesforce, the Customer Company, inspiring the future of business with AI + Data + CRM. Leading with our core values, we help companies across every industry blaze new trails and connect with customers in a whole new way. And, we empower you to be a Trailblazer, too - driving your performance and career growth, charting new paths, and improving the state of the world.

Role Description

Salesforce is seeking a transformative leader to reimagine Solution Engineering as a strategic discipline spanning the entire customer lifecycle-from presales excellence through long-term value realization. You will architect and scale a new paradigm where Solution Engineers co-create solutions rooted in understanding the jobs customers are trying to get done. Specifically this role is covering our Industries Manufacturing, Automotive, Travel, Transport, Hospitality, Energy, Utilities, Professional Services & Technology; therefore a strong understanding of the customer processes, how they engage with their customers and how they go to market is key. Where technical depth meets business acumen. Where solutions are designed not just to be sold, but to be adopted, scaled, and evolved. This leader will own the technical vision and execution of scalable solution frameworks across AI + Data + CRM, while driving organizational transformation that enables strategic involvement beyond the initial sale.

As Data and AI are foundational for the success of our customers the candidate has a very solid understanding of and experience in data platforms and Agentic AI.

As part of the sales organisation it is key that the candidate guides and supports the sales strategy, providing insights to achieve customer success.

You'll lead teams of Solution Engineers and Architects who translate complex customer challenges into clarity, confidence, and measurable outcomes. The ideal candidate combines deep technical excellence with transformational thinking and the ability to inspire teams to deliver solutions that drive lasting impact.

Primary Responsibilities:
Solution Engineering Vision & Excellence

• Drive design and delivery of world-class solution frameworks across the full Salesforce portfolio
  
• Champion a Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) methodology: train teams to discover what customers are trying to achieve and why traditional approaches fall short
  
• Lead the evolution toward Agentic Solution Engineering - leveraging AI, low-code, and intelligent systems for rapid prototyping and validation
  
• Guide architectural decisions balancing technical depth, scalability, and customer usability
  
• Establish frameworks measuring solution impact from pipeline through adoption and business outcomes
  

Organizational Leadership & Transformation

• L ead large-scale transformation across people, processes, and systems to evolve Solution Engineering practice
  
• Drive cross-functional technical synergy by partnering with supporting functions, including Specialist SEs and Architect SEs, to ensure seamless solution delivery and deep technical alignment.
  
• Close teaming with sales leadership on strategy, execution - owning success from a technical/solution perspective
  
• Influence senior executives across Product, Engineering, Sales, and Industry teams o align roadmap with customer needs.
  
• Champion operational excellence: ensure predictable delivery and productivity at scale and optimized resource allocation across generalist and specialist cohorts.
  
• Drive adoption of consumption models, M&A integrations, and compliance requirements
  

Team Building & Culture

• Recruit, develop, and retain exceptional Solution Engineering talent
  
• Foster a culture where teams build, not just present - encouraging exploration and shared learning
  
• Mentor next-generation leaders; create career paths allowing breadth early and specialization later
  
• Elevate Solution Engineering from tactical demo delivery to strategic business architecture and value realisation.
  

Technical & Strategic Leadership

• Maintain hands-on technical credibility: system design, APIs, data flows, AI/ML systems
  
• Represent Solution Engineering at executive level, influencing product vision and business strategy
  
• Engage with C-level customers, translating technical complexity into business clarity
  

Minimum Requirements:

• Overall 20+ years experience and 10+ years of experience in Solution Engineering, Presales Engineering, or Technical Consulting leadership
  
• 6+ years leading cross-functional transformation initiatives in enterprise software
  
• 3+ years in 2nd or 3rd level management roles managing managers and driving organizational change
  
• Experience building strong, successful technical teams and coaching individuals along career paths
  
• Deep understanding of enterprise software architectures: APIs, data flows, integrations, platform extensibility
  
• Ability to represent operational issues to senior leadership and dive deep into technical details when required
  
• Ability to prioritize in rapidly changing environments; communicate clearly to steer talented teams
  
• Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science or Engineering
  
• Business-fluent German and professional English for customer-facing work
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) frameworks and outcome-based solution design
  
• AI and ML engineering experience; familiarity with agentic systems and low-code platforms
  
• Background in Revenue Cloud, Industry Clouds, and/or CRM platform architecture
  
• Familiarity with the German mid-market landscape and European enterprise customers
  
• Track record of process and systems transformation at scale
  
• Experience in change management and transformation of the own and broader organisation
  
• Strong EQ and collaboration skills; calm under pressure in high-stakes situations
  

Why This Role Matters

Mid-market and enterprise customers are making high-leverage decisions about how they grow and differentiate in the age of AI. Solution Engineering helps them decide with confidence by understanding the job to be done, translating problems into clarity, co-creating solutions they can believe in, and designing for sustained value.

You'll shape how Solution Engineering evolves as a strategic discipline - redefining the practice for the agentic era.

Unleash Your Potential
When you join Salesforce, you'll be limitless in all areas of your life. Our benefits and resources support you to find balance and be your best, and our AI agents accelerate your impact so you can do your best. Together, we'll bring the power of Agentforce to organizations of all sizes and deliver amazing experiences that customers love. Apply today to not only shape the future - but to redefine what's possible - for yourself, for AI, and the world.

At Salesforce, we strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates.
If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please submit a request via this Accommodation Request Form.

Severe Disability Statement:
We warmly invite applications from individuals with a severe disability status (Schwerbehinderung). Salesforce is committed to equality and creating a workplace that reflects society. We set ambitious goals for representation, emphasize accessibility and inclusion, and continuously learn and improve. Learn more about our inclusion initiatives here. In 2019, Salesforce joined The Valuable 500 to champion disability inclusion in business leadership.

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Equal Opportunity Statement.
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