Director Systems Engineering, Mid-Market

The Systems Engineering Director will lead, mentor, and manage a team of Systems Engineers to drive technical excellence and sales alignment. This role involves strategizing with regional sales leadership, overseeing pre-sales and post-sales technical engagements, and ensuring the team’s technical expertise aligns with Fortinet’s solutions and market demands.

Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership and Development:
  • Recruit, mentor, and manage a team of Systems Engineers, fostering technical expertise and professional growth.
  • Conduct regular performance evaluations, identify skill gaps, and create training plans to ensure team members meet and exceed certification requirements (e.g., NSE levels).
• Sales and Technical Strategy:
  • Collaborate with sales leadership to align technical resources with sales objectives.
  • Define technical strategies and best practices to improve customer engagement and technical win rates.
  • Ensure effective pre-sales support, including product demonstrations, proof-of-concepts, and technical consultations.
• Customer Engagement:
  • Act as a senior escalation point for critical pre-sales and post-sales engagements.
  • Support high-value customer relationships by offering strategic insights, technical leadership, and executive-level communication.
  • Drive technical enablement and adoption of Fortinet solutions across identified accounts.
• Operational Excellence:
  • Develop and implement metrics to track the effectiveness and efficiency of the Systems Engineering team.
  • Ensure compliance with Fortinet’s technical certification requirements (e.g., NSE 4–7).
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product management, support, and engineering, to address customer feedback and improve solutions.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Experience:
  • 10+ years of experience in Systems Engineering or Technical Sales roles, including 5+ years in a leadership position.
  • Proven track record in managing technical teams and driving results in a fast-paced, high-tech environment.
• Technical Expertise:
  • Deep understanding of networking and security technologies, including LAN/WAN, routing, switching, VPN, and firewalls.
  • Proficiency in advanced security concepts (e.g., PKI, SSL, IPSec) and related protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, DNS).
  • Experience with Fortinet products and certifications (NSE 4 or higher preferred).
• Leadership Skills:
  • Strong ability to inspire and lead a geographically dispersed team.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface effectively at all levels.
  • Demonstrated ability to balance technical depth with strategic vision.

Education and Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Fortinet NSE certifications preferred, with a commitment to achieving NSE 7 or above within the first year.

Additional Requirements:

• Travel as needed to support team activities, customer engagements, and strategic initiatives.
• Commitment to staying current on the evolving threat landscape and security solutions.

This role is pivotal in Fortinet's mission to deliver cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions and empower its customers to protect their businesses.

The Systems Engineering Director will lead, mentor, and manage a team of Systems Engineers to drive technical excellence and sales alignment. This role involves strategizing with regional sales leadership, overseeing pre-sales and post-sales technical engagements, and ensuring the team’s technical expertise aligns with Fortinet’s solutions and market demands.