Interconnection Sales Specialist (Telco & Media)

Equinix • Ashburn, GA

4d • $255,000 - $460,000

About The Position

The Interconnection Sales Specialist (ICS) is an architecture-led seller responsible for growing interconnection revenue across Equinix’s physical and virtual portfolio in new and existing Telco and Media accounts. The role focuses on designing customer network, cloud, partner, and AI-workload connectivity architectures and establishing them on Platform Equinix as repeatable patterns. The ICS partners with Account Executives, Solution Architects, Sales Engineers, and Technical Account Managers to create opportunities and pull-through for the broader account team.

The ICS sells Equinix interconnection services as integrated customer architectures, including network core and last-mile integration, hybrid multicloud connectivity, distributed AI hubs and GPU/data-movement interconnect, edge application delivery, private connectivity to SaaS and ecosystem partners, digital supply chains, carrier transformation, provider connectivity, 5G and edge networking, and API integration.

Success is measured by landing architectures and the interconnection growth they generate across the portfolio. Measures include design conversations, registered architecture scopes, published blueprints, joint account plans, partner co-selling, design wins, bookings and revenue growth, gross interconnects, new logos, network transformation wins, ecosystem and peering growth, and strategic service-provider partnerships.

The role requires at least five years of relevant technical sales experience, architecture depth in enterprise networking, interconnection, and hybrid multicloud, and the ability to work credibly with technical and business decision makers. A bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience is required. Preferred qualifications include AI/GPU or large-scale cloud architecture experience, an architect or provider background, relevant industry certifications, vertical-segment experience, advanced education, and familiarity with telecommunications and carrier networking initiatives.

The position is full-time. Targeted annual on-target earnings vary by listed U.S. office: $281,000–$421,000 in Ashburn; $255,000–$383,000 in Denver and Dallas; and $306,000–$460,000 in Redwood City. OTE includes base pay and commissions and excludes equity and benefits. Equity may be offered depending on the position.

Requirements

• At least 5 years selling network, cloud, data center, carrier, telecommunications, interconnection, or infrastructure-as-a-service solutions to network service providers, telecommunications companies, internet service providers, wholesale carriers, managed service providers, or enterprise networking customers in a technical sales, overlay, or specialist role.
• Architecture depth in enterprise networking, interconnection, and hybrid multicloud, including WAN, routing, peering, cloud connectivity, and network virtualization.
• Ability to design solutions with customer architects and document them as blueprints others can deliver.
• Executive presence and credibility with technical buyers and business decision makers.
• Track record of working with account teams and partners and meeting or exceeding sales objectives.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, computer science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Experience navigating complex stakeholder environments within media companies, CDN providers, telecommunications providers, carriers, ISP organizations, wholesale networking companies, or other network-centric enterprises.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with AI and GPU-cluster networking, data movement, or large-scale cloud architecture, especially for Strategic and Hyperscale accounts.
• Hands-on background as a network or solutions architect, or experience with a cloud provider, carrier, or network service provider.
• Industry certifications such as CCNP, JNCIP, or cloud networking specialty certifications from AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Experience in an Equinix vertical segment: Financial Services, Enterprise, Strategic, Telco & Media, or Public Sector.
• MBA or advanced degree.
• Experience selling into telecommunications providers, mobile operators, internet service providers, wholesale carriers, managed service providers, content delivery networks, or network infrastructure providers.
• Familiarity with carrier peering environments, internet exchanges, transport networks, cloud networking, edge architectures, and telecommunications ecosystems.
• Experience supporting peering, carrier interconnection, network modernization, edge computing, 5G deployment, cloud connectivity, NaaS, or AI networking infrastructure initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead design conversations with customer network, cloud, and infrastructure architects to understand business drivers, technical requirements, and pain points.
• Map customer needs to proven interconnection architectures, combining physical and virtual services into a single design.
• Partner with Solution Architects on presales feasibility and solution design, and produce blueprints that other teams can deliver.
• Register architecture scope early and drive it from customer commitment through the first production circuit and a published blueprint.
• Build value cases and metrics demonstrating architecture business impact to technical and executive buyers.
• Engage carrier, CDN, and media CTOs, network architects, peering leaders, transport engineering teams, product organizations, and infrastructure executives to align interconnection strategies with business growth objectives.
• Design architectures that improve network reach, service delivery, cloud access, traffic optimization, operational efficiency, and customer experience.
• Conduct joint account planning with Account Executives and Sales Engineers for assigned accounts, segments, or verticals.
• Analyze installed base and interconnection footprint to identify and prioritize accounts for near-term and long-term architecture pursuits.
• Drive interconnection growth in existing accounts and help open new logos, including magnet customers that attract partners and ecosystems.
• Contribute to quarterly business reviews to identify and develop interconnection opportunities.
• Identify opportunities among telecommunications providers, carriers, ISPs, mobile operators, wholesale network providers, and managed network service providers.
• Develop territory strategies aligned with carrier transformation, cloud networking, AI networking, edge deployments, API/MCP integration, and new service creation.
• Serve as the interconnection expert for the account team from pursuit strategy through close.
• Engage Solution Architects, Technical Account Managers, Product, Customer Success, Alliances, and Channel Partners as appropriate for each deal.
• Co-sell with cloud, technology, and channel partners where partner-led opportunities support a design win.
• Hand off landed architectures so follow-on connections can be booked by the best-positioned AE, partner, or portal.
• Partner with carrier Account Executives, cloud providers, content platforms, network vendors, technology alliances, and ecosystem partners to drive architecture-led opportunities.
• Collaborate across the Equinix service-provider ecosystem to develop differentiated solutions using proximity to networks, cloud platforms, content providers, enterprises, and strategic partners.
• Maintain field expertise in the full interconnection portfolio, industry trends, and competitive landscape.
• Help Account Executives identify interconnection fit, use cases, buyer personas, common objections, and competitors.
• Contribute to playbooks, reference architectures, and customer case studies to enable repeatable wins.
• Stay current on networking, multicloud, AI infrastructure, digital transformation, and telecommunications and carrier-industry trends.
• Understand carrier business models, peering ecosystems, wholesale networking, interconnection economics, and service-provider technology strategies to influence architecture decisions.
• Build and manage an architecture-opportunity pipeline against monthly, quarterly, and annual objectives.
• Provide timely, accurate forecasts and opportunity status through the team’s operating cadence.
• Follow Equinix’s selling methodology and keep CRM records current, including registered design scopes.
• Work with marketing, partner, and business development teams on campaigns that generate interconnection pipeline.
• Manage NSP opportunities related to network modernization, cloud connectivity, peering expansion, edge deployments, AI networking, and service innovation.
• Support Account Executives with quoting, pricing, negotiation, and closing interconnection deals.
• Shape commercial structures that support architecture build-out over time.
• Work with Deal Desk and Legal on interconnection terms as needed.
• Support complex commercial engagements involving carriers, wholesale providers, content networks, cloud providers, and strategic ecosystem participants, aligning commercial structures with long-term network growth strategies.

Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program available to all employees.
• Health, life, disability, and voluntary insurance plans for eligible employees and family members.
• Retirement plan to which employees and Equinix may contribute.
• Accrued paid time off and paid holidays.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level