Interconnection Sales Specialist (Network Service Providers)

Equinix • Ashburn, GA

16h • $281,000 - $421,000

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 Network Service Provider (NSP) accounts. The role focuses on designing network, cloud, partner, and AI-workload connectivity architectures and establishing them on Platform Equinix as repeatable patterns. The ICS works with customers to land durable architecture wins that enable further connections and workloads, partnering with Account Executives, Solution Architects, Sales Engineers, and Technical Account Managers to create opportunities for the broader team.

The specialist sells Equinix interconnection services as integrated customer architectures. Examples include WAN modernization, hybrid multicloud connectivity, distributed AI hubs, edge application delivery, private connectivity to SaaS and AI platforms, digital supply chains, carrier network transformation, inter-provider connectivity, and 5G- and AI-enabled network architectures.

The role leads customer design conversations, maps needs to proven architectures, collaborates on solution feasibility, develops value cases, and drives architecture scopes through customer commitment, production circuit, and published blueprint. It also supports account and territory planning, partner collaboration, pipeline development, forecasting, commercial negotiations, and field enablement. Success is measured by architecture design wins and the interconnection growth they generate, including bookings, revenue, new logos, peering growth, ecosystem expansion, and strategic service-provider partnerships.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience selling network, cloud, data center, carrier, telecommunications, interconnection, or infrastructure-as-a-service solutions to network service providers, telecommunications companies, ISPs, 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 that others can deliver.
• Executive presence and credibility with technical buyers and business decision-makers.
• Track record of collaborating 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 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 to telecommunications providers, mobile operators, ISPs, 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 that combine physical and virtual services.
• 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 that demonstrate the architecture’s business impact to technical and executive buyers.
• Engage carrier CTOs, network architects, peering leaders, transport engineering teams, product organizations, and infrastructure executives to align interconnection strategies with 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 bases and interconnection footprints to identify and prioritize accounts for architecture opportunities.
• Grow interconnection in existing accounts, help open new logos, and develop opportunities with magnet customers and ecosystems.
• Contribute to quarterly business reviews to identify and develop interconnection opportunities.
• Identify opportunities with 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, and new service creation.
• Act as the account team’s interconnection expert from pursuit strategy through close.
• Bring together Solution Architects, Technical Account Managers, Product, Customer Success, Alliances, and Channel Partners for deals.
• Co-sell with cloud, technology, and channel partners when partner-led approaches support a design win.
• Hand off landed architectures so follow-on connections can be booked by the appropriate account executive, partner, or portal.
• Partner with carrier Account Executives, cloud providers, content platforms, network vendors, technology alliances, and ecosystem partners.
• Collaborate across the Equinix service-provider ecosystem to develop differentiated solutions.
• Serve as a field expert on the interconnection portfolio, industry trends, and competitive landscape.
• Help Account Executives identify interconnection fit, use cases, buyer personas, objections, and competitors.
• Contribute playbooks, reference architectures, and customer case studies to help repeat successful patterns.
• Stay current on networking, multicloud, AI infrastructure, digital transformation, and telecommunications trends.
• Maintain expertise in carrier business models, peering ecosystems, wholesale networking, interconnection economics, and service-provider technology strategies.
• Build and manage a pipeline of architecture opportunities against monthly, quarterly, and annual objectives.
• Provide timely, accurate forecasts and opportunity status through the team’s operating cadence.
• Follow the Equinix selling methodology and maintain current CRM records, including registered design scopes.
• Work with marketing, partner, and business development teams on campaigns that generate interconnection pipeline.
• Build and manage NSP opportunities tied to network modernization, cloud connectivity, peering expansion, edge deployments, AI networking, and service innovation.
• Support Account Executives with quoting, pricing, negotiation, and closing of interconnection deals.
• Shape commercial structures that support the architecture’s full build-out over time.
• Work with Deal Desk and Legal on interconnection terms as needed.
• Support complex commercial engagements with carriers, wholesale providers, content networks, cloud providers, and strategic ecosystem participants.

Benefits

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

What This Job Offers

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