Manager, Solutions Engineering - SLED

NetApp • Boulder, CO

2d • $253,300 - $327,800

About The Position

NetApp is seeking a Solutions Engineering Manager to lead its Western State, Local Government, and Education (SLED) Solutions Engineering team within the Commercial organization. This first-line people leader will manage Solutions Engineers supporting West SLED accounts and territories west of the Mississippi River, partnering with two SLED District Sales Managers. The SLED business combines growth and new-customer acquisition with the complexity of enterprise-scale environments. Customers include state and local government agencies, public safety organizations, higher education institutions, research organizations, and university-affiliated healthcare systems that rely on secure, resilient data infrastructure.

The manager will develop a strong technical sales team, align resources with district priorities, and promote value-based selling that connects technology investments to customer outcomes. The role requires deep SLED experience, proven people leadership, and strong knowledge of the infrastructure and data center ecosystem. The manager will participate in customer and partner engagements and travel across the region.

Candidates are considered only in California (greater San Francisco/San Jose Bay Area) or Colorado (greater Boulder area). The target salary range is $253,300–$327,800 USD in on-target earnings, representing base salary plus potential commission when performance targets are achieved. The salary offered may fall outside the range and depends on location, qualifications, experience, and education. Compensation includes a comprehensive benefits package, which may cover health and life insurance, retirement or pension plans, paid time off, leave options, an employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stock units. Offerings vary by region and are governed by applicable laws and company policies; specific regional benefits will be shared during recruitment.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience supporting SLED customers in enterprise technology sales, Solutions Engineering, or related customer-facing technical roles.
• 5+ years of people management experience, including direct responsibility for coaching, performance management, hiring, and developing technical sales professionals.
• Presales experience, including demonstrated ability to lead technical strategy and execution throughout complex sales opportunities.
• Strong knowledge of the infrastructure and data center ecosystem, including storage, data management, virtualization, compute, networking, data protection, and hybrid cloud environments.
• Demonstrated value-based selling experience, including translating technical capabilities into customer outcomes and articulating the business justification for technology investments.
• Deep understanding of SLED sales cycles and experience supporting complex, extended pursuits involving multiple stakeholders.
• Proven ability to partner with sales leadership, prioritize opportunities, and align technical resources with territory and district objectives.
• Experience guiding discovery, solution development, technical validation, and competitive differentiation in enterprise-scale environments.
• Familiarity with security, regulatory, and operational considerations affecting government, education, and public safety customers.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, including the ability to engage technical teams, business stakeholders, and executive decision-makers.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted customer and partner relationships and support new-customer acquisition as well as growth within existing accounts.
• Ability to travel for team, customer, and partner engagements across the West region.
• Must be located in California (greater San Francisco/San Jose Bay Area) or Colorado (greater Boulder area).

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop Solutions Engineers by setting expectations, providing actionable feedback, and supporting performance and career growth.
• Partner with two SLED District Sales Managers to align technical sales strategy, account coverage, and execution across the West SLED business.
• Allocate technical resources based on territory needs, opportunity complexity, customer priorities, and revenue potential.
• Coach the team to sell on value by uncovering customer challenges and linking solution recommendations to measurable outcomes, including resilience, security, operational efficiency, and cost optimization.
• Guide technical execution across discovery, solution design, demonstrations, proofs of concept, and technical validation.
• Apply knowledge of SLED sales cycles to account and opportunity planning and help the team sustain engagement through long, complex pursuits.
• Help the team plan around customer budgeting processes, funding availability, fiscal calendars, procurement timelines, and purchasing requirements.
• Drive early customer engagement so NetApp can participate in technology planning and budget development before funding decisions are finalized.
• Establish milestones and technical strategies to maintain opportunity momentum across extended sales cycles and multiple budget years.
• Build account plans with sales partners that support expansion within existing customers and acquisition of new SLED customers.
• Ensure solution recommendations address customer security, regulatory, and operational requirements, including those relevant to public safety and criminal justice environments.
• Coach Solutions Engineers to build trusted technical relationships with customers and partners and engage stakeholders beyond individual opportunities.
• Collaborate with specialist teams, partners, and internal stakeholders to bring appropriate expertise to customer engagements.
• Review pipeline health, technical risks, competitive positioning, and resource needs with sales leadership, and help resolve obstacles and advance opportunities.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, and ongoing development to strengthen the team’s technical expertise, sales effectiveness, and customer engagement skills.
• Participate in customer and partner engagements and travel across the region.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, which may cover health insurance, life insurance, retirement or pension plans, paid time off, leave options, an employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stock units; specific offerings vary by region.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed