Senior Channel Sales Engineer

Proofpoint•New York, IL

1d•Remote

About The Position

Proofpoint is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity, protecting how people, data, and AI agents connect across email, cloud, and collaboration tools. Over 80 of the Fortune 100, 10,000 large enterprises, and millions of smaller organizations trust Proofpoint to stop threats, prevent data loss, and build resilience. The company's mission is to safeguard the digital world and empower people to work securely and confidently, guided by BRAVE core values: Bold, Responsive, Accountable, Visionary, and Exceptional. The Senior Channel Sales Engineer role focuses on owning strategic partner relationships in the U.S., scaling how partners sell, position, and deliver Proofpoint's platform. This high-impact, high-visibility position acts as a technical quarterback, shaping partner strategy, influencing multi-million dollar opportunities, and expanding Proofpoint's market reach. The role involves working closely with partner engineers, sellers, and leadership to establish Proofpoint as their preferred security platform, enhancing technical capabilities, and building repeatable success. It is ideal for individuals who enjoy building from scratch, owning outcomes, and engaging in complex deals.

Requirements

7+ years in Sales Engineering or technical pre-sales, ideally in cybersecurity
Experience working with or through channel partners/resellers
Strong understanding of enterprise sales cycles and how to win complex deals
Background in email security, data protection, or related security technologies
Solid grasp of messaging systems (Exchange, SMTP)
Familiarity with directory services and integrations (LDAP, Active Directory)
Working knowledge of networking fundamentals and protocols
Clear, confident communication skills—you can go deep technically or stay high-level with execs
Ability to operate independently in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment
A builder mindset—you don’t wait for playbooks, you help create them
Travel is required in this role

Responsibilities

Own the technical relationship with a set of high-value channel partners
Jump into strategic deals and help drive them from first call to win
Enable partners to confidently pitch, demo, and run Proofpoint evaluations on their own
Build and execute a partner technical strategy that accelerates pipeline and revenue
Act as a trusted advisor to partner leadership and technical teams
Lead architecture conversations, design solutions, and guide proof-of-concept engagements
Help partners build services and repeatable offerings around Proofpoint
Work cross-functionally with Sales, Channel, Customer Success, and Threat Research
Handle competitive conversations and position Proofpoint clearly and confidently
Drive a consistently high bar for partner and customer experience