Sr. Project Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering
About The Position
Operating at the intersection of Solution Engineering, Professional Services and Product Management, the Forward Deployed Engineering team (FDEs) leverages state-of-the-art AI tooling alongside deep implementation expertise and industry knowledge to build foundational solutions, solve complex problems, accelerate our customers' time-to-value and decrease the cost of traditional services. The Senior Project Manager, Forward Deployed Engineering, is a critical pre-sales operational leader responsible for orchestrating and managing the pipeline of all FDE engagements, encompassing both legacy modernization initiatives and complex net-new customer opportunities. Operating in the pre-sales lifecycle, this role acts as the "air traffic controller" for the Forward Deployed Engineering team. Reporting to the Director of FDE, you will coordinate technical discovery workshops, manage the timelines of pre-sales FDE engagements, and track deal velocity. You will provide direct tactical support to both the Director and the Engagement Manager by ensuring that all FDE pre-sales activities—regardless of whether they are for an existing customer or a net-new prospect—are perfectly structured and seamlessly executed.
Requirements
- 6+ years of experience in pre-sales operations, sales project management, or solutions engineering coordination within the enterprise software space.
- Deep expertise in navigating complex enterprise software sales cycles and coordinating technical pre-sales resources (e.g., Sales Engineers, FDEs, Architects) for both net-new logos and existing customer expansions.
- Strong command of project tracking tools and CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Smartsheet, Jira).
- Proven ability to "lead without authority" by coordinating cross-functional pre-sales teams, holding sales reps accountable to technical prerequisites, and keeping deals on track.
- Ability to understand high-level software architecture and identity security concepts to effectively schedule and track technical discussions (IAM experience is preferred but not required).
- Excellent executive-level reporting skills, with a track record of bringing order to high-volume, fast-paced sales pipelines.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
Nice To Haves
- PMP or equivalent certification is a plus.
- IAM experience is preferred but not required.
Responsibilities
- Act as the central point of contact for the global sales organization to intake, triage, and schedule all FDE pre-sales requests for both modernization and net-new opportunities.
- Coordinate and manage the logistics of pre-sales technical engagements, including discovery workshops, architecture deep-dives, and strategic roadmap sessions.
- Maintain a comprehensive, real-time tracking system for all active FDE pre-sales opportunities, monitoring deal stages, FDE involvement, and next steps.
- Build and manage timelines for complex pre-sales engagements, ensuring technical validations and pipeline phases do not stall the broader sales cycle.
- Proactively identify and mitigate bottlenecks in the pre-sales FDE pipeline, ensuring sales reps and technical stakeholders are completely aligned on timelines and deliverables.
- Partner with Sales Leadership to provide regular FDE pipeline status updates, FDE resource utilization metrics, and deal velocity reports across all engagement types.
- Act as the logistical counterpart to the Engagement Manager; while the EM manages the scoping frameworks and standardizes the SOWs, you will ensure they have the necessary meeting notes, technical prerequisites, and stakeholder alignment to keep deals moving quickly.
- Assist the Director in preparing for executive-level pre-sales presentations, managing presentation assets, and coordinating FDE resources for high-priority strategic deals.
- Manage the scheduling and coordination of the FDE team’s pre-sales enablement sessions for internal sales and partner teams.
- Significantly reduce the Director and Engagement Manager's day-to-day administrative and scheduling burden, allowing them to focus entirely on technical strategy and programmatic scale.
Benefits
- Health and wellness coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Disability coverage: Short-term and long-term disability
- Life protection: Life insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
- Additional life coverage options: Supplemental life insurance for employees, spouses, and children
- Flexible spending accounts for health care, and dependent care; limited purpose flexible spending account
- Financial security: 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan with company matching
- Time off benefits: Flexible vacation policy
- Holidays: 8 paid holidays annually
- Sick leave
- Parental support: Paid parental leave
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Care Counselors
- Voluntary benefits: Legal Assistance, Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital Indemnity and Pet Insurance options
- Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution
- SailPoint Corporate Bonus Plan or a role-specific commission
- Potential eligibility for equity participation
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Associate degree
