Specialist Solutions Engineer

AHEAD’s Specialist Solutions Engineers are the technical experts that collaborate with our AHEAD account teams to help identify, qualify, and build solutions that support our customer’s Digital Business transformation. 

The AHEAD Modern Datacenter Specialist Solutions Engineer (SSE) will be focused on Datacenter technologies, including storage (block & file), compute, virtualization, and data protection. The SSE is considered a subject matter expert in these areas with responsibility for selling and designing complex solutions. The SSE is also considered an organizational thought leader for their specialty area. 

Responsibilities:

• Active participation in the AHEAD Modern Datacenter SSE team, advisory and delivery teams. 
• Working with the AHEAD partner management team and directly with selected strategic vendors to maintain technical and sales relationships. 
• Be a thought leader within the Solutions Engineering organization, responsible for designing, architecting, and at times consulting for AHEAD clients. 
• Build skills, relationships, and industry credibility across many segments to drive product, services, and consulting sales. 
• Support the sales teams during engagements by providing advice and solutions or proposals optimized to meet customer technical and business requirements. 
• Develop relationships with other Modern Datacenter SSE team members, leaders, and partners in support of sales objectives. 
• Strategize and execute technical sales calls. 
• Complete required pre-sales documentation (configurations, pricing, services, presentations, justifications, etc.) quickly and accurately. 
• Qualify sales opportunities in terms of customer technical requirements, decision-making process, and funding. 
• Present and market the design and value of proposed AHEAD solutions and business justification to customers, prospects, and AHEAD management. 
• Participate in the mentorship of entry-level team members. 
• Possess strong, detailed product/technology/industry knowledge. 
• Knowledge of job-associated software and applications.

Qualifications:

• Expertise in Storage (Block & File), Compute, and Virtualization/VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF).
• Data Protection experience with Dell, Rubrik, Commvault, etc.
• Familiarity with Cisco UCS, Dell MX, PowerScale, PowerFlex and hyperconverged compute platforms (VxRail, Nutanix, Azure Stack HCI, OpenShift-V).
• Understanding of Datacenter automation tools like Ansible.
• Basic knowledge of cloud platforms like AWS and Azure.
• VMware and Virtualization technology expertise.
• Vendor experience with Dell, NetApp, Vast Data, Cisco, etc.
• Professional communication, presentation, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Experience working as a technical lead in a pre-sales or sales campaign.
• Ability to work under critical conditions and influence others to achieve results.
• Strong interpersonal skills with excellent presentation skills.
• Must be independent, self-motivated, a self-starter, and possess a good working
• attitude.
• Able to work well within a team and partner environment. Customer-focused and results-driven.

Other Skills:

• Innovation Mindset: Ability to identify and leverage emerging Datacenter technologies to drive innovative solutions that meet evolving client needs. 
• Automation Expertise: Advanced understanding of automation frameworks and scripting to optimize Datacenter operations and reduce manual effort. 
• Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills with a focus on troubleshooting complex Datacenter environments, including storage, compute, and networking issues. 
• Consultative Approach: Ability to engage with clients as a trusted advisor, guiding them through the decision-making process with clear, strategic recommendations. 
• Collaboration Skills: Proven track record of working effectively across teams, including sales, engineering, and vendor partners, to deliver cohesive solutions. 
• Continuous Learning: Commitment to staying updated on the latest industry trends, certifications, and best practices related to Datacenter technologies. 
• Security Awareness: Knowledge of Datacenter security best practices, ensuring that proposed solutions adhere to compliance and regulatory standards.