Director Systems Engineering, EMEA Strategic Accounts (Telco)

Pure Storage; Staines-upon-Thames; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company in the UK is seeking a Systems Engineering Director to lead a technical sales team supporting Tier-1 Telecommunications customers. The role requires proven experience in pre-sales leadership, strong technical background in storage solutions, and the ability to engage effectively with customers. This position is based in Staines-upon-Thames and emphasizes mentorship and strategic execution to drive customer success.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a technical pre-sales or SE leadership role.
• Expertise in storage solutions and related technologies.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of Systems Engineers across EMEA.
• Oversee technical pre-sales processes and ensure quality support.
• Engage with senior stakeholders to understand customer needs.
• Contribute to regional Telco sales strategy execution.

Skills

Team leadership

Technical sales support

Customer engagement

Strategic planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Relationship building

Job description

Overview

Pure Systems Engineering Director

The Pure Systems Engineering Director (SED) is the inspirational leader of a team of highly motivated, experienced and professional technical sales team, spanning multiple countries throughout Europe, who support and intimately manage our most strategic Tier-1 Telecommunications customers across EMEA.

The SED should understand the telco business model, network transformation programmes, data-intensive workloads, and how Pure’s portfolio can remove complexity, reduce cost, drive automation, and accelerate time-to-market. They must be an authority on Pure’s platform and on industry-standard telco architectures and the relevant partner ecosystem (Network Equipment Providers, NFV, 5G / 6G, RAN, Core Network, CNF, private cloud, data protection, AI / ML pipelines, and edge requirements).

The SED is responsible for overseeing that their team is effectively and efficiently driving the technical pre-sales activities, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic goals, and driving customer success through technical expertise and leadership.

Importantly, the SED is responsible for driving the professional development of their Systems Engineering (SE) team, including mentorship, training, combined with performance and sales methodology coaching. The position requires the ability to multi-task between team members in their support of different clients, sales opportunities, and other initiatives with a key requirement to deliver strong, clear and motivational leadership – to lead by example!

What You Will Be Doing

Team Leadership and Management :

• Lead, mentor and develop a team of SEs supporting PURE’s Tier-1 Telco and Network Equipment provider partners across EMEA
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Ensure the Systems Engineering team remains fluent in the telco operating model (network, IT, procurement, security, cloud, engineering, operations).
• Foster a collaborative and high-performance team culture.

Technical Pre-Sales Support :

• Oversee the technical pre-sales process, ensuring that SEs provide high-quality support to the sales team.
• Collaborate with sales leaders to develop and execute account strategies.
• Ensure SEs are equipped with the necessary tools, training, and resources to effectively support sales opportunities.

Customer Engagement :

• Engage with senior stakeholders (CTO org, Network Cloud, Core Network, CISO, Procurement), to understand strategic programmes and technical requirements. customers to understand their technical requirements and provide tailored solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, acting as a trusted advisor.
• Support SEs in delivering technical presentations, demonstrations, and proof-of-concept engagements.

Strategic Planning and Execution :

• Contribute to the development and execution of the regional Telco sales strategy.
• Align SE activities with the company’s strategic goals and objectives.
• Monitor and report on key performance metrics, ensuring continuous improvement.

Cross-Functional Collaboration :

• Participate in cross-functional initiatives to drive innovation and improve customer outcomes.
• Work closely with other internal teams, including Product Management, Engineering, and Customer Support, to ensure alignment and address customer needs.

What You Bring To The Team

• A background, network, and track record within the EMEA Telco sector ideally across Tier-1 operators (e.g. Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, BT, Telefónica, Orange), Network Equipment Providers (Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, Mavenir).
• Proven experience in a technical pre-sales or SE leadership role.
• Strong technical background with expertise in storage solutions and related technologies.
• Be able to see the bigger picture – what can Pure bring as benefits to the customer – building long term relationships.
• Excellent leadership and team coaching and management skills. Be clear what’s needed and when.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Be open to new ways of thinking. Listen, and act on new and exciting opportunities for improvements.
• Ability to think strategically and execute effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Understanding of Telco customer needs - drivers, visions, pain points and being able to explain these to your team and emphasise them with your customers.

We are primarily an in-office environment and therefore, you will be expected to work from the Staines-Upon-Thames, or London, UK office in compliance with Pure’s policies, unless you are on PTO, or work travel, or other approved leave.

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