Head of Technical Sales

Summary

Join Shelf as the Head of Technical Sales, serving as the technical expert in strategic customer engagements. You will bridge the gap between Shelf's AI platform and enterprise decision-makers, combining technical expertise with excellent communication skills. This role offers strategic influence on product direction and go-to-market strategy, providing direct access to the executive team and significant autonomy. You will partner with the sales team to engage with enterprise architects, data science leaders, and IT executives, demonstrating how Shelf solves data quality issues hindering GenAI initiatives. This hands-on role reports to the CRO and liaises with the CTO, focusing on solution design and technical advisory. The ideal candidate possesses solid technical experience with enterprise data and AI systems and the ability to translate technical concepts into business value. This role presents exceptional growth potential for ambitious technologists.

Requirements

• 7-10+ years of experience in technical pre-sales, enterprise architecture, solutions engineering, or similar roles
• Hands-on experience with enterprise data platforms and cloud architectures
• Deep understanding of AI technologies and their applications in enterprise solutions
• Experience working with enterprise customers on technical solutions
• Strong presentation and communication skills
• Ability to explain complex technical concepts to various audiences
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

Responsibilities

• Lead the sales team as the technical expert in customer meetings and demonstrations
• Lead technical discovery sessions to understand customer data architecture, GenAI initiatives, and integration requirements
• Design and present technical solutions that demonstrate how Shelf addresses specific customer challenges
• Lead the sales team throughout complex enterprise sales cycles with technical expertise
• Create architecture designs leveraging Shelf's platform to meet customer-specific requirements
• Deliver technical presentations and product demonstrations tailored to customer use cases
• Guide customers through technical evaluations and proof-of-concepts
• Provide hands-on support during POCs to ensure successful outcomes
• Build relationships with technical stakeholders including IT leaders, architects, and data scientists
• Translate technical capabilities into business value for both technical and business audiences
• Conduct technical workshops to explore customer requirements and potential solutions
• Act as liaison between customers and Shelf's product/engineering teams for technical feedback

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with platforms like Snowflake, Databricks, AWS/Azure/GCP is a plus
• Strategic Vision with entrepreneurial mindset - someone who thinks like an owner and sees beyond individual deals to market opportunities
• B2B Enterprise Software Background with deep expertise in AI, data platforms, and enterprise architecture
• Technical Excellence combined with exceptional communication skills - someone who can whiteboard complex architectures - and explain them to non-technical stakeholders
• Customer-Obsessed Problem Solver who thrives on understanding customer challenges and architecting innovative solutions
• High Energy & Initiative - willing to do whatever it takes to ensure customer success and drive technical wins
• Collaborative Mindset with ability to work seamlessly across sales, product, and engineering teams
• Hands-On Approach - comfortable diving deep into technical details while maintaining strategic perspective
• Continuous Learner who stays ahead of rapidly evolving AI and data technology landscape
• Results-Driven with track record of directly influencing revenue through technical leadership

Benefits

• Competitive starting salary: $225K base + variable
• Generous equity grant in the form of company stock options
• Open PTO
• Comprehensive health and wellness packages
• Remote with flexibility to meet onsite in Stamford, CT as needed