About Us:
Proofpoint is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity. We protect 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 across their people and AI workflows. Our mission is simple: safeguard the digital world and empower people to work securely and confidently. Join us in our pursuit to defend data and protect people.
How We Work:
At Proofpoint you’ll be part of a global team that breaks barriers to redefine cybersecurity guided by our BRAVE core values:
Bold in how we dream and innovate
Responsive to feedback, challenges and opportunities
Accountable for results and best in class outcomes
Visionary in future focused problem-solving
Exceptional in execution and impact
About the Role
The Senior Presales Escalation Engineer is a senior individual contributor responsible for supporting complex, high‑value opportunities across the EMEA region. This role partners closely with Sales, Product, and Engineering to design technically sound solutions, remove deal risk, and influence customer outcomes at scale.
At this level, the Presales Engineer operates as a trusted technical authority — not only executing on deals, but shaping presales standards, mentoring others, and representing the field’s technical perspective into the broader organization.
This role is ideal for a seasoned presales professional with deep technical expertise, excellent customer presence, and the ability to thrive in complex, ambiguous environments.
Key Responsibilities
Customer & Deal Engagement
- Lead the technical presales motion for strategic and enterprise‑level opportunities across EMEA.
- Own solution design for complex customer environments involving multiple products, integrations, or deployment models.
- Partner with Account Executives to develop credible solutions that balance customer requirements, product capabilities, and business outcomes.
- Act as a senior technical advisor during customer meetings, workshops, and executive discussions.
Technical Leadership
- Serve as a subject‑matter expert across one or more core security domains and product areas.
- Assess customer architectures, identify risks, and propose scalable, supportable solutions.
- Handle advanced technical objections and late‑stage deal blockers with confidence and clarity.
- Support proof‑of‑concept (POC) efforts where complexity or risk warrants senior involvement.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Product Management and Engineering to:
- Provide structured feedback from customer engagements
- Influence roadmap considerations and prioritization
- Validate technical feasibility of proposed solutions
- Collaborate with Presales, Support, and Escalation teams to ensure smooth handoffs and consistent customer experience.
Enablement & Mentorship
- Mentor and coach Sales Engineers across the region, raising overall technical capability.
- Contribute to presales enablement content, best practices, and reusable solution guidance.
- Help define and reinforce presales standards for solution design, demos, and customer engagement.
Strategic Impact
- Identify recurring presales challenges and recommend improvements to tools, processes, or documentation.
- Support regional and global initiatives to scale presales effectiveness.
- Operate autonomously while aligning closely with regional and global presales leadership.
Scope & Autonomy
- Operates with minimal supervision and high trust.
- Influences outcomes across multiple teams and countries within EMEA.
- Regularly supports deals with material revenue impact.
- Seen internally as a go‑to technical expert and external representative of the company’s technical credibility.
Required Experience & Qualifications
Experience
- 8+ years in Presales Engineering, Sales Engineering, Technical Consulting, or similar customer‑facing technical roles.
- Strong experience working with enterprise customers and complex sales cycles.
- Proven success supporting large, strategic, or technically demanding opportunities.
Technical Skills
- Broad and deep understanding of enterprise security architectures, such as:
- Email security, threat protection, identity, data protection, or adjacent domains
- Cloud, hybrid, and on‑prem environments
- Automation, integrations, and modern IT architectures
- Comfortable troubleshooting across multiple systems and technologies.
Professional Skills
- Exceptional communication skills — able to adapt messaging from technical practitioners to executive stakeholders.
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities.
- Calm, credible, and effective under pressure.
- Ability to influence without authority and collaborate across functions.
Success Looks Like
- Customers trust your guidance on complex technical decisions.
- Sales peers rely on you for the most critical and complex opportunities.
- Product and Engineering value your judgment and feedback.
- Other Presales Engineers learn from how you think, not just what you know.
- Your involvement measurably improves deal outcomes and customer confidence.
Location & Travel
- Role based in EMEA.
- Willingness to travel rarely to support customers and regional priorities.
#LI-MC4
Why Proofpoint?
At Proofpoint, we believe that an exceptional career experience includes a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Here are just a few reasons you’ll love working with us:
Competitive compensation
Comprehensive benefits
Career success on your terms
Flexible work environment
Annual wellness and community outreach days
Always on recognition for your contributions
Global collaboration and networking opportunities
Our Culture:
Our culture is rooted in values that inspire belonging, empower purpose and drive success-every day, for everyone.
We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. If you need accommodation during the application or interview process, please reach out to accessibility@proofpoint.com.
How to Apply
Interested? Submit your application along with any supporting information- we can’t wait to hear from you!
