Director of PreSales Strategy & Operations

Okta is hiring for a  Director of Presales Field Strategy and Operations. This person will play a critical role in shaping the Sales Engineering organization's strategic direction and operational efficiency. 

This individual will work closely with senior presales leadership, sales teams, and cross-functional departments to drive strategic initiatives, optimize processes, and scale the Sales Engineering function to meet the needs of a rapidly growing customer base. The ideal candidate is a proven leader with a strong background in sales engineering operations, strategy development, and cross-functional collaboration within a fast-paced, tech-driven environment.

What you will be doing:

Strategic Planning & Execution:

• Partner closely with the SVP of Global Presales to set the organizational vision, strategy, planning, and associated operational cadences.
• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous optimization of the Sales Engineering strategy in alignment with overall company goals.
• Analyze market trends, customer feedback, and competitive landscapes to ensure the Sales Engineering team’s strategies are responsive and forward-thinking.
• Collaborate with sales leadership to ensure Sales Engineering initiatives are integrated with overall sales goals and effectively support revenue generation.

Operational Excellence:

• Own the operational capabilities of the Sales Engineering function, ensuring efficient workflows, resource allocation, and alignment across all teams.
• Drive the development and continuous improvement of processes, tools, and systems that enable Sales Engineers to be more effective in their pre-sales engagements.
• Implement and optimize performance metrics, KPIs, and reporting mechanisms to measure team effectiveness, resource utilization, and overall impact on sales success.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Manage a team of operations professionals supporting the Sales Engineering function, ensuring high engagement, performance, and accountability levels.
• Provide leadership in fostering a culture of continuous improvement, cross-functional collaboration, and high performance within the Sales Engineering team.
• Identify skills gaps, create professional development programs, and mentor high-potential team members to grow into leadership roles.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Work closely with the Sales, Marketing, Product, and Customer Success teams to align strategies, ensure effective handoffs, and ensure customer-facing teams have the necessary resources and information to succeed.
• Serve as the point of contact for escalated operational or strategic challenges and as a bridge between the Sales Engineering team and other departments.
• Provide strategic insights for product development, sales enablement content, and customer-facing training programs.

Reporting & Analytics:

• Partner with the analytics teams to develop and maintain dashboards, reports, and analytics to measure and report on the effectiveness of Sales Engineering operations, including technical win rates, and overall impact on sales performance.

Technology & Tools:

• Partner with the Business Technology and Field Strategy & Operations Systems teams on selecting, implementing, and optimizing tools and platforms that support the Sales Engineering function, including CRM systems, proposal management tools, and demo environments.
• Ensure the Sales Engineering team has access to the latest technologies, resources, and training to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

What you will bring to the role:

• Minimum of 5 years as a Sr. Manager or Director in a Go To Market Strategy & Operations role
• Demonstrated success in directly leading a high-performing team within the SaaS environment. 
• Significant experience in influencing and scaling the Sales Engineering field and operations team. 
• Expert in operationalizing global cadences, with the ability to optimize resource allocation and collaboration with sales.
• Willingness to travel globally as needed. 

 

Okta’s Top 5 Core Leadership Competencies are part of the deeply ingrained principles that guide all of our company’s actions. They also align strongly to our cultural cornerstones, our Okta values: love our customers, empower our people, never stop innovating, act with integrity, and maintain transparency. It’s our expectation that our managers and leaders embody these core competencies: