Director of Sales Engineering

Director, Sales Engineering, US FederalLocation: Washington, DC Metro Area (strongly preferred) Reports to: Worldwide VP of Sales Engineering Business Unit: US Federal — Windward's fastest-growing sales business unitWindward is a US company that combines AI, big data, and maritime domain expertise to give government, national security, and intelligence agencies an in-depth understanding of the maritime landscape. Windward is a major technology innovator, shipping new platform capabilities every quarter, and its US operations include a cleared workforce and a Facility Clearance (FCL), with a track record of supporting national security missions.The US Federal business is Windward's fastest-growing unit, and this role is being created to scale the technical sales motion that supports it.Windward is seeking a Director, Sales Engineering, US Federal to lead and grow our US Federal Sales Engineering team. This is both a hands-on technical sales leadership role and a people-leadership role: you will be the senior technical voice in our highest-stakes government pursuits while building, coaching, and scaling a team of Sales Engineers to match the growth trajectory of the business.You will partner closely with Sales Directors and BD leadership to convert prospects into customers across DoW, the Intelligence Community, and federal law enforcement, while reporting into the Worldwide VP of Sales Engineering to ensure US Federal pre-sales practices stay aligned with global standards and best practices.Team LeadershipLead, coach, and develop the US Federal Sales Engineering teamEstablish clear role expectations, success metrics, and career progression frameworksIdentify and develop high-potential talent to support continued team growthFoster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvementRepresent US Federal Sales Engineering priorities and capacity needs to the Worldwide VP of Sales EngineeringPre-Sales & Technical Sales LeadershipLead the technical side of the sales process, helping convert prospects into customersServe as the senior subject matter expert on Windward's solutions for government agenciesAct as the primary technical contact for prospects throughout the sales cycle on strategic pursuitsLead client discovery to identify pain points, assess product fit, and uncover opportunitiesDesign tailored solutions aligned with client mission needs to support winning contractsDevelop and deliver compelling demos, presentations, trials, and supporting technical materialsBuild and lead Proof of Concept (PoC) and value workshops that support strong business cases and proposalsAnalyze client organizations, requirements, and infrastructure to craft effective RFP/RFI responsesEnsure consistent, compelling, and differentiated customer-facing solution delivery across the teamOversee demo readiness, environment quality, and data integrity across all federal engagementsCross-Functional CollaborationCollaborate with marketing, product, customer success, and R&D to improve customer experience based on trial and pilot feedbackServe as a voice of the federal customer into Windward's quarterly product release cycle, given the pace of new solution releasesUnderstand the market and geopolitical landscape and clearly communicate Windward's technical and operational advantagesRequirements7+ years of experience as a Sales Engineer / Pre-Sales professional in a SaaS company selling to government agencies, with prior people-leadership or team-lead experienceActive US TS/SCI clearance requiredExperience managing large, successful tender bidsStrong understanding of geopolitical situations and the corresponding interests of relevant agenciesPrevious experience with API integration and API-based solution deliveryTechnical familiarity with space-based collection platforms for imagery, radio frequency, and other electronic interceptsIn-depth understanding of decision-making in government environmentsExperience deploying Hybrid SaaS / Agentic solutionsWillingness to travel as needed (up to 33% of the time)Excellent interpersonal skills; quick learner; curious and open-mindedFamiliarity with CRM tools (Salesforce, etc.) is an advantageExperience with GenAI tools is mandatoryIntelligence or analyst experience is a plus, along with strong analytical skillsMaritime or geospatial experience highly desiredExperience working in a global company