Senior Channel Sales Engineer (Distribution & Public Sector)

Channel Sales Engineer – Distribution & Public Sector The Role Proofpoint is looking for a Channel Sales Engineer to lead and scale our impact across distribution partners and the public sector ecosystem in the U.S. This role is centered on enabling large‑scale distribution models and supporting partners that serve federal, state, local government, and education (SLED) customers. You will operate as a technical leader across a layered partner landscape—working with distributors, resellers, and public sector specialists to expand Proofpoint’s reach and effectiveness. You’ll help define how Proofpoint is positioned, sold, and delivered into the public sector through distribution. From shaping partner strategy to influencing complex, compliance‑driven opportunities, your work will directly impact growth in one of our most critical markets. If you enjoy building partner capability at scale, navigating public sector environments, and driving technical success through indirect channels, this role is for you. Location: U.S. (remote) Travel: Required for partner and customer engagement What You’ll Do Own the technical relationship with key distributors and public sector‑focused channel partners Drive technical engagement across federal, state, local, and education opportunities Support and influence complex deals involving public sector requirements, compliance, and procurement frameworks Enable distributors to scale Proofpoint by training and supporting their downstream reseller ecosystem Build and execute a technical enablement strategy tailored to public sector use cases Partner with resellers to confidently position, demo, and deliver Proofpoint solutions in regulated environments Act as a trusted advisor to distribution leadership, partner engineers, and public sector sales teams Lead architecture discussions and guide solution design aligned with government security standards and frameworks Support proof‑of‑concept engagements and evaluations within public sector constraints Help partners develop repeatable offerings and services for government and education customers Collaborate cross‑functionally with Sales, Channel, Customer Success, and Threat Research to align on public sector strategy Navigate competitive positioning within public sector buying cycles and contract vehicles Drive a high standard of partner and customer experience across a multi‑tier distribution model What You Bring 7+ years in Sales Engineering or technical pre‑sales, ideally in cybersecurity Strong experience working with distribution partners and/or public sector customers (federal or SLED) Understanding of public sector procurement, compliance frameworks, and sales cycles Experience supporting or enabling multi‑tier channel ecosystems (distributor → reseller → customer) Background in email security, data protection, or related security technologies Familiarity with government security requirements and frameworks (e.g., FedRAMP, NIST, CJIS, etc.) Solid understanding of messaging systems (Exchange, SMTP) Familiarity with directory services and integrations (LDAP, Active Directory) Working knowledge of networking fundamentals and protocols Strong communication skills—comfortable engaging both technical practitioners and executive stakeholders Ability to operate independently and drive outcomes in a complex, matrixed environment A builder mindset with a focus on scaling impact through partners Benefits 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 Proofpoint is an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability. #J-18808-Ljbffr Proofpoint