Director, Sales Engineering

Mattermost is the leading collaborative workflow platform for defense, intelligence, security, and critical infrastructure. Trusted by the U.S. Department of War and Fortune 500s, our platform runs on-premises and in private clouds, delivering secure messaging, file sharing, workflow automation, audio/screenshare, and project management—all with full data and operational control. Mattermost powers high-stakes workflows across mission planning, real-time, real-world operations, DevSecOps, incident response, and cyber defense—enabling secure collaboration from tactical edge and DDIL environments to enterprise HQ. Teams operate across web, desktop, and mobile, with embedded interoperability for Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365. To learn more, visit www.mattermost.com

We are seeking an experienced Director of Sales Engineering to build and lead Mattermost's global technical presales team. Are you a technical presales leader who has built a team that wins the technical decision, and wants to do it for customers who protect national security and critical infrastructure? Do you want to own how a global team of Sales Engineers demonstrates, evaluates, and proves a platform that runs where other collaboration tools cannot, from classified networks to the tactical edge? Look no further.

As the Director of Sales Engineering at Mattermost, you will lead our technical presales engineers. You will set the standard for how we demo, scope, and prove the platform; coach each SE to win the technical evaluation; and be the voice of the field to Product and Engineering. You will partner with regional sales leaders on every strategic pursuit and report to the CRO. Your focus is the technical sale, and your team's work is the reason customers trust us with their most sensitive workflows.

We have a role for you if:

You have built or taken over a Sales Engineering team, assessed the people and the process, and raised the technical bar within your first two quarters.

You have led SEs through complex, multi-stakeholder technical evaluations in security-sensitive or regulated environments, and you know when to run a proof of concept and when to walk away from one.

You have deployed or architected self-hosted, on-premises, or air-gapped software, and you can talk credibly with a CISO, a systems architect, and a program office in the same week.

You have stood up a repeatable demo and discovery motion so that every SE tells the same story and every customer sees the same quality, regardless of region.

You have coached SEs one-on-one on their weakest skill, whether that is discovery, architecture, objection handling, or executive presence, and you can show their win rates moved.

You have been the trusted partner to Sales leaders, joining the deal strategy early and giving an honest read on technical fit, risk, and the odds of winning.

You have taken field feedback to Product and Engineering and changed the roadmap, with evidence from real deals rather than anecdotes.

You have managed a distributed team across time zones and kept it connected, current on the product, and accountable to clear measures.

What you will get to do on our team:

Lead and develop the global team of technical presales engineers, setting expectations, running coaching, and making the hiring, promotion, and performance calls.

Define and own how we demonstrate Mattermost: standard demos, reference architectures, discovery guides, and proof-of-concept playbooks for defense, intelligence, and critical infrastructure buyers.

Pair with regional sales leaders to assign SE coverage, join strategic pursuits, and shape technical strategy on the deals that matter most.

Keep SEs current on the product by working with Product and Engineering on release readiness, technical certification, and hands-on learning.

Bring the voice of the customer and the field back to Product, Engineering, and Security: what blocks deals, what wins them, and what competitors are doing technically.

Measure the team on technical win rate, proof-of-concept outcomes, certification, and SE productivity, and report on it regularly to the CRO.

What you will achieve:

Within 30 days

You have met every SE, the regional sales leaders, and the Product and Engineering counterparts you will depend on. You have joined live customer calls and active evaluations, and you know where demos are inconsistent, where SEs are stretched, and which deals are at technical risk. You have a clear read on each person's strengths and gaps.

Within 60 days

You have a written view of the team's current state and a plan to close the gaps. A standard demo flow and discovery guide are in use on every new opportunity. SE coverage is aligned with regional sales leaders, and you are in the room on the strategic pursuits. Every SE has a development plan and a coaching cadence with you.

By 90 days

Proof-of-concept scoping and exit criteria are documented and applied on every evaluation. Product readiness and certification expectations are set with Product and Engineering, and SEs are on track to complete them. You are reporting technical win rate, proof-of-concept outcomes, and certification status to the CRO on a regular cadence.

By the end of year one

Technical win rate and proof-of-concept conversion are up against the baseline you set in your first 90 days with the CRO. The team is fully certified on the current product, any open SE roles are filled with people who ramp on schedule, and Product has acted on the defined number of field-sourced improvements. Regional sales leaders ask for your SEs by name.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

Experience leading a team of technical presales or solutions engineers, including hiring, coaching, and performance management.

Hands-on fluency with enterprise deployment of self-hosted or on-premises software, including security, identity, and integration requirements.

Experience running technical evaluations and proofs of concept for enterprise or public-sector buyers.

Executive-level communication, with credibility in front of CISOs, architects, and senior sales leaders.

Comfort working remotely with a globally distributed team.

Nice to have:

Background in defense, intelligence, or critical infrastructure, including familiarity with government procurement cycles, security clearance considerations, or CMMC and FedRAMP contexts.

Experience selling or supporting Mattermost, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or other enterprise collaboration platforms.

Familiarity with Salesforce, Gong, or similar tools for tracking technical activity and win rates.

Experience building AI-assisted workflows that make SEs faster, such as demo preparation, RFP responses, or discovery notes.

Why Mattermost

Mattermost is uniquely positioned at the intersection of secure collaboration, mission software, and intelligence community modernization. Our platform is built for the environments where security is not a feature — it is the foundation. This role offers the opportunity to shape and scale Mattermost's presence within one of the most strategically important and security-sensitive markets in the world.

If you thrive in complex, classified environments, understand how mission outcomes drive technology adoption, and want to sell software that protects the nation's most sensitive operations — we would love to hear from you.

Target Salary Range: $195,000 – $235,000 USD, plus commission

Mattermost takes a market-based approach to pay and pay may vary depending on your location. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.Mattermost offers a remote-first work environment with medical, dental, and vision coverage. You’ll also receive unlimited PTO plus company holidays, a work from home stipend, an annual learning and development budget for conferences, certifications, and courses, paid parental leave for all parents, and a 401(k) plan.

U.S. Eligibility & Compliance

This role may require obtaining and maintaining a U.S. government security clearance. Candidates must meet federal eligibility requirements to be considered. For more information, visit Security Clearances, United States Department of State.

Applicants must meet eligibility requirements for access to export-controlled information as defined by U.S. export control laws, including EAR and ITAR. For more information, visit the Bureau of Industry and Security and the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Mattermost is an EEO Employer, we are a remote-first, open-source company. We are continually working to expand our hiring in more countries and regions, ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations, which takes time. Mattermost values your unique perspective—we welcome all applicants. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply and are committed to assessing candidates based on their skills and qualifications. We do not tolerate discrimination against staff or applicants based on race, religion, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy status, veteran status, or other personal characteristics. If you require accommodations during the interview process, please let us know—we’re happy to assist.