Solutions Engineering Manager - UK & France

About Upwind

Upwind is a cloud security company founded by the team that pioneered runtime-powered cloud security. Our platform delivers real-time visibility and protection across cloud environments, enabling organizations to detect, understand, and respond to threats with greater context and precision.

We’re looking for a Solutions Engineering (Pre-sales) Manager to help scale our Solutions Engineering organization. In this role, you’ll lead and develop a high-performing team, partner closely with Sales leadership, and collaborate with Product and R&D to drive customer success and business growth.

• Lead and develop the Solutions Engineering team across UK & France: Manage, mentor, and coach Solutions Engineers, strengthening their technical expertise, customer-facing skills, and commercial impact.
• Partner with Sales leadership: Work closely with Account Executives and Sales leaders to shape account strategies, qualify opportunities, and drive deals forward throughout the sales cycle.
• Lead strategic technical engagements: Support complex enterprise opportunities through technical discovery, product demonstrations, proof of concepts (POCs), and executive-level customer presentations.
• Build a scalable pre-sales organization: Establish and refine best practices, processes, and methodologies for technical discovery, demonstrations, POC execution, and opportunity qualification.
• Drive team performance and resource allocation: Prioritize resources across opportunities, ensure effective coverage of strategic accounts, and maintain a high standard of execution across the team.
• Collaborate cross-functionally: Act as the voice of the customer, partnering with Product and R&D to communicate customer needs, influence the product roadmap, and drive continuous product improvement.
• Maintain technical excellence: Ensure the team develops deep product knowledge and stays ahead of developments in cloud security, emerging threats, and the broader cybersecurity landscape.
• Support hiring and organizational growth: Recruit, onboard, and develop Solutions Engineers as the organization expands.
• Lead by example: Stay close to customers and strategic opportunities, stepping in to lead complex technical discussions and support high-priority deals when needed.
• Continuously improve execution: Identify opportunities to improve team efficiency, customer engagement, technical win rates, and collaboration across the sales organization.

Requirements

• Proven experience in Solutions Engineering, Sales Engineering, or Pre-Sales within the cybersecurity or cloud security industry.
• At least 5 years of hands-on people management experience, including leading, hiring, and developing pre-sales teams.
• Ownership & Execution: A proactive, get-it-done mindset - taking ownership, identifying gaps, and driving initiatives forward to achieve the best possible outcomes and win.
• A strong technical foundation and the ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and business audiences.
• Experience supporting enterprise sales cycles, including technical discovery, product demonstrations, POCs, and stakeholder presentations.
• Strong understanding of cloud technologies, cloud infrastructure, and modern security concepts.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong commercial acumen and the ability to partner effectively with Sales teams to drive revenue outcomes.
• A hands-on, proactive approach and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills, with the ability to balance people leadership with direct involvement in strategic opportunities.
• A growth mindset and a genuine passion for coaching, developing talent, and building high-performing teams.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently for customer meetings, on-site engagements, and partner activities.
• Based in the UK