Solutions Engineer

Optiv Security - Chicago, IL

Full-time - Mid Level

Chicago, IL

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Portfolio Security Advisor (SA) plays a critical role in serving as a trusted partner to Optiv's clients. By combining sales skills and broad security practitioner knowledge, the SA designs security solutions for assigned clients. Aligned with their client's security initiatives and alongside a dedicated sales team, the SA advises and designs solutions for highly defensible and scalable security programs using some of the most advanced security services and technologies. The SA has real-world knowledge and can design pragmatic security solutions tailored to each client's unique environment and provide clients and sellers with consistent security expertise on all sales opportunities. In partnership with domain specialists and experts, the SA will facilitate thought leadership and inspire cyber security solutions powered by our ecosystem of people, products, and partners. In this role, you will drive the generation of services and technologies business to meet or exceed quarterly and annual quota objectives in partnership with the account and domain teams. You will follow the Optiv Standardize Sales Operating Processes (SOPs) to achieve consistent success. Understanding and maintaining knowledge of the client's security environment, business operations, security needs, and risk appetite is essential. You will identify their security concerns and how they correlate to Optiv's strategic solutions across the assigned domain and holistic cyber security programs. You will also identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities across clients and Optiv's partner relationships, qualify leads, and partner with internal colleagues to determine scope, proposal management, and follow through to closure. Participation in sales opportunities across Optiv's entire portfolio is expected. You will clearly articulate how the necessary elements of the Optiv technology and services portfolio meet the specific needs of the client stakeholders at the leadership level. Staying abreast of industry trends, news, and maintaining a broad understanding of the security landscape will facilitate thought leadership, support, analysis, and guidance to clients and internal Optiv groups. Collaboration with service delivery to ensure the team has necessary supporting domain specialty materials that present a consistent and comprehensive approach is crucial. You will effectively work with multiple client personas across the security team, as well as other relevant personas to develop security strategy and define roadmaps to execute on security strategy aligned with business goals, budgetary spend, and metrics based on return of investment. Maintaining advisory relationships with key stakeholders at clients by facilitating thought leadership, support, information, and guidance in conjunction with sales partners is also part of your responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Drive the generation of services and technologies business to meet or exceed quarterly and annual quota objectives in partnership with the account and domain teams.
• Understand and maintain knowledge of the client's security environment, business operations, security needs, and risk appetite.
• Identify security concerns and how they correlate to Optiv's strategic solutions across the assigned domain and holistic cyber security programs.
• Identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities across clients and Optiv's partner relationships.
• Qualify leads and partner with internal colleagues to determine scope, proposal management, and follow through to closure.
• Participate in sales opportunities across Optiv's entire portfolio.
• Clearly articulate how the necessary elements of the Optiv technology and services portfolio meet the specific needs of the client stakeholders at the leadership level.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, news, and maintain a broad understanding of the security landscape to facilitate thought leadership, support, analysis, and guidance to clients and internal Optiv groups.
• Collaborate with service delivery to ensure the team has necessary supporting domain specialty materials that present a consistent and comprehensive approach.
• Effectively work with multiple client personas across the security team to develop security strategy and define roadmaps to execute on security strategy aligned with business goals, budgetary spend, and metrics based on return of investment.
• Maintain advisory relationships with key stakeholders at clients by facilitating thought leadership, support, information, and guidance in conjunction with sales partners.
• Maintain strong working relationships with relevant Optiv technology partners, based on client spend, and Optiv focus.
• Design and solution complete security programs to meet client objectives across technology and services.
• Facilitate new discussions by leveraging peer and industry network contacts.
• Perform requirements gathering analysis and technology selection criteria.
• Coordinate demonstrations and security technology evaluations.
• Interface and partner with the internal Optiv teams to align client expectations with the entire Optiv solution portfolio to ensure service delivery excellence and client satisfaction.
• Listen for client feedback and continually share with internal teams to evaluate and cultivate continuous improvement.
• Participate in account planning, forecasting, and pipeline management activities.
• Manage and prioritize the proposal process to create business proposals, contracts, and respond to RFI/RFPs.
• Actively pursue personal development by maintaining and obtaining technical capabilities, soft skills, and security specific knowledge through formal education, certification, and other avenues.

Requirements

• BS/BA or equivalent and applicable work experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years in an information security role, preferably as a consulting advisor, architect, or engineer.
• Highly motivated self-starter that does not require day-to-day management.
• Ability to work in a highly adaptable and nimble team environment with responsive communication.
• Thorough understanding of the current threat landscape, vulnerabilities, and defensive controls.
• Strong business and technical acumen and ability to lead technology focused discussions.
• Strong presentation, written, and oral communication skills to clients, including whiteboard sessions and other presentation mechanisms.
• Strong attention to detail for reviewing statements of work (SOWs), quotes, and client deliverables.
• Maintains broad security related knowledge and continuously expands their expertise in other domains across the portfolio.
• Vendor specific certification(s) focused primarily on specialty.

Nice-to-haves

• Proficient sales techniques; makes connections, facilitates meetings, reads the room, asks probing questions, overcomes objections, gains trust, maintains composure under pressure, positions solutions, and assists in finalization of sale.

Benefits

• A company committed to championing Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion through our Employee Resource Groups.
• Work/life balance
• Professional training resources
• Creative problem-solving and the ability to tackle unique, complex projects
• Volunteer Opportunities. “Optiv Chips In” encourages employees to volunteer and engage with their teams and communities.
• The ability and technology necessary to productively work remotely/from home (where applicable)