Director, Solutions Engineering

DIRECTOR, SOLUTIONS ENGINEERING Level: Management, M4 Location: Ottawa, ON or Toronto, ON Reports To: Shachin Ghelani | Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) https://www.linkedin.com/in/shachin-ghelani-1a3b271/ Type: Permanent | Full-Time ABOUT SOLINK At Solink, our mission is to safeguard what matters most. We provide businesses with the tools to know sooner and act faster by transforming video security into real-time operational insights. Our cloud-based platform integrates seamlessly with your existing cameras and systems, turning them into intelligent sensors that detect and interpret key moments. This empowers teams to make data-driven decisions, enhance security, and improve operational efficiency. Trusted by over 36,000 locations across 60+ countries - including brands like McDonald’s and JYSK - Solink delivers clarity when it counts. Our solutions help businesses reduce shrink, optimize performance, and respond proactively to potential threats. We're growing rapidly, earning industry recognition, and scaling with purpose. We’ve been recognized by Deloitte’s Fast 50™ and Fast 500™, Business Intelligence Group, and as one of Ottawa’s Best Places to Work. And we’re just getting started! THE ROLE Solink is hiring a Director of Solutions Engineering to lead our two Solutions Engineering teams, covering SMB through Enterprise, and build a high-performing pre-sales technical organization across Solink’s software and hardware solutions. You will own how Solink engages customers technically throughout the sales process, from discovery and solution design through demos, pilots, technical validation, and technical close. Your SEs will be the technical leaders of the deal and speak the language of the customer—the priorities, workflows, and challenges of each industry and persona we serve. This role reports to the Chief Revenue Officer and partners closely with Sales, Product, Customer Success, Channel, and Implementation. The role will include occasional travel to events and customer sites across North America. WHAT YOU’LL DO - Lead the SE Organization: Lead, coach, and develop two SE teams and their leaders, with clear expectations, career paths, and performance standards. Run a consistent operating model across segments and focus SE capacity on the highest-value and most complex opportunities. - Drive Technical Sales Execution: Oversee technical discovery, solution design, demos, workshops, objection handling, competitive positioning, technical validation, closing, and clean handoff across the sales organization. - Build a World-Class Demo and Storytelling Culture: Set the standard for how Solink demonstrates its platform through customer use cases and business outcomes. Build repeatable demo frameworks and talk tracks by vertical and persona, and coach SEs on storytelling, executive presence, and technical credibility. - Design Solutions That Can Be Deployed: Ensure solutions account for customer camera, recorder, network, and POS infrastructure, including hardware needs, appliance sizing, bandwidth planning, site readiness, and deployment requirements. - Lead Technical Workshops & Pilots: Lead architecture discussions, site surveys, RFPs, security and compliance reviews, and pilot design, with clear success criteria and a path to full deployment. - Scale Technical Capability Beyond the SE Team: Partner with Sales Enablement to raise AE technical competency, help channel partners and installers become more technically self-sufficient, and define when partner-led scoping and installation is appropriate. - Partner with Product: Build a strong feedback loop with Product around recurring customer requirements, technical gaps, competitive intelligence, and field readiness for new launches. ROLE EXPECTATIONS This is an M4 level role. At Solink, leaders at this level are accountable for leading through managers and driving the execution of significant initiatives across their area. They operate with a high degree of autonomy, translate strategy into clear priorities for their teams, and partner with senior leaders to solve complex problems and make effective decisions. In this role, you’ll be expected to: - Set clear priorities and operating expectations across the Solutions Engineering organization, aligning team capacity and execution with broader Sales and company goals. - Lead and develop SE leaders and teams, creating accountability for performance while building capability, career growth, and succession within the organization. - Lead complex, cross-functional initiatives that improve technical sales execution, customer experience, and the scalability of the Solutions Engineering function. - Identify technical, operational, and capacity challenges early, develop thoughtful solutions, and proactively resolve dependencies across Sales, Product, Channel, Customer Success, and Implementation. - Use business and team performance metrics to evaluate SE effectiveness, prioritize investments, and make decisions that improve deal progression, technical quality, and organizational efficiency. - Drive adoption of new processes, tools, and ways of working while creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and high performance. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE - Solutions Engineering operates with a clear and consistent model across SMB through Enterprise, with strong leadership, clear ownership, and effective allocation of SE capacity. - SE teams consistently deliver high-quality technical discovery, demos, solution designs, pilots, and handoffs that support strong sales outcomes and predictable deployment. - Customers receive compelling, persona- and industry-specific technical experiences that clearly connect Solink’s capabilities to their business needs and outcomes. - AEs and channel partners have stronger technical capability and know when and how to engage Solutions Engineering to maximize deal outcomes. - Solution designs can be deployed as sold, improving implementation predictability, customer experience, and margin protection. - The Solutions Engineering organization continuously improves through better processes, feedback loops, technical standards, and an AI-first approach that can scale with the business. These outcomes are directly grounded in the source JD’s stated success measures, particularly around operating consistency, demo quality, deployable solutions, increased AE/partner capability, and an AI-first approach. WHAT YOU BRING Must-Have: - Experienced Solutions Engineering Leader: You bring 8+ years of experience in Solutions Engineering, Sales Engineering, or Solutions Architecture, including 3+ years leading leaders. - Complex Technical Sales Experience: You have experience supporting complex B2B SaaS or technical sales within enterprise and multi-location environments. - Strong Technical & Commercial Acumen: You bring a strong technical discovery and solution design background, combined with excellent demo, storytelling, and executive communication skills. - Customer-Centric Solution Design: You can tailor technical messaging by persona, industry, and business outcome while maintaining strong commercial instincts. - Hardware + Software Experience: You have experience selling solutions that combine software and hardware, such as physical security, video, networking, or IoT. AI or computer vision experience is an asset. Nice-to-Have: - Experience leading Solutions Engineering teams across multiple customer segments. - Experience with physical security, video surveillance, networking, IoT, AI, or computer vision. - Experience working with channel partners and partner-led technical sales motions. - Experience scaling pre-sales organizations through periods of significant growth. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS - Candidates must undergo a criminal records check upon hire; - Be a Canadian Citizen (dual citizens included), or eligible to work in Canada; - Be willing to comply with Solink’s own security policies and standards. COMPENSATION The salary range for this role is CA$279,504 – CA$349,380 On-Target Earnings (OTE). We determine compensation based on the experience, skills, and impact you bring to the role. Candidates hired closer to the top of the range will typically demonstrate proficient capability throughout the interview process. This means they already have the knowledge, skills, and leadership capabilities needed to perform successfully in the role, can ramp up quickly, and are expected to become fully proficient in the position within a short period of time. OUR VALUES We do things the Solink way: - Act with URGENCY – Our customers move fast, so we do too. - Deliver with QUALITY – We sweat the details and hold a high bar. - Win with TEAM – No egos. Just outcomes, built together. - Lead with TRUST – We earn it through clarity, consistency, and care. These aren’t just words—they shape how we hire, lead, and grow. WHY SOLINK? We’re not just building tech - we’re building a place where great people do great work. - Clarity and trust: Where the role allows, we support flexibility in how and where work gets done - and we’re upfront about what’s required. - Meaningful equity: Every full-time, permanent employee has a stake in our growth. - Comprehensive benefits: Fully paid health & dental (no waiting period) + $500 health spending account. - Wellness support: Monthly reimbursement for fitness, wellness, or mental health programs. - Growth through merit: Advancement is based on contribution, initiative, and the ability to raise the bar - together. - Candid culture: Clear expectations, honest feedback, and no politics. - Social connection: From So-learns to Solink-o and So-lunches, we stay connected in ways that actually feel fun. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE HIRING PROCESS We respect your time and value transparency. Here’s a general idea of what to expect: 1. Intro call with our Talent Team 2. Interview with the Hiring Manager 3. Role-relevant task or case (if applicable) 4. Final interviews with cross-functional team members 5. Reference Checks 6. Offer & onboarding 🎉 PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY POINT IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE BUSINESS. HOW TO APPLY Submit your resume and a short cover letter via our [Careers Page https://solink.com/careers/]. Let us know what excites you about this role, and how you’d help move Solink forward. NOTICE: SOLINK USES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TO SCREEN, ASSESS, AND/OR SELECT CANDIDATES FOR THIS POSITION. SOLINK IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. WE’RE COMMITTED TO BUILDING A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE. IF YOU REQUIRE ACCOMMODATION DURING THE SELECTION PROCESS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.