Pre Sales Engineer

Position Overview

Harbor IT is looking for a Sales Engineer who can bridge technology, business and sales. This is not a product-demo role. Our Sales Engineers work directly with clients and Account Executives to understand business objectives, uncover technical and security risks, design appropriate solutions, develop accurate scopes of work and help clients make confident technology decisions.

You will work across managed IT, cloud, cybersecurity, network, infrastructure and related professional services. The successful candidate will be technically credible but commercially aware, equally comfortable conducting discovery with an IT Director and explaining the business impact of a recommendation to a CFO or CIO. This role reports to Michael Kourkoulakos (CRO) and partners closely with the Account Executive team.

Key Responsiblities:

• Lead technical discovery for qualified sales opportunities

• Understand client business objectives, risks and technical environments

• Translate business requirements into technology solutions

• Architect managed IT and cybersecurity solutions

• Develop accurate technical scopes and assumptions

• Partner with Account Executives throughout the sales process

• Present recommendations to technical and executive stakeholders

• Coordinate specialist resources when deeper expertise is required

• Identify technical, operational and implementation risks before contract

• Participate in proposal and solution-review meetings

• Support negotiations involving technical scope

• Create clean handoffs from Sales to Delivery

• Help improve Harbor's repeatable solution and scoping methodologies

Service Domains You’ll Support

Harbor IT sells and delivers across five connected domains. You don’t need deep expertise in all five on day one, but you should be able to speak credibly across them and grow into the rest:

•    Managed IT — tiered help desk, endpoint and server management, Microsoft 365 and productivity, network management (e.g., Cisco, Extreme Networks, Fortinet), and backup and business continuity.

•    Managed Cybersecurity — MDR/XDR, endpoint and email security, vulnerability management, security awareness training, and compliance alignment.

•    Managed Cloud — cloud architecture and management across public cloud (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP), private cloud, and hybrid environments, including virtualization, migration, and cost/performance optimization.

•    Managed AI — a growing practice spanning several approaches: our work as an Anthropic Partner and integrator, traditional bundled AI packages with built-in governance, and AI-native platforms such as Microsoft Copilot and other built-in SaaS solutions.

•    Professional Services — project-based engagements such as migrations, infrastructure upgrades, and M&A technology integration.

What We Are Looking For

•     Strong client-facing pre-sales experience

•     Broad knowledge of managed IT and cybersecurity

•     Demonstrated ability to conduct technical discovery

•     Experience architecting multi-technology solutions

•     Experience developing or validating scopes of work

•     Ability to communicate with both technical and nontechnical executives

•     Strong business and commercial judgment

•     Ability to operate effectively with incomplete information

•     Experience partnering with sales teams

•     Willingness to challenge assumptions constructively

•     Strong ownership and accountability

Relevant Technical Experience May Include

•     Microsoft 365 and Entra ID

•     Azure and public-cloud environments

•     Endpoint management

•     Network and wireless infrastructure

•     Firewalls

•     Backup and disaster recovery

•     Virtualization

•     Endpoint security

•     MDR / EDR

•     Vulnerability management

•     Email security

•     SIEM

•     Identity security

•     Cybersecurity frameworks and compliance requirements

You do not need to be the deepest technical specialist in every category. You do need to know how these areas fit together and when deeper specialization is required.

Core Competencies

•    Consultative Discovery — Asks the right questions to uncover needs beyond what the client states, and connects them to business outcomes.

•    Solution Design — Architects right-sized, deliverable solutions across domains without over- or under-engineering.

•    Scoping Discipline — Produces clear SOWs, assumptions, and BOMs that protect margin and set delivery up to succeed.

•    Communication & Presence — Explains technology credibly to CIOs, IT leaders, and executives without jargon or condescension.

•    Collaboration — Works as a force multiplier across multiple sales professionals and internal teams; makes the salesperson and the delivery team better.

•    Follow-Through — Owns technical commitments and drives them to completion without needing to be managed

Success Metrics

•    Technical win rate on supported opportunities.

•    Accuracy and quality of scoping, SOWs, and proposals (minimal rework, clean handoffs).

•    Number of concurrent opportunities effectively supported across Account Executives.

•    Client confidence and satisfaction during the sales process.

•    Smooth, dispute-free transition from sale to delivery.

•    Contribution to managed IT, Cyber, AI, and professional services pipeline growth.

Compensation

Base salary range: $125,000 - $160,000, commensurate with experience and market. Meaningful variable component weighted primarily toward team/company ARR performance, with secondary consideration for gross-margin quality and overall team performance. Compensation should not encourage approving technically unsound deals to close revenue.

Benefits

•     Competitive salary

•     Comprehensive health benefits

•     Paid time off

•     Opportunities for professional growth and development

•     Collaborative and supportive team environment