Senior Director, Solution Engineering - Banking

Salesforce, the world's #1 AI CRM, is seeking an exceptional Senior Director of Solution Engineering UKI to lead our Banking Solution Engineering team. In this strategic role reporting to the VP of Regulated Industries Solution Engineering UKI, you will be instrumental in driving transformational growth across our Banking portfolio, establishing Salesforce as the preferred platform for AI, Data, and CRM solutions for banks of all sizes. We are seeking a visionary leader who embodies Salesforce's core values: Trust, Customer Success, Innovation, and Equality.

What Makes This Role Exceptional

• Strategic Impact: Shape Salesforce's strategy across three high-growth FSI verticals with direct influence on significant business outcomes.
• Portfolio Breadth: Gain deep expertise across Banking, positioning yourself as a comprehensive Financial Services leader.
• AI Innovation Leadership: Be at the forefront of Agentforce adoption in Financial Services at a pivotal moment in industry transformation.
• Market Leadership: Partner with iconic UK banks from retail leaders (Barclays, Santander, Lloyds, HSBC, NatWest) to capital markets institutions (Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Deutsche Bank) as they transform for the digital age.
• Team Building: Create a differentiated, world-class capability in a high-growth segment with the autonomy to shape your organisation.
• Career Acceleration: High-visibility role with clear path to VP and SVP positions within Solutions organization as the FSI business scales.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with Banking Sales RVPs/AVPs to develop and execute account strategies that drive significant ACV across the Banking vertical.
• Lead C-suite engagements with Tier 1 and Tier 2 banks, positioning Salesforce as a strategic transformation partner.
• Orchestrate complex, multi-cloud transformational deals ($5m+ ACV) involving Data Cloud, Agentforce, FSC, and Integration solutions.
• Develop and execute the Banking SE GTM strategy in alignment with Product Marketing, ensuring market leadership in retail banking, commercial banking, and lending.
• Build, lead, and scale a high-performing team of Banking SEs across multiple specialisations (Core, Agentforce, Strategic).
• Attract and retain premier talent, with proven ability to develop Principal and Distinguished SEs into future leaders.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning, and innovation while maintaining team engagement scores of 85%+.
• Establish clear career pathways and succession planning for critical roles within your organisation.
• Act as the go-to expert for Banking-specific solutions, including front-office, middle-office and back-office use cases.
• Develop Banking-specific value propositions, demos, and solution architectures that address regulatory requirements (AML, KYC, data privacy, Open Banking).
• Lead Banking industry councils and advisory boards, establishing Salesforce as a thought leader in Banking digital transformation.
• Partner with Product Management to shape the Banking roadmap based on field insights and customer needs.
• Drive Agentforce adoption across the Banking portfolio through strategic PoCs, workshops, and executive positioning.
• Build Banking-specific Agentforce use cases (e.g., intelligent servicing, loan processing automation, fraud detection) and create reusable assets.
• Lead the 'Voice of the Field' for Banking AI requirements, influencing the Agentforce and Data Cloud product roadmap.
• Drive data-driven decision making through pipeline analysis, win/loss reviews, and resource optimisation.
• Champion adoption of new tools, methodologies, and programs to enhance team productivity and effectiveness.
• Create and scale Banking enablement programs, reusable demo assets, and best practices across the global SE organisation.
• Oversee capacity planning and strategic resource allocation across your team to maximise business impact.
• Partner with Systems Integrators (e.g., Deloitte, Accenture, Cap Gemini) on Banking implementations and co-selling initiatives.
• Collaborate with Product, Marketing, and Professional Services to deliver integrated customer success outcomes.
• Participate in and influence the broader FSI SE Leadership Team, driving organizational initiatives and best practices.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years in enterprise software with 5+ years leading pre‑sales or solution engineering teams.
• Demonstrated track record of building and scaling high‑performing teams with measurable business outcomes.
• Experience leading teams with joint accountability for $50m+ annual revenue targets.
• Deep understanding of Banking business models, operations, and regulatory landscape (Basel III, Dodd‑Frank, GDPR, Open Banking).
• Knowledge of Banking technology architecture including core banking systems, payment platforms, and digital channels.
• Experience with Banking‑specific use cases across retail, commercial, corporate, and investment banking.
• Understanding of Banking AI/ML applications and emerging technologies.
• Strong technical foundation in cloud technologies, CRM platforms, data architecture, and integration patterns.
• Proven ability to engage with C‑suite executives (CIOs, CDOs, Chief Data Officers) and articulate business value.
• Experience orchestrating complex, multi‑product solutions involving CRM, Data, AI, and Integration platforms.
• Financial acumen with ability to build business cases and ROI models for transformation initiatives.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with ability to influence at all organizational levels.
• Strategic thinking with proven execution capabilities and focus on measurable outcomes.
• Track record of driving organisational change and championing innovation.
• Executive presence with ability to represent Salesforce at industry events and customer executive briefings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in Banking or Financial Services industry (client-side or vendor-side).
• Salesforce certifications (e.g., FSC Consultant, Data Cloud Consultant, AI Specialist).
• Prior experience with Salesforce platform or ecosystem.
• MBA or advanced technical degree.
• Experience leading global or geographically distributed teams.
• Proven track record of developing direct reports into leadership roles.

Success Metrics (First 12 Months)

• Achieve/exceed the ACV and Consumption targets across Banking portfolio.
• Build and stabilise team structure.