Lead - Solutions Engineer (Verticals)

Company Description

Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of "solutions" that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done.

There's another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works.

Freshworks Inc. builds uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional employee and customer experiences. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, helping businesses reduce complexity, lower cost-to-serve, and deliver faster, more human support through enterprise-grade yet easy-to-use CX and IT solutions. Nearly 75,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks to power their Employee Experience (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) operations.

Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

Job Description

At Freshworks, we pride ourselves on providing industry-leading, AI-first Employee Experience software. Our customers deliver greater levels of service through an intuitive and powerful ITSM, ITAM, ITOM, and ESM platform. If you're looking to move fast and make a significant impact in an exciting space, you're in the right place!

We are seeking a Lead Solution Engineer to join our North America GTM team, specifically supporting our Industry Verticals organization across SLED (State, Local & Education), Higher Education, and Manufacturing. Unlike our general Enterprise business, this role will serve as a dedicated technical and solution partner to sales teams focused on these key industries, helping customers solve the unique operational, technical, and service management challenges within their environments.

As a Lead Solution Engineer, you will combine strong technical expertise, business acumen, and industry knowledge to understand customer needs and translate them into compelling Freshworks solutions. You'll partner closely with Account Executives and GTM leadership throughout the sales cycle, leading technical discovery, developing tailored solution strategies, and delivering demonstrations that connect Freshworks' capabilities directly to the priorities and use cases of customers within our targeted verticals.

What You'll Do

• Serve as a dedicated Solution Engineering partner to our SLED, Higher Education, and Manufacturing sales teams, developing a strong understanding of the unique needs, buying environments, and business challenges within these industries.
• Collaborate with customers to identify and address their most critical business, operational, and technology challenges.
• Partner with Account Executives throughout the sales cycle, conducting technical and business discovery and helping shape the overall solution strategy for active opportunities.
• Gather and translate customer requirements into clearly defined business and technical solutions.
• Build and deliver compelling, customized demonstrations of Freshworks products aligned to industry-specific workflows, use cases, and customer priorities.
• Articulate the value of Freshworks' ITSM, ITAM, ITOM, ESM, and AI capabilities to both technical and executive audiences.
• Develop repeatable vertical-specific demonstrations, solution narratives, and best practices that strengthen our go-to-market approach across SLED, Higher Education, and Manufacturing.
• Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Product, Marketing, Customer Success, and other teams to bring industry insights and customer feedback back into the broader Freshworks organization.
• Stay current on trends, technology priorities, and evolving customer needs across the industries you support.
• Evangelize the refreshing user experience and AI-first capabilities offered by the Freshworks platform.

Qualifications

• 6-8 years of Solution Engineering, Sales Engineering, Solutions Consulting, or similar pre-sales experience.
• Experience supporting or selling SaaS solutions into one or more of the following verticals: SLED, Higher Education, or Manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of how customer requirements, buying processes, and technology priorities can differ across industry verticals.
• Experience with ITSM, ITAM, ITOM, ESM, or related enterprise technology platforms is strongly preferred.
• Excellent presentation and storytelling skills, with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts and business value to diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally to solve complex business and technical challenges.
• Strong verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple opportunities and priorities within a dynamic sales environment.
• Highly driven, execution-oriented, and comfortable operating with a strong sense of urgency.
• Experience positioning or selling AI-enabled solutions is preferred.
• A Bachelor's degree is preferred but not required.

Additional Information

We're committed to building a workplace that reflects the diverse world we serve. At Freshworks, you'll find inclusive teams, flexible thinking, and opportunities to grow your career - while making work better for millions.

If this sounds like a journey you want to be part of, we'd love to meet you. Let's building something refreshing together.

The annual base salary range for this position is $136,085 - $168,105 Base Salary. This role is also eligible for variable compensation.

Compensation is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to location, experience, job-related skills, and level.

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.