Principal Solution Engineer – Financial Services Industry

About the Role
Salesforce is looking for a highly experienced and strategic Principal Solution Engineer to join our Financial Services team. In this pivotal role, you'll act as a trusted advisor to enterprise clients in the banking, insurance, and broader financial services sector — guiding their digital transformation journeys and driving long-term, sustainable success. You'll bring together deep industry expertise, technical credibility, and a genuine passion for AI and innovation to shape Salesforce's go-to-market strategy in one of our most strategic verticals.

Key Responsibilities

Thought Leadership & Strategy

• Act as a recognized expert within the FSI domain, staying ahead of industry trends — including the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence and Agentic technologies — and translating them into impactful Salesforce go-to-market strategies.
• Develop and contribute to compelling go-to-market assets: Salesforce POVs, industry demos, presentations, and competitive differentiation materials.
• Proactively explore how AI (including Agentforce and Einstein) can redefine financial services workflows, customer engagement, and compliance processes — and bring those insights to clients and internal teams.
• Shape the team's approach to strategic opportunities and serve as the voice of FSI expertise internally and externally.

Customer Engagement & Solution Design

• Lead the end-to-end technical sales cycle for strategic, high-value deals in the financial services industry.
• Understand customers' business objectives deeply and position Salesforce solutions — including AI-powered capabilities — as the best answer to their unique challenges.
• Design and deliver tailored, innovative demos and solution concepts to executive and technical stakeholders, clearly articulating business value and AI-driven outcomes.
• Respond efficiently to RFPs and support complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles.

AI Enablement & Innovation

• Serve as an internal champion for AI adoption, educating the SE team and cross-functional partners on the practical applications of Salesforce AI within FSI.
• Experiment with and evaluate emerging AI tools and capabilities, bringing a spirit of curiosity and hands-on exploration to how they can solve real client problems.
• Collaborate with Product and Innovation teams to provide field feedback on AI features and roadmap priorities relevant to financial services customers.

Enablement & Collaboration

• Enable and mentor the broader Solution Engineering team and cross-functional partners to effectively position Salesforce within FSI.
• Collaborate with Solutions Architects, Professional Services, and Partner teams to ensure a cohesive approach to client challenges.
• Support strategic accounts and deals requiring deep expertise and executive alignment.

Key Competencies

• Communication Excellence: Outstanding verbal and written skills; ability to simplify sophisticated concepts — including AI — for both technical and business audiences.
• Value Articulation: Strong ability to translate technical and AI capabilities into clear business value and ROI.
• Solution Design: Expertise in architecting solutions that meet client needs while leveraging Salesforce's full product and AI portfolio.
• AI Curiosity & Fluency: Genuine passion for Artificial Intelligence and Agentic technologies; keeps pace with the latest developments and understands their practical implications for financial services.
• Customer Relationships: Proven track record of building trust-based, long-term relationships with enterprise clients.
• Executive Alignment: Comfortable engaging and aligning with C-suite stakeholders on strategy, vision, and the business impact of AI.
• Industry Foundations: Knowledge of Financial Services (Banking & Insurance), including key trends, regulatory requirements, and digital transformation priorities.
• Competitive Differentiation: Ability to clearly position Salesforce — and its AI capabilities — against competitors in the FSI market.
• Orchestration: Skilled at coordinating multiple stakeholders — internal and external — toward shared goals.
• Curiosity & Growth: Passionate about technology and continuous learning; actively participates in training, mentorship, and community programs.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in solution engineering, technical pre-sales, consulting, or a related field, with a focus on the Financial Services Industry.
• Proven track record of leading and closing complex, high-value enterprise deals.
• Deep understanding of FSI business requirements, including Banking and Insurance dynamics.
• Demonstrated curiosity and working knowledge of AI, machine learning, and/or Agentic technologies — and how they apply to enterprise business challenges.
• Outstanding presentation, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong time management and ability to thrive in fast-paced, dynamic team environments.
• Fluency in English and Italian.
• Willingness to travel occasionally.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Salesforce Financial Services Cloud or industry-specific solutions.
• Demonstrated experience in enablement, mentorship, or community leadership within a presales or consulting organization.
• Hands-on experience with Salesforce Agentforce, Einstein, or similar AI platforms.