Field CTO

About Shelf: We're building AI that is changing the world. The workforce of the future is going to be multi-dimensional, multi-faceted, conductors of both people and artificial intelligence. We're looking for someone who can do that. Shelf is the OS for agentic AI: a platform that models your policies, workflows, and operational logic into an AI Data Model so that AI agents don’t just respond, they reason. The result? AI that understands how your business actually runs and delivers precise, compliant, auditable outcomes at scale. Brands like Amazon, Nespresso, HelloFresh, and KeyBank use Shelf to power their AI agents that automate workflows, improve efficiency, and turn long processes into automated work. We’re partnered with Microsoft, Salesforce, OpenAI, Snowflake, and Databricks — and recognized by Gartner (Cool Vendor) and IDC (Innovator) for our approach. Job Description: The Field CTO will serve as Shelf's primary technical authority in customer facing engagements, combining deep technical expertise with strategic sales leadership. You'll take ownership of the critical technical sales function currently handled by our CTO, partnering with Account Executives to close deals across the entire pipeline while building and leading a team of Sales Engineers. This role offers immediate impact and long term growth potential. You'll engage with Enterprise Architects, CTOs, VPs of Engineering, and AI Leaders to demonstrate how Shelf solves data quality challenges preventing GenAI initiatives from reaching production. Your ability to rapidly solution during fast-paced 3-5 day pilots and translate complex technical concepts into business value will be crucial to driving revenue success. Reporting to our CTO with a strong dotted line to our VP of Sales, you'll influence product direction while staying laser-focused on sales outcomes. The ideal candidate is a former CTO or VP of Engineering who has transitioned to customer-facing roles, with experience building technical teams in high-growth B2B SaaS environments. Founder or early employee experience is a significant plus. What We're Looking For: Technical Executive Background - Former CTO, VP of Engineering, or senior technical leader who transitioned to customer-facing roles in B2B SaaS Enterprise Technical Authority - Deep expertise in enterprise architecture, AI/GenAI technologies, and modern data platforms with proven ability to engage C-level stakeholders Team Builder - Track record of building and scaling technical teams; ready to hire, mentor, and lead Sales Engineers Revenue-Oriented - Understanding of enterprise sales cycles with demonstrated ability to influence revenue through technical leadership Exceptional Communicator - Explains complex concepts to diverse audiences; comfortable presenting to technical and executive stakeholders Entrepreneurial Drive - Founder or early employee experience preferred; thinks like an owner and thrives in high-growth environments Hands-On & Strategic - Comfortable setting up demos and running pilots while maintaining strategic perspective Key Responsibilities: Technical Sales Leadership Serve as primary technical authority in strategic customer engagements across the sales pipeline Lead technical discovery, solution design, and presentations demonstrating Shelf's value Drive rapid high-stake pilots that prove measurable value and convert to closed deals Build and lead a Sales Engineering team Create scalable processes and best practices for technical sales excellence Strategic Collaboration: Collaborate with CTO and Product leadership to provide market insights and influence roadmap based on technical sales engagements Partner with other sales roles to drive technical wins across the ecosystem Contribute to thought leadership through select conferences, content creation, and sales enablement materials Maintain deep expertise in AI/GenAI trends, competitive landscape, and enterprise technology ecosystem Qualifications: 10-15+ years combinin