The Rise of the GTM Engineer

The Signal

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Hey y’all!

This week the crypto markets rallied and I predict memecoins will rip this cycle (don’t say I didn’t warn you). But, we’re here to talk about B2B SaaS today, not crypto.

The old adage for investors goes something like this: “if a new title emerges, a new category is established” (which means a big market cap company has emerged… and the investors just got super rich). This famously happened with Marketo, and arguably HubSpot.

And, while I am not sold on the name of the title itself (yet), I do believe that a new role is emerging around new “jobs to be done” in go-to-market. A new way of using technology (eg: ai and automation) and data to build strategic leverage in a gtm motion.

And that’s what I unpack in today’s post. It’s co-published with my friend Jason Saltzman, from Live Data Technologies (he hooked up some dope data and charts for the piece—thank you Jason!).

Here’s what we’re covering in today’s piece: 

• Why now? Emerging trends in GTM technology

• The new playbook

• The data behind this new title

• Ideal candidate profile

• How to measure the impact of a GTM Engineer

Alright, let’s get into it!

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The Rise of the GTM Engineer

In the quickly evolving landscape of go-to-market, a new role is quietly emerging—one that fuses analytical acumen (“science”) with strategic sales execution (“art”).

Meet the “GTM Engineer.” The architect of tomorrow’s go-to-market motion.

As technology—and AI, in particular—continues to transform the go-to-market environment, this role is becoming increasingly essential in adapting to these shifts and orchestrating success across the entire customer lifecycle (from abm → inbound/outbound pipe gen → sales cycle optimizations → onboarding+adoption → upsell/cross-sell expansion → retention → to win-backs).

Is it an Ops role? No (they don’t have the right incentive structure).
Is it a Sales role? No (they don’t have the right technical chops).
Is it a Growth role? No (not in the traditional sense of that role).

I think we’re seeing early signs of an entirely new role emerging:

Why now? Emerging trends in GTM technology

The GTM tech landscape is being revolutionized by automation and ai tools right now. We’re at a very pivotal inflection point. Companies are trying to use technology to scale revenue, not just headcount (no longer are we living in “growth at all costs” days). And, the tech—thanks, in large part to large language models—is starting to actually be able to deliver. 

I saw this first-hand at Apollo, where Casey Krebs (former Ops at Slack) built a fully automated system that delivered 1,600 meetings per quarter. I ran it for 9 months, before recently leaving. We didn’t have any SDRs, it was 100% automated, end-to-end. By the way, there was not AI, which would only make it more powerful. 

And most recently, I’ve partnered up with my friend Andreas Wernicke on some consulting work, where he does Clay and AI wizardry (seriously, reach out to him/follow him on LinkedIn, you’ll see). Is it ops work? Kinda. Is it growth work? Eh, not exactly. Is it pipe gen/SDR stuff? In some cases. But, there is really no name for this new thing. Yet.

CRM companies like Salesforce and HubSpot, and RevTech companies like Zoominfo, Gong/Outreach/SalesLoft/Clari/Apollo are all heavily deploying capital against AI products. This momentum cannot be stopped. (Oh, and Claygents + AI SDRs + other AI gtm tools are also innovating here too).

Check out the investment CRM companies alone are making into AI: 

Here are some of the specific ways GTM tech is evolving, in real-time, right now: 

1. AI-Driven Personalization: Advanced algorithms analyze customer data to create highly personalized engagement, enhancing the relevance and impact of sales interactions. AI tools are now able to adjust messaging in real time, tailoring it to individual preferences and needs, which has drastically improved customer experiences and conversions. 

This is the age-old promise that’s finally coming to fruition. 

2. Sales Automation: Automation tools are streamlining repetitive tasks, freeing up sales teams to focus on building relationships and closing deals. From automated email campaigns to customer follow-ups to note-taking apps to admin tasks throughout a seller’s process, automation allows sales teams to operate more efficiently, reducing human error and speeding up sales cycles.

These are tools I would have paid out of my pocket for when I was an AE/Manager back in 2016). 

3. Data Analytics: With deeper insights into customer behaviors and preferences, data analytics is empowering sales teams to tailor their strategies with surgical precision. By identifying patterns and trends within customer data, companies are able to make data-driven decisions that yield more effective sales outcomes. 

Everyone is going to have a personal analyst in their pocket. 

4. Lead Scoring and Prioritization: Modern platforms utilize AI to score leads and prioritize accounts and contacts, ensuring that sales efforts are concentrated on the most promising opportunities. This intelligent prioritization allows sales teams to focus on high-value targets, improving conversion rates and maximizing revenue.

Lead scoring with AI agents lends itself to nuance that creates tremendous leverage like we’ve never seen before (see number two on my list here). 

5. Generative AI: By leveraging generative AI, companies are crafting personalized content and automating outreach, making their go-to-market efforts more dynamic and responsive. AI-driven content generation is streamlining the creation of sales collateral, proposals, and customer communications, allowing sales teams to focus on strategic tasks.

AI is not *the* answer. It’s a tool. But a very damn powerful one. Don’t underestimate it; we’re still very early here. 

The new playbook

Gone are the days when a one-size-fits-all approach could guarantee success in outbound sales. Today’s market demands a more nuanced, targeted strategy. You have to meet buyers where they’re at in the journey (and there are now hundreds of different ways that buyers are coming into the sales funnel). 

The traditional outbound playbook, which relied heavily on high-volume, low-personalization outreach, is becoming obsolete. In its place, a new playbook is emerging—one that prioritizes quality over quantity, leverages data at every turn, and embraces the full potential of AI and automation.

At the heart of this shift is the GTM Engineer, a role designed to streamline and refine the go-to-market strategy. 

This position focuses on using data insights to enhance pipe gen, optimize sales processes, and contribute directly to revenue growth. By bridging the gap between sales and technology, GTM Engineers ensure that sales teams are equipped with the right tools and insights to drive success. And, in some cases, driving the outcomes, themselves - this person can be responsible for hundreds of meetings a month, as a single person (aka “the 10x rep”) by running things like Micro-campaigns and Signal-based selling. Again, what Casey and I were doing at Apollo is booking demos (over 500 per month). But, not as SDRs.

The data behind this new title

You don’t have to take my word for it, that this role is on the rise. Let’s let the data speak! :) 

My friend Jason pulled a list of companies with GTM Engineers and Architects. They include companies like: Affirm, AWS, Atlassian, BofA, Chainlink Labs, Clay & Claygencies, Coda, Grammarly, Nike, OpenAI, Prefect, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Snowflake, Snyk, Workday, and mParticle (to name a few).

Live Data Technologies captures near-real-time data on employment changes in the US. They leverage this publicly available information to monitor 1M+ job changes, and 300M+ employment validations monthly. They can track hiring trends across companies, roles, functions, levels, industries, and locations. 

Live Data Technologies normally sells this data to platforms that incorporate people data, such as sales tech, CRMs, talent platforms, private wealth, HR teams, and investors like VCs, private equity, quant funds, etc. It also serves as a data resource for well-known media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Information, Bloomberg — and today also for The Signal! If you have questions about their data, please ping Jason Saltzman!

(Ps: this is not sponsored, just a friend who provided some great data in collaboration on this piece together)

This sample size is small right now… but tells a very compelling story. Over a third of all GTM Engineers or Architects started their role this year!

The question in my mind is simple: will this number be higher or lower this time next year? What about in two years? My bet: it will be much, much higher. 

Check out this data visualization:

Ideal candidate profile

The GTM Engineer is a role that requires a unique blend of skills. Companies looking to hire for this position should look for people with a strong analytical mindset (comfortable with data), experience in sales or marketing operations (systems thinkers), and an understanding of modern sales technology (the latest tools give you leverage). The ideal candidate will be someone who can not only interpret data but also translate those insights into actionable strategies that enhance sales outcomes (aka revenue).

Skills to look for include:

• Data proficiency: Comfort with data analytics platforms and the ability to draw actionable insights from large datasets.

• Tech savvy: Experience with sales automation tools, CRMs, and AI-driven platforms.

• Process optimization: A knack for streamlining processes and identifying inefficiencies in sales operations.

• Strategic and creative: Ability to zoom out to 30,000 foot view, and into the nitty gritty details. Creativity is the only bottleneck with this new role/motion.

• Cross-department communication: Strong interpersonal skills, (and, ideally someone who has worked in several departments throughout their career) as this role often serves as a bridge between sales, marketing, ops, and data/engineer/product teams.

Hiring internally can also be a valuable option. By training a member of your current team who is already familiar with your company’s sales strategies and culture, you may speed up the transition into this role. However, external hires with deep expertise in sales technology can bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to the table.

It’s important to note that this role requires significant experience. You can’t hire an SDR who has been in the field for only one or two years and expect them to excel in this position (they won’t have the strategic wherewithal). Typically, you’ll need someone with 6-8+ years of experience in RevOps (or Growth) and Sales to effectively manage the complexities of this role.

How to measure the impact of a GTM Engineer

Integrating the GTM Engineer into your team is not just about hiring the right person; it’s about creating the right environment and infrastructure for them to succeed. Here are a few key strategies to implement this role effectively:

1. Define Clear Objectives: From the outset, it’s crucial to establish clear objectives for the role. Whether the focus is on improving lead generation, streamlining sales processes, or enhancing data-driven decision-making, having defined goals will help the GTM Engineer align their efforts with your company’s broader go-to-market strategy.

2. Invest in Technology: Equip your GTM Engineer with the right tools. This role requires access to advanced analytics platforms, automation tools, and CRM systems that allow for real-time insights and workflow automation. Without the right tech stack, even the most skilled operations manager will struggle to achieve their full potential. Yes, this is likely the person who runs Clay for your company. And any other AI/agents within your stack. 

3. Encourage Cross-Department Collaboration: The success of this role depends heavily on the ability to work seamlessly across teams. Encourage close collaboration between sales, marketing, and technology teams to ensure alignment on strategy, data sharing, and execution. This not only optimizes workflows but also fosters a unified approach to customer engagement.

4. Operationalize experimentation: Test, test, test! Their role is to build a framework to operationalize experimentation. A framework where they build a portfolio of “bets” where 9 out of 10 fail and that’s okay. Because the 1 that succeeds is a 10x or 100x winner. Power laws apply here, just like they do in investing.

5. Promote Continuous Learning: Given the rapid evolution of sales technology, ongoing education is critical. Ensure that your GTM Engineer stays ahead of emerging trends by encouraging participation in training programs, industry conferences, and certification courses. This keeps your team ahead of the competition and sharpens the skills necessary to adapt to the ever-changing landscape.

6. Measure Impact Regularly: Regularly assess the impact of this role through key performance indicators (KPIs). Track metrics like conversion rates, sales cycle efficiency, customer acquisition cost, and revenue growth to ensure the GTM Engineer is delivering value. Consistent feedback and performance evaluation will help refine their approach and highlight areas for improvement.

By integrating these strategies, companies can successfully unlock the potential of the GTM Engineer role, driving not only efficiency but also innovation in their sales processes.

I am hopeful for the future of modern go-to-market. I think it will include more intelligence and creativity injected throughout it. And, no matter what this name of this new role ends up being, I think these new “jobs to be done” are going to grow in importance in the coming years. We’ll find out!

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As always, thank you for your attention and trust.

And thank you again to Jason for helping make this piece come to life.

See you in the next post,
Brendan 🫡