General Summary of Position:
The Solution Architect's role is one to utilize their technology background to lead the consultative discovery of the client/prospect's business goals, objectives, and challenges and to translate them into effective technology and services solutions. The SA plays a leadership role, by analyzing business requirements, presenting related solutions, and driving the business case and financial justifications. Qualified candidates will possess deep experience in the communications and/or network industry in a sales-oriented, technical solution design and architecture role, with an emphasis on various network architectures, IoT, Smart Office, managed services, and mobility solutions.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serve as the technical design and architectural expert across the Granite solutions portfolio
- Build and maintain relationships in assigned accounts as appropriate to identify and cultivate additional opportunities
- Develop solutions/strategies using technology to resolve customer issues and achieve business goals/objectives
- Serve as a deal architect for multi-faceted, multi-technology solutions
- Partner with other company subject matter experts to build the customer solution
- Develop and deliver technical presentations with customers and tailor content to audience as appropriate
- Author and deliver solution designs, scope of work (SOWs) and technical project plans incorporating service and program management activities.
- Understand the competitive landscape and can clearly articulate the technical differentiation and value proposition associated with the Granite solutions versus its competitors.
- Achieve sales and profit goals through joint account planning, partner teaming (internal & external), on-site client interface/visits, engagement/solution development and implementation support/follow-up.
Required Qualifications:
- Self-starter, goal-oriented, ability to work independently without micromanagement
- BS or BA in Engineering or Computer Science or equivalent work experience
- Strong business acumen and understanding of clients IT related business goals and challenges to ensure proper translation of the client's needs into technology solutions
- 10+ years in a customer/client facing technical role (Pre/Post Sales, Sales Engineering, Consulting, Solutions Architecture, Service Delivery, etc.)
- Demonstrated and verifiable track record of prior successful customer engagements. Examples of solution designs, scopes of work and/or technical project plans are required.
- Experience in the development and implementation of IT and/or Managed Services solutions with accountability for end-to-end delivery
- Ability to present both technical and non-technical information to broad audiences
- Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively work in a team environment and explain complex system solutions to customers.
- Effective written communication skills.
- opportunities where automation could assist in scaling a product initiative or just scaling an individual customer project
- Ability to build relationships with clients & internal teammates to understand problem statements and be able to
- Ability to take ownership of solutions to ensure the customer rollout is a white glove experience due to fantastic due diligence
Preferred Qualifications:
- Network Architecture
- Working knowledge of the following
- Routers, VPN and Firewall- Cisco and Fortinet
- Switches– Cisco, HP, Juniper
- WAN– SDWAN, PTP, MPLS and VPN Topologies
- Data Centers– Cloud (UCaaS), Hypervisors, Server Farms, SAN, Leaf-Spine Topology
- Wireless– Cisco/Meraki, HP/Aruba, Juniper
- Managed Services
- Managed Wi-Fi
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service)
- NaaS (Network as a Service)
- CCNA/CCNP Certification
- Fortinet NSE 7 certification or equivalent
- Juniper/128 Technologies experience
- Cloud on ramp experience
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Network Design, Network Security or related field
- 5 years' experience with network design and deployment concepts
- 5 years' experience with customer technical support
- Experience with coding and automation platforms such as Python, JavaScript or similar