Director, Pre-Sales Architect
We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, hands-on leader who can rapidly learn the Okta value proposition, apply it to customers of all sizes, and grow the PS PreSales team to support Okta growth. This is a key leader of the services PreSales organization. The Director, PreSales Architecture is responsible for ensuring Okta PS engagements are designed for success. We are looking for an experienced person that can:
- Work with PreSales technical team to design solutions that can be successfully, effectively, and consistently implemented by the Okta PS delivery team while accelerating the time to value to Okta customers.
- Communicate solutions to internal stakeholders and customers / prospective customers.
- Improve PS estimation templates and PreSales processes that will allow the PS PreSales team to scale without compromising the quality of solutions.
- Grow and manage a team of PreSales Solution Architects
The Director, PreSales Architecture will lead a team that will partner with Sales, PS PreSales Architects, and PS Delivery team members to scope Okta PS projects that delight our customers by accelerating their time to value. Your team will be responsible for a smooth transition of the Statement of Work (SOW) to the PS delivery team, and collaborate with Customer Success team members to ensure customer satisfaction. The Services Solution Architect Director will also be responsible for the continuous improvement of PreSales processes, estimation techniques, and tools. This role will report to the VP of Professional Services, Technical Architecture.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
- Articulate and sell the value of Okta Services within prospective and existing accounts
- Work in conjunction with Sales Representatives, Sales Engineers, and Architects to define and integrate the services solution into the comprehensive Okta proposal
- Manage PS scoping activity with current and prospective customers to produce proposal, level of effort, SOW, and resource timeline plans
- Be recognized by customers as a trusted advisor in delivery and process decisions.
- Ensure solutions are properly positioned to stakeholders during approval processes.
- Leverage project delivery statistics to improve “bottoms-up” estimate templates
- Work with delivery leadership to update staffing rules and timeline / resource templates that improve our ability to deliver successful, consistent, and effective projects.
- Identify areas for optimization and lead change efforts within PS PreSales scoping, estimation, approval, proposal, and knowledge transfer activities
- Mange career development and workload for staff of PS Solution Architects
- Estimate team growth based on capacity versus projected PS growth models
Minimum Qualifications:
- 5+ years experience leading teams (supervisory responsibilities) in a similar capacity.
- Demonstrable experience creating “bottoms-up” Professional Services estimates.
- Experience building positive relationships with key stakeholders in sales and delivery.
- Strong presentation skills: Showing the value, capabilities, and differentiators of complex service solutions using methodologies and service offerings.
- Breadth of knowledge executing the SOW/Proposal processes by scoping, producing, and delivering to the customer SOW’s that meet customers documented requirements
- Articulates relevant success stories and metrics to the customer.
- Demonstrated ability to work and interact with CxOs and high-level customer executives.
- Experience in leading discovery workshops to derive customer requirements, specifications, business processes.
- Some knowledge of enterprise web and security technologies
- General knowledge of cloud architecture as well as on-premise IT landscape
- Some knowledge and experience in Identity and Access Management (IAM) preferred
- ActiveDirectory and/or LDAP experience is useful.
- SaaS experience: Salesforce, NetSuite, Workday, Okta preferred
- Project Management experience is a plus
- Ability to learn Okta solutions at a fairly technical level (Expectation to achieve Okta Certified Professional certification within 6 months of joining Okta)
Problem Solving
You exhibit confidence and a deep understanding of emerging industry practices when solving business problems. In addition, we want someone who displays certainty in driving requirements, estimating, scoping, and presenting proposals. You can identify critical issues with ease, while pushing creative thinking beyond the boundaries of existing industry practices and customer mindsets.
Communication
- Communicates with internal and external customers and management
- Effectively communicate technical information to non-technical audiences
- Delivers informative, well-organized presentations
- Understands how to communicate difficult/sensitive information thoughtfully
Team and Customer Interaction
- Facilitates and leads effective team interactions
- Communicates effectively with customers to identify needs and evaluate alternative business and technical solutions with customers
- Continually seeks to increase customer satisfaction and deepen client relationships
- Manages client expectations effectively
Okta is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Okta is rethinking the traditional work environment, providing our employees with the flexibility to be their most creative and successful versions of themselves, no matter where they are located. We enable a flexible approach to work, meaning for roles where it makes sense, you can work from the office, or from home, regardless of where you live. Okta invests in the best technologies and provides flexible benefits and collaborative work environments/experiences, empowering employees to work productively in a setting that best and uniquely suits their needs. Find your place at Okta https://www.okta.com/company/careers/.
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