The Role
Leads pre-sales architecture for enterprise networking and advanced technology solutions. Partners with sales teams, manufacturers, and clients to conduct discovery, design solutions, develop business cases, support RFPs, prepare statements of work, and drive opportunities through closure. Performs needs, ROI, TCO, assessment, proof-of-concept, and architectural engagements while maintaining customer relationships, sales pipelines, forecasts, and technical expertise.
Summary Generated by Built In
As a rapidly growing global provider of IT solutions, we’ve expanded from Seattle to Sydney and beyond – with reach in over 80 countries around the world. Today’s top brands count on Zones and our world-class partners – Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, Dell, Lenovo, and more – to transform their enterprises. To support this transformation, Zones offers products and services across four Solution Environments: Workplace Modernization, Network Optimization, Data Center Transformation, and Security Fortification.
At Zones, work is more than a job – it's an exciting career immersed in an inventive, collaborative culture. If you’re interested in working on the cutting edge of IT innovation, sales, engineering, operations, administration, and more, Zones is the place for you!
Position Overview
The Solution Architect (SA) works closely with the Zones sales teams to help grow the profitable sales of infrastructure solutions within a region and/or market. The goal is to help manage the above market growth rate of revenue and gross margins for hardware, software, and services for enterprise product defined as primarily servers, storage, networking, and other advanced technologies. The SA’s role is one of a pre-sales resources who utilize their technology background to lead the consultative discovery process to identify client/prospect’s business goals, objectives, and challenges and to translate them into effective advanced technology solutions. Your ability to achieve sales and profit goals will transpire through joint account planning, partner teaming (internal & external), on-site client interface/visits, engagement/solution development and implementation support/follow-up. The SA plays a leadership role, by analyzing business requirements, presenting related solutions, and driving the business case and financial justifications.
This is a remote position - we prefer this person to be based in San Francisco or surrounding areas. The capability to occasionally meet or work onsite may be requested.
Key Responsibilities
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The Solutions Architect III is primarily responsible for:
- Working with sales leadership, Advanced Technology Executives, and regional services sales specialists (RATE) to identify, develop, and close advanced technology solutions for customers,
- Planning and reporting with the Sales Engineering Regional Director and Sales Leadership to manage pipeline towards goal achievement,
- Leverage personal technical background and engage team members to develop technical solutions based on the clients/prospect’s requirements,
- Work with Solution's team to determine level of effort, supplemental services required, and pricing for solutions,
- Assist RFP Team in developing, verifying, and submitting responses to RFx queries,
- Work with the Solution Team to prepare Statement of Work documents, equipping and training the Sales Team on positioning solutions and opportunity identification,
- Evangelizing new technologies, methods & trends internally and externally.
Working with Manufacturers, OEMs, and Software Publishers (Partners)
- Build and maintain regional and local relationships with Zones Partners’ Channel and Direct Sales Organizations.
- Perform go-to-market planning with partners to identify target opportunity areas and accounts.
- Develop and deliver, with Marketing and partners, demand generation campaigns and events.
- Maintain certifications as dictated by your manager.
- Maintain and develop technical skills to stay on the forefront of technology offerings.
Working with Clients
- Build and maintain customer relationships, particularly technical relationships, in assigned accounts as appropriate to aid in the identification and development of opportunities.
- Perform needs, ROI, and TCO assessments as appropriate.
- Perform short-term billable engagements as directed. These are generally assessment, proof-of-concept, or architectural type engagements.
- Maintain a 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.
- Ensure customer satisfaction levels with stated goal of 100%.
Working with Team
- Support other sales activities as appropriate utilizing your subject matter expertise.
- Support other geographic areas and practices as needed based on skillset, demand, and availability.
- Keep pipeline, forecast, time and billing, project and activity reporting current based with defined tools and meeting submittal deadlines.
- Support and work with Solution's teams, Inside Sales, and other teams in the development of configuration, bill of material and solution definitions to ensure accuracy, quality of orders, and customer satisfaction.
We are seeking candidates with the following experience and skills:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, business or related discipline; equivalent years of experience is acceptable.
- At least 5 years of experience in an enterprise environment and a minimum of 2 years in a pre-sale’s technical role.
- Excellent written, presentation, and verbal communication skills including demonstrated experience presenting technology recommendations and articulating business value.
- Thorough understanding of the industry, market, customers, competitors, suppliers, partners and capabilities of the business.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues and management.
- Professional, business-focused attitude and courteous manner towards clients, partners, and peers
- Ability to travel an average of 30% of the time.
Technology Focus and Requirements
- Ability to assess, architect, design, and implement networking solutions with a variety of architectures, manufacturers, and environments ranging from SMB to Enterprise accounts.
- Skills in routing and switching, wired and wireless infrastructures, interior and exterior gateway routing protocols, LAN, Campus, and WAN required.
- Experience and certifications from key OEM partners and enterprise solutions from Cisco, Dell EMC, and HPe desired.
- A broad understanding of security, end-user computing, mobility, and datacenter technologies required.
- Core understanding of cloud-based computing and knowledge of industry leading offerings.
While we’re committed to providing top-tier solutions, we’re just as committed to supporting our own team. Our employees enjoy a variety of comprehensive benefits, including medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, a 401(k) plan with matching provision, paid time off, and much more. And as a Minority Business Enterprise, a Corporate Plus member of the Northwest Minority Supplier Development Council, and an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, our community is just as diverse.
At Zones, work is more than a job – it's an exciting career immersed in an inventive, collaborative culture. If you’re interested in working on the cutting edge of IT innovation, sales, engineering, operations, administration, and more, Zones is the place for you!
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, business, or a related discipline, or equivalent experience
- At least 5 years of experience in an enterprise environment
- At least 2 years of experience in a pre-sales technical role
- Excellent written, presentation, and verbal communication skills
- Experience presenting technology recommendations and articulating business value
- Thorough understanding of the industry, market, customers, competitors, suppliers, partners, and business capabilities
- Ability to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and management
- Professional, business-focused attitude and courteous manner
- Ability to travel an average of 30% of the time
- Ability to assess, architect, design, and implement networking solutions across SMB and enterprise environments
- Knowledge of routing, switching, wired and wireless infrastructure, gateway routing protocols, LAN, campus, and WAN networking
- Broad understanding of security, end-user computing, mobility, and data center technologies
- Core understanding of cloud-based computing and leading cloud offerings
- Experience and certifications with Cisco, Dell EMC, and HPE solutions
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The Company
What We Do
Zones is a Global Solution Provider of end-to-end IT solutions with an unmatched supply chain. Positioned to be the IT partner you need, Zones, a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) in business for over 35 years, specializes in Digital Workplace, Cloud & Data Center, Networking, Security, and Managed/Professional/Staffing services. Operating in more than 120 countries, leveraging a robust portfolio, and utilizing the highest certification levels from key partners, including Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, Lenovo, Adobe, and more, Zones has mastered the science of building digital infrastructures that change the way business does business ensuring whatever they need, they can Consider IT Done.
