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Solution Architect, Workspaceat CDW Careers (UK)
Description
KEY DUTIES
CDW’s Workspace Solutions team is a group of Solutions Architects and Specialists that is part of the wider presales technical group. Its role is to:
- Provide our diverse range of customers with agnostic, industry-leading advice and expertise to help them select the right technology solutions and make the most of them
- Lead presales Workspace opportunities from inception through to handover into delivery
- Own CDW’s Workspace go to market message, driving and evangelising our opinion, breadth of capability and experiences to internal teams, customers and partners
- 70% - Act as a solutions architect, using a combination of your own depth of expertise as well as the wider team to own opportunities, engage with customers and win business
- 10% - Support the development of the team and the wider department by contributing to team projects as well as helping junior team members achieve their own career aspirations
- 20% - Develop and maintain your own skills and knowledge through research, self-guided learning, lab time and formal training/accreditation
You will be responsible for managing your own diary and hours so how any given week ends up looking will be up to you. The job is also very varied but here are some of the things you can expect:
- Customer Opportunities - Work with customers, salespeople and BDMs to qualify opportunities, understand business and technical requirements and design appropriate solutions using Workspace technologies whilst maintaining accurate and up to date information in CDW’s CRM system to support sales forecast and pipeline management
- Documentation - Produce high quality documentation from solution designs and RFP responses to HLDs and SoWs.
- Upsell - Identify potential to expand opportunities where possible and engage and coordinate resources from other teams to support
- Handover – Support the smooth handover of projects into the delivery teams and acting as an escalation point during their life and transition into service
- Workspace Evangelist - Explain and evangelise the features, benefits and technical specifications of Workspace to internal and external audiences
- Team Growth – Support the continued growth of the Workspace Team by assisting junior members in mentoring, shadowing, peer reviews and by providing feedback.
- Internal Collaboration – Build relationships across the business, including with Sales, Professional Services, Managed Services and the wider presales community to draw upon as the need arises.
- Go-To-Market Development – Work with the team, the Practice Lead, Head of Technology Solutions and key stakeholders to support the creation, launch, marketing and ongoing development of new propositions.
- Partner Engagement – Meet with CDW’s partner community to stay up to date with offerings and roadmaps and leverage this knowledge as an agnostic advisor to customers.
- Commercial Acumen – The role requires that you understand the commercial impact of the proposed solutions and assist customers and CDW’s sales teams in choosing the correct solution to meet budget and expectations.
- Sales Enablement - Assist CDW Sales people with technical guidance on a variety of products and solutions across a range of customer sizes and types and evangelise the team’s capabilities.
- Customer Retention - Act as a trusted adviser to key customers through building knowledge of their environments.
- Accreditation – Attain and maintain the appropriate level of relevant accreditations
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
Must Have:
- Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft 365 technologies and at least one other vendor/product within the workspace portfolio. Use experience and skills to aid in their adoption, with a proven ability to use this to own and win complex opportunities with mid-market customers, enterprise, and public sector customers
- A key focus on user experience enhancement
- Previous experience in a channel presales role or similar, including leveraging partner resources, incentives, and teams during presales engagements
- Strong real-world knowledge of Microsoft and at least one other workspace vendor/product service and an understanding of how to position further enablement toward digital workspace transformation
- Ability to lead customers through a transformational journey that delivers tangible benefit quickly whilst maximising the scope and potential of an engagement
- Commercial acumen with an awareness of the financial implications of design decisions across Capex and Opex budgets and how they affect TCO and ROI
- Experience selling both professional and managed services
- A demonstrable track record of getting stuff done whilst managing competing pressures and deadlines and retaining an eye for detail and quality
- A passion for technology and its ability to have a positive impact on business
- Relevant technical certifications
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
- Self-driven, doesn’t require micro management.
- Passionate about technology and the impact it can have on business and our customers
- Articulate and credible
- Quality and detail orientated
- Positive attitude and influence to others
- Fast learner and able to adapt to new technology and keep abreast of current industry trends and practice
- Excellent communicator in all forms to key customer stakeholders
- Excellent organisation and time management skills.
- Commercial aptitude to specify appropriate solutions.
- Able to achieve potential, stay inspired and motivated
- Desire to retain the highest levels of accreditation in the area of specialist focus
- Able to drive an individual plan based on business strategy
