Senior Specialist Solutions Architect

The Company:

A global telecommunications provider operating in markets across Africa and the rest of the world is looking for a Senior Specialist Solutions Architect. The company has been providing ordinary South Africans with excellent services and values the individual contributions of its team members. Candidates can expect to form part of an elite team operating at the cutting edge of their relevant technologies. 

The Role:

• Translate customer requirements into workable solutions.
• Provide input to business cases to understand costs, risks, and benefits of solutions.
• Follow relevant steering committees and approval practices for customer solutions.
• Obtain business approval for new innovations required for customer-specific solutions.
• Deliver customer proof-of-concepts (POCs) and ensure clear and agreed-upon testing criteria.
• Sponsor and mentor junior architects for key deals within the environment.
• Use commercial acumen to deliver solutions within customer budgets.
• Understand customers’ key challenges and financial parameters to solve a winning proposal.
• Provide input to the strategic direction of technology investments to assist in the development of enterprise architecture and maximise return on technology investment
• Review, interpret, and respond to detailed Business Requirements Specifications (BRS) to ensure alignment between customer expectations and current/future ICT capability.
• Translate business requirements into technical architecture specifications and models, solution design, process diagrams, and concepts of operation.
• Estimate costs and input into a business case to justify ROI for the solution.
• Present business cases to senior management for approval, funding, and prioritisation.
• Gain organisational commitment for all solution elements and evaluate/select all technologies required to complete customer solutions.
• Work in cross-functional teams to define, deliver, and support the design and development of technology solutions that are fit for purpose, meet business requirements and objectives, and align with enterprise architecture, corporate ICT standards, and business operational standards.
• Ensure proposed customer solutions are deliverable within customer timelines, budgets, and relevant governance according to process and procedures.
• Work closely with cross-functional team members to deliver the solution for the customer in the most efficient and cost-effective manner while ensuring it is complete, operable, conforms to business processes, and meets the business needs with the agreed quality of service.
• Document and maintain the organisation’s solution proposals to customers, make recommendations for improvements and/or alternatives.
• Participate in the supplier selection process, evaluating the usefulness and cost of products and making appropriate recommendations.
• Review new and existing solution design projects and procurement or outsourcing plans for compliance with standards and architectural plans.
• Keep abreast of solutions architecture current and future trends and innovations.
• Maintain current OEM certifications and obtain new certifications as required.
• Collaborate with a global team to create and execute research into the feasibility of customer-specific solutions while following the organisation’s internal governance.
• Act in an advisory capacity to management and team on Solution architecture.
• Provide input into the account management plans and go-to-market plays for key identified clients across segments and regions.
• Work with sales specialists and account managers to identify, develop, and close key sales opportunities.
• Collaborate with sales specialists and account managers to deep-dive into customers’ business challenges, so as to collaboratively propose and pre-qualify a particular set of outcomes that would result in a formal professional services engagement.
• Build and maintain continuous technical relationships within corporate customers and partners to ensure high levels of satisfaction.
• Develop and design high-quality technical responses to RFPs/RFQs and RFIs that meet customer requirements in a timely manner.
• Deliver all technical tender requirements and provide support with presenting solutions.
• Provide technical input on pricing for tenders and proposals.

Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering or a related field.
• Relevant certifications in Cloud, Network, or Unified Communication (UCC).
• Current Cisco Network Certifications such as CCNP or equivalent.
• Minimum Cisco Professional Certification or current Cisco or other UCC certifications such as CCNP Collaboration Certification.
• Full CCIE certification is advantageous.
• Business and Commercial Acumen skills.
• Fluent in the language of the country with full command of English; French language proficiency is an advantage.
• At least 15 years of experience in network administration or information technology systems and Presales.
• Prior professional services/consulting background.
• Experience in working with diverse cultures and geographies is advantageous.
• Experience working in a large organisation.
• Experience in global/multinational enterprise, coupled with working in emerging markets.
• Experience in guiding customer ICT strategy in large organisations.