Sr Solutions Architect (req #1408)

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Overview

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Hybrid-remote opportunity for candidates geographically located in the Chicago, IL area.

The Senior Solutions Architect acts as a trusted technical advisor to customers and our ePlus sales and services teams, focusing on networking and security technologies. This role collaborates with customer stakeholders, ePlus sales teams, and manufacturers to specify and quote product and services solutions to solve customer needs. An eye for detail, the ability to drive opportunities, and maintaining up-to-date product and services knowledge are key for this role. 

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Your Impact

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The essential functions of this position include:

• Provide technical expertise to sales teams and customers on networking and security solution focus areas (preferably Cisco, Cisco/Meraki, HPE/Juniper/Aruba, Arista, and Palo Alto Networks) 
• Establish credibility and trusted advisor status with ePlus’ sales team and customers 
• Conduct customer facing presentations on ePlus’ core competencies and technical solution offerings for assigned accounts and focus areas 
• Assist sales team with overall account planning as it relates to technical aspects of hardware, software, and services opportunity qualification and development 
• Complete and author technical sections for RFP/RFI/RFQ responses 
• Assist sales team with identifying and capturing customer business and technical requirements during the sales cycle and determining ePlus’ recommended solution 
• Develop and finalize solution architecture/design and detailed line-item configurations and/or bill-of-materials (BOMs) 
• Develop and finalize solution proposal and/or presentation of recommended solutions Lead technical scoping/reviews with sales team and customers 
• Function as a subject matter expert (SME) for customer technical staff regarding proposed solution and its design, configuration, implementation, and testing specifics 
• Function as technical liaison and ePlus ambassador with field OEM channel sales and technical teams Assist sales team with mentoring of associate account managers as it relates to overall opportunity management and technical solution set 
• Conduct knowledge transfers with solution architect colleagues and service delivery team regarding solution and OEM product updates/changes, lessons learned from previous engagements/experience, etc., as relevant 
• Assist sales team in dealing with customer satisfaction issues surrounding technical aspects or approach of a recommended solution 
• Assist in developing customer remediation or improvement plans, as appropriate 
• Identify product or services candidates to sales and services management as new solution areas for ePlus to potentially development or investment 
• Complete training and maintain OEM certification(s) as requested and approved by management, in accordance with assigned focus area 
• Be proactive in highlighting and suggesting areas for improvement in the regional procedures, structure, reporting, etc. 
• Propose ideas and solutions to help improve functional areas 
• Ensure appropriate coverage for in-process and new solution sales cycle opportunities while out of office for training, vacation, PTO, etc. 
• Participate in periodic presales engineering conference calls 
• Review current pipeline and forecast potential revenue, win probability, and estimated date of completion, on a weekly basis 
• Complete administrative tasks (expenses, time reporting, pipeline) in a timely fashion 
• Conduct ePlus branded lunch and learns with customers and identify sales opportunities, as requested by management 

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Qualifications

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• Certifications in applicable technology preferred
• College technical or engineering degree or applicable work experience 
• Ten or more years of experience (or equivalent demonstrable expertise) in the Partner space.  Five or more years of experience in providing Presales Engineering support  
• Enterprise and data center networking