Solution Architect

Accenture PLC; Toronto; On-site; CAD 124,000 - 147,000; Full time

Job summary

Avanade in Toronto, Canada is seeking a GSAD Solution Architect to lead end-to-end solution design for complex Consulting and Managed Services deals. You will collaborate with regional and global SAs, validate client requirements, and drive the creation of cost models and solution plans.

The role involves engagement with client stakeholders, offshore delivery teams, and finance to ensure compelling, winning solutions.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting large strategic sales pursuits as a sales capture and/or solution architect for consulting and/or managed services deals.
• Ability to interpret client requirements and map to Avanade/Accenture templates and delivery capabilities.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams across regions and delivery centers.
• Strong analytical and cost-modeling skills with experience in pricing negotiations.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end shaping of the Consulting/Managed Services portion of large deals.
• Oversee GSAD SAs and regional SAs to optimize solution design and win rates.
• Collaborate with client stakeholders to validate requirements and options.
• Develop and document a Solution Plan and populate deal review systems for sign-off.
• Support pricing strategies and commercial dialogue with clients.

Skills

Solution architecture

Leadership

Pricing & costing

Microsoft Fabric

GenAI / AI tooling

Deal shaping

Client stakeholder engagement

Global delivery experience

Negotiation

Education

Computer Science or related field

Job description

The GSAD Solution Architect will take a lead in providing sales support and solution configuration on large, complex, Consulting and Managed Services deals and working with other SAs within the GSAD Solutioning Tower. This role will also help support our offering and asset development activities when not fully engaged in sales pursuits. This role works with the other GSAD Solutioning Architects and other GSAD leaders as well as collaborates with Regions/Areas and other parts of the wider Avanade and Accenture organization.

Drive Client Impact

• Acts as a Solution Architect with end-to-end responsibility for shaping the Consulting and/or Managed Services portion of large, complex cross Business group and Type of Work deals.
• Within deals, provides oversight of the GSAD SAs and region SAs to ensure we leverage the best of Avanade to shape compelling and winning solutions.
• Work within the client business team to interpret client defined or implied requirements against Avanade solution templates and delivery capabilities.
• Engage with client stakeholders and other knowledgeable resources to validate service requirements, explore solution options, and identify service integration requirements.
• Lead the definition of a solution that meets the agreed requirements.
• Work closely with Avanade delivery teams, including offshore delivery centers and third parties to realize service estimates in accordance with the Avanade Solutioning guidelines.
• Identify all service costs and populating cost models accurately to ensure a full visibility of costs related to establishing and delivering the service over the contract term.
• Create and document a Solution Plan and engage internal stakeholders as required to populate the Avanade ‘Deal Review System’ and support an internal sign-off (at regional, area and global levels) of costs and risk.
• Identify and mitigate solution risks.
• Support the development of pricing and commercial strategies and commercial dialogue with clients.
• Support sales activity in presenting our solution approach and methods to client stakeholder groups.
• Plan for and support service implementation, transition, and introduction activities.

Advance Client Solutions and Engineering Assets

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with delivery center solution architects.
• Creates, updates, and publishes solution guidance aligned to how we solution and deliver the Avanade offerings/plays by working collaboratively with the delivery teams and existing SA community.
• Enhances collateral (e.g., SP51 template, KDAs, solution guides, SOW, RFP response writing) working with various stakeholders (Practices, GSAD, Sales CoE, delivery, Business Groups) to bring most value to SAs and deals and to help make solutioning more efficient and solutioned to win at optimized costs.

Support Practice & People Development

• Lead and is faculty on SA training.
• Works with Avanade Global Solution and Delivery stakeholders, Accenture Leads to drive a capability plan to bring maturity/structure across the Avanade SA community to enable support for both Avanade and Accenture deals.
• Helps build the SA community within the Global teams (ATC, Accenture, GSAD, Avanade Practices) and with the SA’s within regions.
• Contributes to building capability from roadmaps and approved backlog and supports the SA community in doing the same.
• Work with various stakeholders within Avanade and Accenture to define the career path, training, and capability development for SAs in partnership with Avanade HR, sales, delivery, and the Global Solution and Delivery team.
• Works with Avanade Practices to develop and execute a strategic view for global SA training, certification, and capability in close collaboration with the Global Solution and Delivery team and Accenture.
• Supports SA training aligned with career growth model. Conduct certification interviews of our people (if applicable).

Key Performance Indicators Individual

• Personal impact in strategic accounts (sales or Exec Sponsor); contributing to successful sales.

Shared

• Win rates on net new deals.
• % EACs (against total solutioned)
• GSAD SAs contribution to closure of capability backlog items.

Competencies

• Leads Others: Drives Vision & Purpose, Develops Talent.
• Transforms the Business: Demonstrates Strategic Mindset, Cultivates Innovation.
• Runs the Business: Plans & Aligns, Drives Results.
• Builds Our Culture: Client Focus, Instils Trust.

Skills and Experience

• Application and Cloud/Infrastructure or Workplace.
• Data Modernization with Microsoft Fabric Power Platform GenAI Innovation and Custom Copilot development.
• Ability to effectively team with peers in a large matrixed organization.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, strong influence, and negotiation capabilities.
• Comfortable working with estimating, costing, and working with Finance and Sales Leads on pricing models.
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills, ability to analyze client provided data.
• Demonstrates a structured and considered approach to written and oral communication and can communicate complex solutions to less technical people.
• Able to define solution elements even when all the required information is not available.
• Realizes and documents reasonable assumptions.
• Ability to guide and direct leadership teams in development, product, and promotion of proposals, sales pursuits, solutions & offerings.
• Proven experience in solutioning deals over $5m USD.
• Detailed knowledge of service and delivery models, including global and distributed delivery models.
• Solution planning and deal shaping expert.
• Able to create compelling value proposition and leverage available assets and capabilities to craft the solution.
• Selling to senior client leadership; leading negotiations or developing business terms and conditions.
• Has led service introduction and/or service transition AND has been responsible for ensuring entire deal delivered value as defined.
• Has worked in an environment with global delivery and in multiple geographies and industries.

Education, Certifications and Experience

• Education and/or experience in the relevant field/business such as Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Statistics, Mathematics.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Products, Services, and platforms.
• Strong consulting background, including assessing the opportunity and risk associated with large scale, complex projects.
• International business experience.
• Experience in supporting large strategic sales pursuits as a sales capture and/or solution architect for various types of deals (consulting & managed services).
• Experience delivering solutions for client organizations through complex solutions/ project with heavy client interaction.
• Experience in managing large scale onshore/offshore delivery teams as well as delivering consulting and managed services projects.
• Extensive interaction with C-level executives.
• Track record in developing and growing long term, high value client relationship.

Compensation at Avanade varies depending on a wide array of factors, which may include but are not limited to the specific office location, role, skill set, and level of experience. As required by local law, Avanade provides a reasonable range of compensation, based on full-time employment, for roles that may be hired as set forth below. The recruiting efforts for this position are intended to fill a brand new position. The base pay range shown below is intended as a guideline to reflect the majority of offers for this role. It does not represent a maximum limit — in some cases, actual compensation may exceed the range where appropriate.

See more information on our benefits here: Canada Employee Benefits | Avanade Role Location Annual Salary Range TorontoCAD$124,207toCAD$147,496.

At Avanade, we advance the world through the power of people and Microsoft. Join us to shape your skills and the future with bold ideas and innovative solutions. Our partnership with Microsoft and Accenture empowers you to unlock your full potential. Working at Avanade offers the chance to build a career path that suits your skills and interests and the freedom to be your authentic self. We are committed to your growth, well-being, and success. This is where passion meets opportunity, technology meets humanity, and every challenge is a chance to make a genuine impact on colleagues, clients, and communities. Together, we do what matters.