Senior Solution Architect - Secure Networks

CO2007 CDW Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

CDW is seeking a Senior Network Architect to lead complex network and security solutions across campus, data centre, WAN and cloud domains. You will translate business outcomes into high-level architectures and drive multi-vendor designs from discovery through proposal to delivery.

You will own solution architecture for opportunities, lead discovery and design activities, and partner with services to ensure seamless handover and revenue growth.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in network architecture, design, or consulting roles.
• Strong experience across enterprise and/or data centre networking.
• Proven track record of leading customer-facing technical engagements.
• Experience with Zero Trust architectures and modern security frameworks.
• Ability to translate business requirements into technical designs.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead customer discovery sessions to capture business and technical requirements.
• Translate customer outcomes into scalable, high-level architectures.
• Act as the technical authority throughout the engagement lifecycle.
• Present solutions confidently to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Produce high quality solution proposals and High Level Designs (HLDs).
• Design secure, scalable, and resilient network architectures across campus, data centre, WAN and cloud domains.

Skills

Network architecture

Enterprise networking

Vendor management

Zero Trust

Stakeholder management

Solution design

Presentation skills

Data centre networking

Tools

Splunk

LogicMonitor

BigPanda

Python

NetBox

Ansible

Terraform

AWS

Azure

Job description

At CDW, we make it happen, together. Trust, connection, and commitment are at the heart of how we work together to deliver for our customers. It’s why we’re coworkers, not just employees. Coworkers who genuinely believe in supporting our customers and one another. We collectively forge our path forward with a level of commitment that speaks to who we are and where we’re headed. We’re proud to share our story and Make Amazing Happen at CDW.

Job summary

At CDW, we deliver customer outcomes through deep technical expertise, trusted relationships, and a strong services-led approach. The Senior Network Architect operates as a senior presale overlay within the Secure Networks practice, responsible for shaping, designing, and leading complex network and security solutions aligned to customer business outcomes. This role translates business requirements into high-level architectures, drives solution strategy across multi-vendor environments, and leads engagements from early discovery through to proposal and handover to delivery.

The Senior Network Architect is accountable for:

• Owning solution architecture for complex customer opportunities
• Leading discovery, design, and proposal activities
• Aligning technology solutions to business outcomes, KPIs, and commercial objectives
• Driving the integration of CDW’s Professional and Managed Services into solution designs
• Supporting revenue growth through high-value, outcome-led engagements

What you will do

• Lead customer discovery sessions to capture business and technical requirements
• Translate customer outcomes into scalable, high-level architectures
• Act as the technical authority throughout the engagement lifecycle
• Present solutions confidently to technical and non-technical stakeholders

Architecture & Design

• Produce high quality solution proposals and where necessary
• High Level Designs (HLDs) aligned to customer requirements
• Design secure, scalable, and resilient network architectures across campus, data centre, WAN and cloud domains
• Ensure alignment with best practices, vendor validated designs, and CDW standards
• Support pricing, sizing, and commercial positioning
• Identify opportunities to enhance solutions with additional services or capabilities
• Contribution to pipeline growth and strategic opportunities

Multi-Vendor Solution Strategy

• Define optimal technology stacks across networking and security domains
• Assess multiple vendor solutions for compatibility, scalability, and business fit
• Leverage vendor relationships, tools, and resources to validate designs

Services Integration

• Embed Professional and Managed Services into solution designs
• Support scoping and estimation of services aligned to customer outcomes
• Collaborate with delivery teams to ensure smooth transition post-sale

What we expect of you

• 10+ years in network architecture, design, or consulting roles
• Strong experience across enterprise and/or data centre networking
• Proven track record of leading customer-facing technical engagements
• Technical Expertise: Enterprise networking: LAN, WAN, Data Centre (EVPN/VXLAN desirable)
• Security technologies: NGFW, ZTNA, IPS/IDS, segmentation (Micro & Macro), WAF
• Strong vendor experience (e.g. Cisco, Juniper, HPE Aruba, Arista, Fortinet, Palo Alto)
• Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions
• Strong problem-solving and solution design capability
• Experience producing high-quality technical documentation (HLDs, proposals)
• Communication & Stakeholder Management
• Confident presenter to senior stakeholders
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to influence and build consensus across technical and commercial teams
• Understanding of solution pricing, risk, and commercial positioning
• Ability to align technical design with revenue and margin objectives
• Customer focused and outcome driven
• Strong analytical and decision making capability
• Effective collaboration across cross functional teams
• High level of accountability and ownership
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Experience with Zero Trust architectures and modern security frameworks
• Exposure to cloud networking (AWS, Azure)
• Exposure within observability and AIOps (Splunk, Logic Monitor, Big Panda)
• Experience with automation and AI-driven operations (Python, NetBox, Ansible, Terraform)
• Relevant certifications (e.g. CCNP/CCIE, JNCIP/JNCIE, etc.)
• Working experience with AI within the workplace i.e. Microsoft CoPilot
• Willingness to travel as required (typically up to 25%)

CDW is committed to being an AI-fluent organization

We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, a learner’s mindset, and a willingness to engage with ever-evolving technology and tools. We value adopting AI as a partner, openness to experimentation, and a shared interest in learning together on AI. Our goal is to create a culture where AI enhances—not replaces—human creativity and decision-making. You don’t need to be an expert today; what matters is your readiness to explore, adapt, and grow with us as we integrate AI responsibly and effectively into our work. Additionally, CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, our goal is to understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. As an AI forward company, we see AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for new ways of thinking, creating, and communicating. We encourage candidates to embrace an AI mindset, one that’s curious, adaptive, and ready to explore what’s possible. We welcome thoughtful use of AI to expand your perspective and elevate how you share your story, while ensuring your application remains rooted in your own background, judgment, and voice.

About Us

CDW is a Fortune 500 technology solutions provider that helps businesses, government, education, and healthcare organizations achieve what’s possible through technology. What makes CDW different isn’t just what we do—it’s how we do it. At CDW we act as one—building trust, speaking candidly, and working together to achieve more. We play to win—focusing on what matters most and delivering for our customers. And we think forward—staying curious, moving fast, and continuously learning. We believe meaningful work happens when people feel supported, heard, and empowered to contribute. That’s why we think of ourselves as coworkers, not just employees—working together to solve complex challenges and deliver real impact for our customers and communities. As a full-stack, full-lifecycle technology partner, CDW brings deep expertise, strong relationships, and broad industry knowledge to help turn ideas into outcomes. When you join CDW, you become part of a collaborative environment where your work matters, your growth is supported, and your contributions help shape what’s next. Together, we deliver the full promise of what technology can do. Together, we Make Amazing Happen.

CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.

At CDW, we make technology work so people can do great things. We are a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Our coworkers across the globe are working together to bring technology to life for our customers by solving complicated IT business challenges, providing outstanding service, and orchestrating the technology landscape to optimize our customers’ performance.