Solution Development Architect

Cisco Systems; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job description

While reading our job description, please remember - we understand from experience that not ticking every box on the skills sections stops many from applying. You should apply if you feel you are the right person for the job and have the aptitude to learn and deliver results.

This position offers a unique opportunity to join a new team within CX as the customer advocate to represent the services aspect of the overall Cisco solution on large and transformational opportunities.

In close partnership with sales, you will utilise your unique professional services, industry vertical, and technology expertise to lead the shaping of new business opportunities and designing tailored service solutions. Complementing our products, playing a vital role by creating the best value service mix and outcomes for our customers.

What You'll Do

1. Hunt for deals, aligning activities with Service Sales teams for Cisco's Lifecycle selling and transformational opportunities.
2. Influence the shaping of future solutions by contributing to the architecture used across multiple products or systems.
3. Co-lead the pre-sales solution architecture and introduce the overall technical vision for a particular solution to stakeholders.
4. Lead CX RFP/RFIs for your selected accounts.
5. Build, evaluate and implement plans and design proposals for high impact solutions; consider key factors such as their long-term effectiveness (service delivery and cost), practicality, technical limitations and criticality.
6. Demonstrate a cross-architecture approach in solutions development with mid to high level technical expertise to create journey maps and multi-year roadmaps.
7. Focus on pre-sales architecture activities and ensuring a follow-thru with post-sales architects; Become the bridge to ensure the scoped solution is delivered.

Who You'll Work With

In this role you will have the opportunity to collaborate across multiple functions; including working with Sales team, CX CTO and our Deal Acceleration Team to progress opportunities to closure with minimal friction. You will work with internal/external partners, including ecosystem partners, to help ensure comprehensive and scalable technology implementations can be realized.

What You Need

1. Consultative selling experience via designs, blueprints, architecture frameworks, systems or products (the solutions) and aligning them to the customer's desired business outcomes.
2. Knowledge of Professional Services business with Delivery background working with strategic customers. Industry specific expertise for contextualizing solutions to the vertical.
3. Excellent executive level communication and presentation skills to simplify conveying the value of underlying sophisticated solutions.
4. An ability to pivot to new areas (e.g AI) and build compelling service narratives that align with customers shifting technology needs.
5. A sales mind-set with an inner tenacity and driven mentality.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of technology-related business development / sales experience with a focus on Professional Services.
• Foundational knowledge around data centre infrastructure including areas such as networking, compute/AI & Security.
• Excellent presentation skills - ability to value-sell and craft compelling service propositions.
• Demonstrable track record of winning major strategic opportunities in public sector and/or large enterprise accounts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Business, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Cisco Solution Knowledge (specifically around Datacentre and Security).
• ITIL Foundation / Service Design Experience.

Why Cisco?

#WeAreCisco. We are all unique, but collectively we bring our talents to work as a team, to develop innovative technology and power a more inclusive, digital future for everyone. Nearly every internet connection around the world touches Cisco. We’re the Internet’s optimists. Our technology makes sure the data traveling at light speed across connections does so securely, yet it’s not what we make but what we make happen which marks us out. We’re helping those who work in the health service to connect with patients and each other; schools, colleges, and universities to teach in even the most challenging of times. We’re helping businesses of all shapes and sizes to connect with their employees and customers in new ways, providing people with access to the digital skills they need and connecting the most remote parts of the world – whether through 5G, or otherwise.

We tackle whatever challenges come our way. We have each other’s backs, we recognize our accomplishments, and we grow together. We celebrate and support one another – from big and small things in life to big career moments. And giving back is in our DNA (we get 10 days off each year to do just that).

We know that powering an inclusive future starts with us. Because without diversity and a dedication to equality, there is no moving forward. Our 30 Inclusive Communities, that bring people together around commonalities or passions, are leading the way. Together we’re committed to learning, listening, caring for our communities, whilst supporting the most vulnerable with a collective effort to make this world a better place either with technology, or through our actions.

So, you have colorful hair? Don’t care. Tattoos? Show off your ink. Like polka dots? That’s cool. Pop culture geek? Many of us are. Passion for technology and world changing? Be you, with us! #WeAreCisco