Business Architect

NWN; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Health Savings Account (HSA)

401(k) with company match

Unlimited PTO

Hybrid/remote work

Employee discounts

Career development opportunities

Job summary

NWN is seeking a Business Architect in the Boston area to own the technical sale during customer and partner pre-sales activities. The role blends business and technology—focusing on security, data center/cloud, contact center and AI solutions—and requires strong client engagement and solution design capabilities.

You will lead scoping of NWN offerings, assess client needs, coordinate SMEs, and drive evaluations, pilots and formal proposals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in CS/IS or related field.
• 4-6 years in a technical leadership role on small to medium projects.
• Knowledge of IP communications, networking, security, data center industry and solutions.
• Experience with structured project management methodologies.
• Experience with solution design, job costing and quality planning.
• Excellent client/customer interface skills.
• CCNP/CCD P or equivalent certification completed or in progress.
• Defined area of specialization supported by certification or equivalent experience (e.g. Routing/Switch, UC, Contact Center).
• Able to architect and design detailed configurations for complex communications systems.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical sale during customer and partner pre-sales activities.
• Lead scoping NWN offerings to meet customer requirements.
• Analyze client business needs and recommend appropriate solutions.
• Engage SMEs for discreet service offerings identified in the technical solution.
• Set up and execute evaluation activities, pilots and proofs of concept.
• Create/modify BOMs and Scope of Work documents.
• Deliver management presentations and persuasive demos.
• Build and deliver impactful pilot/POCs showing value.
• Coordinate with Offers Management and presales teams to ensure successful handoffs to customer success.

Skills

Technical leadership

Pre-sales experience

Solutions architecture

Client relationship management

Presentation skills

Strategic thinking

Strong communication

Bill of Materials

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field

Tools

Visio

MS Office

CRM tools

Job description

The Business Architect role is responsible for complete technical ownership of the sale during customer and partner pre-sales activities. This is a strategic role focusing on a blended mix of technical and business-related initiatives. This role will focus on emerging technologies including security, data center/cloud, contact center and AI solutions.

We are looking for candidates in the Boston area.

Essential, key job responsibilities for this role include, but are not limited to:

• Successfully plans and executes sales activities within the sales process.
• Total ownership of the technical sale during customer and partner pre-sales activities.
• Leads sales and partners in scoping NWN Offerings to meet customer requirements.
• Analyzes client business needs and recommend appropriate business solution/strategy.
• Participates in the planning and design process by assessing current state and desired outcome.
• Identifies, provides leadership to, and coordinates technical solution development activities in pursuit of formal proposal development.
• Identifies and engages Subject Matter Experts for discreet service offerings identified in the technical solution.
• Monitors the engagement process and obtains additional resources as needed.
• Sets up and executes evaluation activities that prove NWN Offerings.
• Identifies and develops technical champions; neutralizes challengers within the account.
• Ensures complete handshake to customer success organization.
• Ability to create/modify Bill of Materials, Scope of Work documents
• Technical Knowledge:
• Demonstrates significant expertise in NWN's Core Offerings.
• Technical expertise in (2) primary offerings
• High-level expertise in (3) additional offers (progressive training and learning required)
• Masters Command of the Message and Sale principles.
• Conduct sales presentations to convey the value of NWN solutions.
• Builds impactful pilot/POCs that prove impact on customer business/requirements.
• Comprehensive product, competitive, industry and functionality knowledge.
• Continues education of self and others; facilitates knowledge transfer across the organization.
• Client and partner engagement:
• Provides technical expertise through sales presentation product demonstration of NWN offerings.
• Maximizes results by anticipating and neutralizing obstacles/objections within an account.
• Adds value to customer by staying up-to-date on market trends and articulating tangible benefits across customer audiences.
• Excites and commits prospects with persuasive demos, meetings, and presentations (formal/informal).
• Actively engages and influences partner community.
• Provides long term strategy sustaining technical account management.
• Foundational Attributes:
• Works effectively as a team member, leads the organization and effectively orchestrates internal and external resources.
• Actively collaborates with and provides feedback to the Offerings Management team and Subject Matter Experts resources within the presales team.
• Effectively communicates with all critical resources throughout the sales process.
• Drives accountability of self and all team members to ensure execution of action items.
• Humility to learn, master and follow NWN processes.
• Creativity in framing a deal and positioning NWN Offerings to meet the client's business objectives.
• Passionate business problem solver for customers.
• Possess solid business acumen skills: Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving, Communication Effectiveness & Influence, Financial Literacy, Analytical Skills, Risk/Exposure Evaluation, Critical Thinking, etc.
• Position requires on-going self-study to continuously improve skills relative to strategic technology direction and service offerings.
• Recurring report requirements may include but are not limited to: time sheets, expense reports, billable time sheets, task completion documentation

The following are minimum qualifications and requirements required for this role:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Arts/Sciences (BA/BS) in Computer Science, Information Systems or related experience.
• 4-6 years of experience in a technical leadership role on small to medium size projects in the areas of integration or support services.
• Knowledge of IP Communications, Networking, Security, End User Computing, Virtualization and Data Center Industry and Solutions.
• Involvement in Industry Councils, User Groups, as appropriate.
• Experience with structured project management methodologies.
• Experience working with solution design, job costing and quality planning.
• Experience working in a project/team environment.
• Must possess excellent time management skills.
• Must possess good organizational skills.
• Must possess excellent client/customer interface skills.
• Must possess working knowledge of Visio.
• Ability to develop/ deliver management presentations.
• Proficient in MS-Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Able to architect and design detailed configurations for complex Communications Systems.
• Able to assess and monitor a complex network to ensure service is provided as designed.
• Excellent relationship skills.
• Excellent verbal written communication skills are required.
• Various industry certification completion (i.e: CCNP, CCDP, or equivalent required, EMC, VMWare, Citrix, NetApp, or HPe written Certification (i.e. EMC Proven Professional, VSTP). Required
• Defined area of Specialization supported by certification or equivalent experience (i.e. Route Switch, VoIP, Unified Communications, Contact Center, Wireless, Server, Storage, Virtualization, Backup and Recovery, VDI). Required

Travel: Local as needed.

At NWN, we provide a comprehensive benefits package to support your well-being in and out of work. This includes medical, dental, and vision plans, Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), income protection through disability and life insurance, and a 401(k) with company match. Enjoy unlimited PTO, paid company holidays, hybrid/remote work, paid bonding leave for eligible employees, employee discounts, and access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Additional offerings include accident, critical illness, long-term care, and hospital indemnity coverages, legal and identity theft protection, pet insurance, supplemental life insurances, referral bonuses, charitable donation matching, and allowances for eligible roles. Join a team that values the health and wellbeing of all our employees!

All offers of employment at NWN are contingent upon the successful completion of a comprehensive background check. This process ensures a safe and secure work environment for all employees.

NWN is an Equal Opportunity Employer: NWN provides equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment free from unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or any other status or condition protected by local, state or federal law.