Client Solutions Architect

Zones, Inc; South San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 167,000 - 198,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Client Solutions Architect to drive innovative IT solutions. In this dynamic role, you'll leverage your extensive experience in IT infrastructure and networking to build strong client relationships and lead strategic solutions across various sectors. You'll be at the forefront of transforming client needs into actionable technology strategies, ensuring customer satisfaction and revenue growth. Join a diverse and passionate team committed to excellence and continuous learning, where your contributions will directly impact clients' success and the company's growth. This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant difference in the IT landscape.

Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage

Life Insurance

401(k) Plan with Matching

Paid Time Off

Comprehensive Benefits Package

Qualifications

• 12+ years in IT Infrastructure with 5+ years in pre-sales roles.
• Strong communication skills and understanding of client needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead client solutions and manage relationships to drive revenue growth.
• Develop pricing and create technical documents for solutions.

Skills

IT Infrastructure Services

Networking

Cloud Computing

Cybersecurity

Client Relationship Management

Presentation Skills

Business Acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science

Equivalent years of experience

Tools

Sales Pipeline Management Tools

Technical Documentation Software

Job description

Company Overview:
When it comes to IT solution providers, there are a lot of choices. But when it comes to providers with innovative and differentiating end-to-end service offerings, there’s really only one: Zones – First Choice for IT. Zones is a Global Solution Provider of end-to-end IT solutions with an unmatched supply chain. Positioned to be the IT partner you need, Zones, a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) in business for over 35 years, specializes in Digital Workplace, Cloud & Data Center, Networking, Security, and Managed/Professional/Staffing services. Operating in more than 120 countries, leveraging a robust portfolio, and utilizing the highest certification levels from key partners, including Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, Lenovo, Adobe, and more, Zones has mastered the science of building digital infrastructures that change the way business does business ensuring whatever they need, they can Consider IT Done. Follow Zones, LLC on Twitter @Zones, and LinkedIn and Facebook.

This is a remote position - we prefer this person to be based in San Francisco, CA. The candidate should have the ability to occasionally meet or work onsite, or travel to client or company locations as necessary.

Position Overview:
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Client Solutions Architect is part of the West Region solutions team dedicated to client accounts in the assigned region. The CSA is accountable for initiating, leading and solutioning the following types of opportunities:

1. Hardware and Software products for Data Center, Networking and Security
2. Professional and Managed Services opportunities across Digital Workplace, Cloud & Data Center, NextGen Networking and Cybersecurity

This role is responsible for revenue growth through client acquisition, retention and satisfaction along with achieving operating/margin targets and continuous improvement.

This will be achieved by:

1. Understanding the client’s business, IT architecture, initiatives
2. Developing deep and broad relationships with key client stakeholders
3. Prospecting, leading the solutioning, and winning opportunities

This role requires travel to meet client's / partners at short notice (within 1-2 days). Though we expect travel to be around 50%, candidates should not have recurring travel constraints in order to meet these expectations for travel at short notice.

What you’ll do as Client Solutions Architect:

1. Attend Sales Enablement sessions conducted by the respective teams. Provide added insights to the sales team on the products and services we are offering our clients. Evangelizing new technologies, solutions, methods & trends
2. Working with the Sales team to identify opportunities proactively
3. Pipeline management and forecasting of product and services revenue/GM for defined market
4. Ensuring a thorough understanding of Zones Product, Services and Solutions offerings, capabilities, differentiators
5. Qualifying the opportunity and doing a high level scoping so as to be able to bring in the right experts
6. Bringing in the right solutioning experts, as necessary, to do the Discovery exercise with the client. Ensuring that the solutions team has all the right data points and insights to be able to create the winning solution
7. Having a clear win-strategy, win theme and ensuring that the win themes are reflected in every interaction with the client as well as in our proposal
8. Working as part of the Solution Development team to create responses to customer RFPs and technical solution components of SOW.
9. Develop pricing and create technical documents applicable to solution/service offering
10. Establish and maintain strong relationships with key OEM and delivery partners and collaborating with them for specific pursuits
11. Prepare high-level design documents and presentations that clearly describe design principles, including the rationale and potential implications of decisions/options
12. Conduct design sessions, capabilities and solution presentations for customers and OEM partners
13. Identify the key OEMs that are critical to Zones success specific to each account
14. Collaborate with OEMs to evangelize Zones’ offerings and capabilities and develop joint GoTo Market plans for specific accounts as well as the geographic area as a whole
15. Influence OEMs to provide Deal Registration by communicating the value that Zones can provide
16. Work with Delivery partners, when necessary, to ensure we get a winning price working with Clients
17. Align with the Client CIO/CTO agenda and establish and maintain relationships with key client stakeholders their organization
18. Build and Maintain Relationships, Particularly Technical Relationships in Assigned Accounts as Appropriate to Farm Additional Opportunities
19. Perform Short Term Billable Engagements to Keep Skill Set Sharp, Offset Some Cost of Sales. These are generally Assessment, Proof of Concept, or Architectural type of Engagements
20. Strong business acumen and understanding of clients IT related business goals and challenges to ensure proper translation of the client’s needs into technology solutions
21. Ensure Customer Satisfaction Levels with Stated Goal of 100%
22. Working with Team
23. Support other SAs sales Activities as appropriate utilizing your Subject Matter Expertise
24. Support other Geographic Areas and Practices as Needed based on Skillset, Demand, and Availability
25. Keep Pipeline, Forecast, Time and Billing, Project and Activity Reporting Current based with Defined Tools and Meeting Submittal Deadlines

What you will bring to the team:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business or related discipline; equivalent years of experience is acceptable
2. Minimum 12 years of experience in an IT Infrastructure Services space in the Enterprise environment and a minimum of 5 years in a pre-sales role
3. Excellent written, presentation, and verbal communication skills including demonstrated experience presenting technology recommendations from a business perspective
4. Understanding of the industry, market, customers, competitors, suppliers, partners and capabilities of the business.
5. Ability to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues and management.
6. Professional, business-focused attitude and courteous manner towards clients, partners, and peers
7. Ability to travel an average of 50% of the time
8. Technology Focus and Requirements
9. Focused expertise in Networking with the ability to lead opportunities across other practice areas as well – Digital Workplace, Cloud, Data Center and Security
10. CCIE (or higher) certification
11. Strategy & technology consulting experience applying technology to strategic business problems around infrastructure, device management and end user computing.
12. Core understanding of cloud-based computing and knowledge of industry leading offerings

Compensation:
Qualified candidates can expect a salary range of $167,000 - $198,000 + bonus.
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Zones offers a comprehensive Benefits package

While we’re committed to providing top-tier solutions, we’re just as committed to supporting our own team. Our employees enjoy a variety of comprehensive benefits, including medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, a 401(k) plan with matching provision, paid time off, and much more. And as a Minority Business Enterprise, a Corporate Plus member of the Northwest Minority Supplier Development Council, and an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, our community is just as diverse.

At Zones, work is more than a job –with exciting careers with a global team who are client centric, have a passion for tech, who embrace change and lifelong learning in a collaborative culture. If you’re interested in working on the cutting edge of IT innovation, sales, engineering, operations, administration, and more, Zones is the place for you!

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status or on the basis of disability.

Zones participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9 to federal records to confirm their eligibility to work in the United States.