Director, Solution Design

Sodexo Group; North Bethesda, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 209,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision care

401(k) Plan with Matching

Paid Time Off & Holidays

Career Growth Opportunities & Tuition

Job summary

Sodexo seeks a strategic Director of Solution Design with data center or mission-critical experience to develop integrated facilities and food solutions from pre-construction through operations.

The role partners with Sales, Operations, Commercial Finance, and Marketing to design client-focused solutions that are financially viable and competitively differentiated, while leading a team and guiding resources across opportunities.

Qualifications

• Education requirement: bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, business or equivalent experience.
• Management experience: 5 years.
• Related experience: 8 years.

Responsibilities

• Lead Solution Design Strategy: oversee a team of Solutions Architects and set priorities, performance expectations, and capacity plans.
• Drive complex solution development: design integrated food, facilities, and support service solutions for strategic pursuits.
• Partner cross-functionally: work with Sales, Operations, Commercial Finance, Marketing and other stakeholders to produce client-ready proposals and business cases.
• Support strategic sales pursuits: participate in deal reviews, customer presentations, RFP responses, renewals and pre-close solution development.
• Improve process excellence: develop scalable tools, templates, and methodologies for consistency, speed and quality.
• Provide strategic oversight: act as escalation point for solution-related challenges across active opportunities.

Skills

Solution design expertise

Leadership experience

Commercial & financial acumen

Project management

Executive communication

Technical & digital proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, business or equivalent experience

Job description

Sodexo is seeking a strategic Director of Solution Design with data center or mission-critical experience to develop integrated facilities and food solutions from pre-construction through operations, transforming complex challenges into winning solutions.

The ideal candidate brings experience in RFPs, facilities infrastructure, food service design, capital planning, or related technical roles within outsourced services, including food services, facilities management, or integrated services.

About the job

Join a leadership role focused on supporting Sodexo North America’s commercial growth strategy by developing specialized, client-focused solutions for assigned segments and strategic pursuits. Reporting to the Senior Director, Solution Design, this role partners closely with Sales, Operations, Commercial Finance, and Marketing to design integrated food, EVS, integrated facilities management, and support service solutions that are operationally viable, financially aligned, and competitively differentiated.

Accountable for managing people, setting direction and deploying resources; typically is responsible for performance evaluation, pay reviews and hire/fire decisions. Results are primarily achieved through the work of others and typically depend on the manager's ability to influence and negotiate with parts of the organization. Progression within Career Band reflects acquisition of broad technical expertise, business and industry knowledge, and process and people leadership capabilities. Accountable for business, functional or operational areas, processes or programs, which may include dotted-line or matrixed management.

Pay Range:

$134640 - $209110

Incentive Eligibility:

Eligible to participate in Sodexo's incentive plan and earn variable compensation in addition to base salary

What’s in it for you

• Lead Solution Design Strategy: Manage and develop a team of Solutions Architects, setting priorities, performance expectations, and capacity plans to deliver high-quality solution output aligned with segment growth objectives.
• Drive Complex Solution Development: Lead the design of integrated food, facilities, and support service solutions for strategic pursuits, ensuring technical accuracy, operational feasibility, and financial alignment.
• Partner Cross-Functionally: Collaborate with Sales, Operations, Commercial Finance, Marketing, and other stakeholders to create competitive, client-ready proposals and business cases.
• Support Strategic Sales Pursuits: Participate in deal reviews, customer presentations, RFP responses, renewals, and pre-close solution development to strengthen pursuit strategy and win probability.
• Improve Process Excellence: Develop and maintain scalable tools, templates, and methodologies that improve consistency, speed, and quality across the solution design process.
• Provide Strategic Oversight: Serve as the escalation point for solution-related challenges, helping resolve complex design, operational, and pricing decisions across active opportunities.

What you’ll bring

• Solution Design Expertise: Deep knowledge of solution design, operational planning, and service delivery within outsourced services such as food service, facilities management, EVS, or integrated support services.
• Leadership Experience: Proven success leading and developing high-performing technical or solution design teams in complex, matrixed organizations.
• Commercial & Financial Acumen: Strong understanding of pricing strategy, cost drivers, financial modeling, and profitability considerations within large-scale commercial pursuits.
• Project Management Skills: Ability to manage multiple concurrent opportunities, balance shifting priorities, and deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines.
• Executive Communication: Strong presentation and communication skills with the ability to simplify complex technical concepts for senior leaders and client stakeholders.
• Technical & Digital Proficiency: Experience using solution design tools, proposal platforms, estimating systems, and CRM technologies such as Salesforce to support pipeline visibility and governance.

Requirements

• Education Requirement: Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, business or equivalent experience
• Management Experience: 5 years
• Related Experience: 8 years

What we offer

Compensation is fair and equitable, partially determined by a candidate's education level or years of relevant experience. Salary offers are based on a candidate's specific criteria, like experience, skills, education, and training. Sodexo offers a comprehensive benefits package that may include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision Care and Wellness Programs
• 401(k) Plan with Matching Contributions
• Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
• Career Growth Opportunities and Tuition Reimbursement

More extensive information is provided to new employees upon hire.

Who we are

At Sodexo, our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone and build a better life for all. We believe in improving the quality of life for those we serve and contributing to the economic, social, and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Sodexo partners with clients to provide a truly memorable experience for both customers and employees alike. We do this by providing food service, catering, facilities management, and other integrated solutions worldwide. Our company values you for you; you will be treated fairly and with respect, and you can be yourself. You will have your ideas count and your opinions heard because we can be a stronger team when you’re happy at work. This is why we embrace diversity and inclusion as core values, fostering an environment where all employees are valued and respected. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to individuals regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.