Principal Technical Consultant - Network & Security Solution Architect

Thinkahead; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

401(k)

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Parental and caregiver leave

Job summary

AHEAD is seeking a Solution Architect – Network & Network Security to lead the design and delivery of enterprise-scale network and security solutions across data centers, WAN/LAN, cloud and hybrid environments.

This role demands strong leadership, clear communication with stakeholders and executives, and the ability to guide multiple engineering teams while aligning with AHEAD standards and client expectations.

Qualifications

• WAN/LAN, data center, cloud and hybrid networking expertise.
• Ability to architect, design and deliver network and security solutions.
• Consultative experience with leadership duties and strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and design of large-scale network and security solutions, including data center, WAN/LAN, cloud, and hybrid environments.
• Collaborate with and drive teams to assess requirements, define solutions, and ensure alignment with enterprise standards, compliance frameworks, and strategic objectives.
• Delegate and lead small teams of engineers, providing guidance and oversight to ensure high-quality, on-time delivery.
• Oversee multiple workstreams concurrently, managing dependencies, priorities, and risks to maintain solution integrity and on-time delivery.
• Provide technical governance and quality assurance throughout solution lifecycle, from initial design through deployment, validation, and optimization.
• Develop, review, and present architectural documentation, high-level designs (HLDs), and detailed designs (LLDs) to technical and executive audiences.
• Act as a primary escalation point for complex network and security challenges, applying independent judgment to recommend actionable solutions.
• Maintain awareness of industry trends, emerging technologies, and vendor roadmaps to inform strategic decisions.
• Communicate with authority and professionalism in client meetings, architecture reviews, and steering committees to influence direction and build consensus.
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure solution consistency, knowledge sharing and alignment with delivery methodologies.
• Drive results proactively, anticipating challenges, mitigating risks, and ensuring commitments are met with a focus on client satisfaction and operational excellence.

Skills

WAN/LAN

Cloud networking

Azure

GCP

Architectural design

Leadership

Communication

Job description

AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.

AtAHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging,where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD.

We are an equal opportunity employer,anddo not discriminatebased onan individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, maritalstatus,or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived.

We embraceall candidatesthatwillcontribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas andperspectives atAHEAD.

The Solution Architect – Network & Network Security

will act as a senior technical leader and trusted advisor within a complex, high-demand Fortune 10 client environment. This role requires designing, validating, and guiding the implementation of enterprise-scale network and security solutions across multiple concurrent workstreams. The role demands a professional who is outspoken, results-driven, and an exceptional communicator, capable of influencing stakeholders, driving technical decisions, and ensuring delivery excellence while maintaining alignment with AHEAD standards and client expectations.

• Lead the architecture and design of large-scale network and security solutions, including data center, WAN/LAN, cloud, and hybrid environments.
• Collaborate with and drive teams to assess requirements, define solutions, and ensure alignment with enterprise standards, compliance frameworks, and strategic objectives.
• Delegate and lead small teams of engineers, providing guidance and oversight to ensure high-quality, on-time delivery.
• Oversee multiple workstreams concurrently, managing dependencies, priorities, and risks to maintain solution integrity and on-time delivery.
• Provide technical governance and quality assurance throughout solution lifecycle, from initial design through deployment, validation, and optimization.
• Develop, review, and present architectural documentation, high-level designs (HLDs), and detailed designs (LLDs) to technical and executive audiences.
• Act as a primary escalation point for complex network and security challenges, applying independent judgment to recommend actionable solutions.
• Maintain awareness of industry trends, emerging technologies, and vendor roadmaps (Arista, Cisco, Palo Alto, etc.) to inform strategic decisions.
• Communicate with authority and professionalism in client meetings, architecture reviews, and steering committees to influence direction and build consensus.
• Collaborate with internal AHEAD teams to ensure solution consistency, knowledge sharing, and alignment with delivery methodologies.
• Drive results proactively, anticipating challenges, mitigating risks, and ensuring commitments are met with a focus on client satisfaction and operational excellence.

• WAN/LAN, Network and Cloud expertise including Azure. GCP is a plus
• Ability to architect, design and deliver solutions.
• Consultative experience. Leadership experience.
• Excellent communication skills.

The compensation range indicated in this posting reflects the On-Target Earnings ("OTE") for this role, which includes a base salary and any applicable target bonus amount. This OTE range may vary based on the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, and geographic location.

Why AHEAD:

Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between.

We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning.

USA Employment Benefits include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid company holidays
• Paid time off
• Paid parental and caregiver leave
• Plus more! See benefits https://www.aheadbenefits.com/ for additional details.

Use of AI:

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, assessing responses, or to capture recordings and create transcriptions or summaries during interviews. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.

If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please refer to Candidate Privacy Notice or contact us at [e-mail].

You may opt-out of the review or analysis of your application and resume by AI tools by using the General Application. Please include the role you wish to apply for in the Additional Information field. You may also choose to opt-out of recording and transcription at any time, including after joining an interview. Candidates will not be penalized for choosing to opt-out.