Solutions Architect - Hybrid Networking (Wan)

Dimension Data; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Dimension Data is seeking a Senior Solution Architect who excels in technical design and client relationships. The role involves providing pre-sales support, managing project transitions, and ensuring solutions meet client requirements. Candidates should possess strong analytical and communication skills along with experience in Cisco technologies.

Qualifications

• Experience with Hybrid Networking solutions.
• Pre-Sales experience with Cisco products is an advantage.
• Strong leadership in architectural frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Capture and define client requirements for business solutions.
• Provide technical design and architecture support.
• Manage stakeholder expectations and project completion.

Skills

Technical Design

Client Engagement

Analytical Skills

Consulting Capabilities

Public Speaking

Education

Familiarity with TOGAF, ITIL, SAFe

Tools

Cisco Technologies

FortiGate

Unified Communications

SD-WAN

MPLS architectures

Job description

The Senior Solution Architect is an industry-respected pre-sales, technology, and solution-focused specialist who creates excellent client relationships through technical expertise and a consultative approach.

The Senior Solutions Architect is viewed as a trusted technical advisor by clients and a mentor to junior staff.

They demonstrate thought leadership, technical acumen, and lead in technical forums. The primary responsibility is the technical design of business solutions with a focus on demand generation.

They assist with project transitions from presales to delivery and ensure the profitability of their account base.

They provide pre-sales technical support, analyze client requirements, and develop solutions aligned with the client's architecture and system capabilities to meet business objectives.

Proposal Writing and Team Dynamic

The Senior Solutions Architect demonstrates strong client engagement skills, especially within Partner and Key client segments.

They act as a Trusted Technical Advisor, participate in scope determination, product pricing, and respond to RFPs / RFIs. They work closely with the Client Manager and assist in deal decisions, outsourcing, and solution development in collaboration with Professional Services.

Description of Duties

Technical: Solution Design, Architecture, and Management

• Capture and define requirements, manage stakeholders, and design technical solutions.
• Interpret business and technical requirements to develop appropriate solutions.
• Provide advice across technology domains within Hybrid Networking, coordinating with infrastructure experts, professional services, and project teams to create end-to-end Managed Solutions.
• Define, document, and ensure solutions meet client requirements, adhering to architectural standards.
• Manage opportunities to ensure timely, within-budget, and scope-compliant completion.
• Complete RFP and RFI responses related to Dimension Data's product stack.
• Stay current with technological developments and foster vendor relationships.
• Define and monitor technical work performance, vendor, and stakeholder management, and program effectiveness.
• Contribute to product development and industry demand insights.
• Ensure technical solutions are stable and meet customer requirements through quality control processes.

Behavioral Skills

The Solution Architect should be a good team player with management skills appropriate for middle-level managers.

They practice effective two-way communication and active listening. They possess exceptional analytical and consulting capabilities, collaborate effectively, and have well-developed presentation skills with a strong client orientation.

Confidence and experience in public speaking are essential, especially for product launches and technical events.

The individual must articulate technical expertise clearly, instill trust, and demonstrate leadership in architectural frameworks, including artifacts related to technologies, information, applications, policies, procedures, standards, principles, and objectives. They provide guidance on projects of moderate complexity, may consult with domain architects, and contribute to the implementation of architectural frameworks at the sub-project level.

Requirements

Advantages include familiarity with: TOGAF and/or Zachman Frameworks, ITIL, SAFe, Architecting across Cisco Domains (DC, Collaboration, Networking, Security), Pre-Sales experience with Cisco, FortiGate, Velocloud, Unified Communications (Avaya and Cisco IPT), SD-WAN, SD-Access, and MPLS architectures.