Solutions Architect 2 - Converged Infrastructure/Storage
Irvine, CA

Job Description

Position Summary

The Solution Architect is client facing, pre-sales technical expert that works with designated Accounts and acts as a value-added technical advocate for clients. A Solution Architect is responsible for understanding clients' business requirements as they pertain to IT infrastructure, qualifying opportunities, and creating designs that match the requirements with appropriate hardware, software and professional services. This role entails the following responsibilities: collaborating with other Line of Business (LOB) experts as required to address client needs, presenting the proposed solution to the client, ensuring the sale is made, and overseeing the delivery of these solutions.

This role builds the required presales collateral to represent the solution including, but not limited to, At-A-Glance documents, HLDs (High Level Design), BOMs (Bill of Materials), LOEs (Level of Efforts), Client Proposals and SOWs (Statement of Work) Lastly, the solution architect role requires the person builds and maintains a healthy relationship with key business partners (OEMs, subcontractors, service providers) in the assigned districts and regions they support.

The Solution Architect II (SA2) - is a client facing technical expert with deep subject matter expertise of Compute, Virtualization and Storage Solutions. Experience with End User Computing, Networking, Load Balancing and Cloud is a plus. This technical expert would be an expert in "Art of the Deal" for sequencing activities and deliverables to the client to value sell, earn trust and enhance margin. The Solution Architect is considered a thought leader and develops IP & collateral. They are proficient at selling and positioning implementation and advisory services and can understand where strategic and advisory services fit for their clients' needs.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

* Client Facing Sales Support - Work with sales account team and engineering technical expert, interfacing directly with clients. Build trusted advisor relationships, understand clients' business challenges and propose solutions. These relationships will be with engineering, Mid-Level Management along with C Level Executives.
* Performs pre-sales activities in conjunction with Sales Teams in educating clients with Sirius Computer Solutions products.
* Prepares and delivers client presentations
* Provides product demonstration to include implementation/migration planning
* Prepares product deliverable templates/client timetables
* Provides Technology Enablement Center (TEC) demonstration/briefings
* Develops solutions based on analysis of business and technical requirements
* Reviews client hardware configuration to ensure client meets necessary requirements
* Develop High Level Designs and Architectures - Create and document architectures that address client business problems and can be used to ensure a smooth transition from presales to delivery
* Services Participation - Provide services as part of client projects that are billable. Usually in a project oversight mode
* Performs account management duties to include research, problem solving, technical support, and general maintenance of client relationship
* Performs overall solution Quality Assurance (QA) tasks for all projects delivered against assigned project deliverables
* Performs project coordination duties for assigned projects to include providing implementation/migration planning to client, knowing and meeting client timetable, coordinating vendor installations, etc. Facilitates communication between product team members.
* Monitors and reports status of project efforts, anticipates, and identifies issues that inhibit the attainment of project goals and implements corrective actions
* Develops and reviews technical manuals for standard and non-standard install processes that are directly related to specialization and discipline on the job
* Prepares technical responses to Request of Quotation (RFQs) & Request for Information (RFIs) and Request for Proposals (RFPs)
* Provides technical leadership for less experienced team members.

Position Requirements

Basic Qualifications

* Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Business or a related field
* At least eight (8) years of Converged Infrastructure and Storage related architecture, installation, and/or administration technical hands-on experience, including three (3) years of experience with large enterprise cross-brand projects

Other Position Requirements

* Demonstrated experience leading advanced and complex technology projects in support of business initiatives
* Demonstrated ability to apply technical background and knowledge to business direction by developing service offerings, go-to-market strategies, business planning, and other activities important to building business
* Demonstrated ability to multitask and to prioritize workload under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment
* Demonstrated ability to develop longer-range project plans and schedules to complete complex projects or new solution/product development
* Demonstrated ability to perform technical skills/knowledge transfer to client
* Demonstrated attention to detail and follow-up skills
* Demonstrated leadership, delegation, and personnel management skills
* Demonstrated communication and presentation skills, including formal and informal presentations to large and small audiences
* Demonstrated ability to work in team environment

Preferred Qualifications

* At least three (3) years of sales or pre-sales experience in a VAR or OEM environment
* Demonstrated knowledge of project estimation and scoping experience
* Demonstrated experience working with multi-vendor networking environments
* Graduate degree
* Documented or Certified skills in at least one of the following vendor's products: VMWare, Nutanix, Citrix, NetApp Storage, IBM Storage, EMC Storage, PURE Storage, or equivalent
* Documented or Certified skills in Cloud offerings: Amazon Web Services, MS Azure, Google Cloud

Data Privacy and System Security

* All Sirius employees are responsible to safeguard the information and information systems that they use or handle in the execution of their duties. Employees are obligated to know and perform their duties in accordance with Sirius policies, standards, and procedures related to security and report security violations to the appropriate Sirius authority.
* Participate at hire and annually in the Information Security Awareness training as well as other required training identified by the Human Resources department. Other data privacy and data security related regulatory training may be required based on your role or assignment.

Essential Functions

The position exists to provide technical consulting solutions to customers and as such requires the ability to travel to and from customer sites and interact with customers on an ongoing and regular basis.

The above primary duties, responsibilities, and position requirements are not all inclusive.

Sirius is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity. As a government contractor, Sirius takes affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans; maintains a drug-free workplace; and participates in E-Verify. Individuals who receive job offers will be required to complete pre-employment screening that includes a background check verifying name, residences, education, work experience, and criminal convictions consistent with the Fair Credit Reporting Act; and a drug test for controlled substances consistent with the Drug-Free Workplace Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sirius will not sponsor work eligibility for this position.