Principal Solution Architect
Role Purpose:
Location : Melbourne, Australia
The Principal Solution Architect (PSA) primary role is the dedicated Design Authority within a Vodafone customer account, or across a portfolio of accounts. As such, the role will be responsible for working with sales and directly with the customer in order to design, cost, and document the solutions to be offered to customer. Additionally, they are accountable for the technical relationship with the customer and the associated contractual aspects.
The PSAs are our lead solution authorities, with a wealth of experience in communications, from a technical and business/ financial perspective and as such are focussed on the most complicated “managed outsource” solutions within our customer base. In this role they will need to demonstrate significant leadership capability, and the ability to manage teams (virtual or direct reports).
The PSA will have full accountability for the solutions that Vodafone provides to the customer. They will also be responsible for ensuring that the solutions are high quality, commercially viable and have been approved by the customer and all internal stakeholders.
The PSA will work closely with other members of Vodafone, as part of a virtual team. The Virtual Team will comprise a range of disciplines i.e. The Account Team, Commercial, Operations, Product, Programmes & Projects and Service and will ensure that the end-end solution deployed is fit for purpose and can be readily deployed and operated by Vodafone in a profitable manner.
Key accountabilities:
• Build a “trusted advisor” relationship within the aligned account(s), and act as the “end-end” Solution Authority for all deployed Vodafone solutions within the account(s)
• Capture and interpret customer requirements, and design complex and custom solutions to meet customer requirements. Identify and document any risks to the solution
• Build accurate scalable cost models and provide input into pricing strategy
• Document solution in RFP responses, proposals and Statement of Works/High Level Designs.
• Ensure solutions are deliverable in timeframes committed and have passed all appropriate VGE solution governance. Solutions should be scalable, repeatable, and utilizing existing standard services as much as possible.
• Delegated accountability for complex designs from bid qualification through to handover to Implementation & for attending SOAR (governance) calls as the signoff for designs and for the governance of the designs from their team
• Act as an internal and external expert and leader (e.g. conference keynote speaking) and senior customer facing design leader
• Ensure the quality of End to End solution design including Requirements Capture, Technical Consultancy/Technical Design, Business Consultancy/Process Design, Governance and Handover
• Performance management and development of a Team of Solution Architects
• Own specific stakeholder relationships on behalf of the Northern Europe Solution steam.
Must have technical / professional qualifications:
• University educated in a relevant field (or equivalent)
• 10+ years in dealing with large corporate customer in a solution design or consultancy role
• ITIL Foundation v3 (or equivalent)
• CCIE ( or equivalent)
• AWS ( or Equivalent)
• TOGAF
• Must have core expertise in designing complex solutions in one or more of the following areas::
• IP Networking (WAN & LAN)
• Unified Comms including IPT, Contact Centres, IM, Email and Video Conferencing
• Security solutions
• Mobility and Mobile Data Services
• Cloud Connect
• APM