Principal Field Solution Architect - Networking Solutions

📋 Description

• • As a Principal Field Solution Architect (FSA) at CDW, you will be at the forefront of designing and delivering cutting-edge Enterprise Networking solutions for our diverse clientele. This is a critical pre-sales role, demanding a blend of deep technical expertise, strategic thinking, and exceptional client-facing skills.
• • You will collaborate closely with internal and external sales teams, acting as a trusted technical advisor to develop and execute effective sales strategies. Your primary focus will be on understanding the intricate technical environments of our customers, analyzing their business needs, and identifying opportunities to leverage CDW's comprehensive networking offerings.
• • A significant portion of your time will be spent on-site at customer locations, building and nurturing strategic relationships with sales management and key stakeholders. This hands-on approach allows you to gain a profound understanding of customer challenges and to architect solutions that not only meet but exceed their expectations.
• • You are expected to possess and maintain a high level of subject matter expertise across multiple families of Enterprise Networking solutions. This includes staying abreast of the latest technological advancements, market trends, and competitive landscapes to ensure CDW remains a leader in the industry.
• • This role involves driving key initiatives and projects, contributing to the "Go-to-Market" strategies for new offerings, and ensuring CDW is well-equipped to deliver these solutions with exceptional quality.
• • You will be instrumental in designing complex Enterprise Networking solutions, considering not just the existing infrastructure but also critical business limitations and future opportunities. Your ability to think beyond standard approaches will be vital in satisfying the needs of all stakeholders involved.
• • A key responsibility includes reviewing the designs of your peers, ensuring the highest standards of quality and accuracy are maintained across the team. You will also be responsible for defining and scoping the services required to complement proposed hardware and software engagements, including estimating the necessary engineering effort.
• • Beyond individual contributions, you will actively foster a collaborative team environment. This includes developing standardized templates for deliverables, creating tools, establishing demo labs and scripts, and refining services calculation methodologies. Your leadership will empower CDW to deliver solutions at a superior level of quality.
• • You will play a crucial role in educating and training team members on new technologies, evolving procedures, innovative solution implementations, and best practices. This knowledge transfer is essential for maintaining the team's technical edge and relevance.
• • Developing comprehensive training materials for both internal CDW audiences and potentially customer-facing scenarios will be part of your remit. You will champion a culture of knowledge sharing by actively contributing to and organizing knowledge bases, encouraging team participation.
• • Mentoring and coaching fellow FSAs will be a significant aspect of this role, focusing on enhancing their technical acumen, consulting capabilities, and sales effectiveness. You will serve as a go-to resource for advice and recommendations on complex technical design issues and product selections.
• • Your expertise will be called upon during the technical assessment and evaluation of potential new hires, helping to build a strong and capable team.
• • You will assist management with onboarding new FSAs, leading shadow assignments, and providing proactive guidance to accelerate their productivity and integration into the team.
• • In the sales cycle, you will follow up on implemented solutions, proactively identifying new opportunities that align with the completed work and further enhance customer value.
• • You will provide critical pre-call advisement and strategic guidance to sales teams before customer engagements.
• • Assisting customers in navigating their equipment maintenance contracts, identifying upgrade needs, and managing renewals will be important. You'll analyze the most cost-effective approaches for customers, whether it's contract renewal or new equipment acquisition.
• • You will integrate financing options, including manufacturer or third-party solutions, into sales proposals and discussions, always looking towards a 3-5 year technology roadmap for the customer.
• • Articulating the value proposition of CDW's Integrated Technology Solutions (ITS) Practice to customers, account managers, and partners will be key to generating additional revenue opportunities.
• • You will guide customers through complex technology decisions, comparing and contrasting various tiers of CDW's offerings (e.g., Cisco vs. McAfee/Juniper) as well as external competing Enterprise Networking solutions.
• • Initiating new event ideas and collaborating with partners and sales to design replicable customer events, including securing funding, will be part of your strategic contribution.
• • You will confidently deliver compelling presentations and engage in credible sales conversations with C-level clients in both small and large group settings.
• • Developing presentation content for the team and delivering high-impact presentations will be a core function.
• • Creating assessments, improvements, and demonstrations for FSAs to utilize as sales tools, and identifying new cross-sell opportunities, will be crucial. You will also train FSAs on how to effectively leverage these tools.
• • Collaborating closely with Partners, Inside Solution Architects (ISA), and Account Executives (AE) to drive mapped opportunities and fine-tune strategies for optimal sales results is essential.
• • You will engage in a regular cadence with multiple partners to educate, plan, and execute joint strategies, understanding partner alignment within specific geographies and leading customer opportunity mapping exercises, including coordinating on-site partner visits.