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Solutions Architect
CenturyLink
St. Louis, MO, United States
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CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is a global communications and IT services company focused on connecting its customers to the power of the digital world. CenturyLink offers network and data systems management, big data analytics, managed security services, hosting, cloud, and IT consulting services. The company provides broadband, voice, video, advanced data and managed network services over a robust 265,000-route-mile U.S. fiber network and a 360,000-route-mile international transport network. Visit CenturyLink for more information.
Job Summary
The Cloud, Hosting & IT Services Solution Architect is accountable for technical sales support of all CenturyLink products and services including: Managed Hosting Services, Public & Private Cloud, Security/Compliance, Outsourced infrastructure solutions (managed and un-managed), and specialized application workload and IT Consulting Services. Responsibilities include presenting our vision to clients, support for optimization of solution strategy and design, and driving additional revenue within your assigned sales region.
Solution Architects are leveraged as specialist resources on large, complex or high potential opportunities with new and existing customers. These may include Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) opportunities, platform or architecture changes, consulting assessment and complex migrations. As such, the Solution Architect must possess the ability to understand the customer’s business challenges and tie the solution design to those challenges. The Solution Architect must have the necessary business acumen to discuss business needs and challenges with customer executives. The Solution Architect should also have the technical knowledge and background to feel comfortable in a technical discussion with senior customer IT leaders and staff. Experience in requirements gathering, due diligence, solution development and proposal generation activities unique to large, complex opportunities and consulting engagements in key to success in this position.
Position Objectives
The overall objectives of the position are:
• Provide technical support to help drive revenue through all sales channels for large and complex opportunities.
• Present CenturyLink vision and capabilities to customers & prospects.
• Develop & present technical designs for customer solutions.
• Work with Product Management to help drive appropriate product enhancements.
• Engage consulting practice SME teams to deliver comprehensive customer solutions.
Job Description
• Perform consultative, solutions-based design for business clients who desire outsourced infrastructure options to enhance their own technical capabilities.
• Understand power, cooling and other environmental constraints on a client’s outsourced infrastructure.
• Pre-sales design and implementation expertise in Enterprise/WAN service integration.
• Field technical questions from prospects and clients.
• Determine client requirements and provide designs .
• Provide consultative services based on prospect’s requirements and available product offerings.
• Represent CenturyLink technical capabilities to prospective customers and existing customer base, and influence customer expectations according to product and network management capabilities and constraints.
• Present CenturyLink proposed solutions in a professional business environment, demonstrating both technical knowledge and salesmanship.
• Present technical training to new and existing field sales teams and sales support personnel.
• Meet and exceed management targets for number of customer contacts, number and complexity of sales opportunities supported, and training completed.
• Provide technology consulting for internal contacts in Product Management and Marketing, and translate prospective customer requirements into recommendations for new or enhanced products and features.
• Ensure compliance with all Policies and Procedures.
• Attend company and regional meetings as required, maintain peer relationships and understand and utilize company resources.
• Work on large/complex deals strategic to Sales VP objectives.
• Consistent track record of driving Managed Services deals toward closure and seeing them smoothly through the CenturyLink process.
• Drive and instill solution best practices across regional team.
• Depth and breadth of expertise in Managed Hosting, Pubic Cloud, Private Cloud, Outsourced infrastructure solutions (managed and un-managed), Security, and Consulting Services related to CenturyLink solutions offerings.
• Develop thought leadership and gain industry recognition and credibility by:
• Participation in Social Media
• Development of Industry White Papers
• Vendor Sponsored Speaking Engagements at Industry Trade Shows
• Technical Leadership in the CenturyLink Technology Solutions Transformation Methodology Workshop
• Influence into Custom Engineering, Product Engineering, and Product Development
Qualifications
• 10+ years of experience as a Sales Engineer, Solution Architect or consulting role for a Service Provider in the Enterprise Marketplace, or related operational engineering role in one or more of the following segments:
• Software development, sales, support and consulting
• Systems Integrator / Consulting
• Financial Industry, including Capital Markets, Trading, and/or Commercial and Retail Banking
• Channels / Partner sales support
• Knowledge of IaaS, PaaS, SaaS and the software development lifecycle is highly desirable.
Required Skills:
• Complete understanding of the sales process for large and complex opportunities
• Proficient with common office applications, including MS Outlook, MS Excel, and MS Visio, Salesforce, Big Machines and other.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills (oral, written and presentation).
• Experience performing needs assessments, and making recommendations based on the discovered needs.
• Ability to document solution components in a timely manner while ensuring acceptable level of detail, data integrity, and accountability.
• Ability and willingness to share knowledge and expertise among various organizations within the company.
• Ability and willingness to take the initiative to facilitate teamwork within the various organizations of the company to serve the customer.
• Ability to work in a team environment and demonstrate strong problem solving skills,
• Capability to schedule time with flexibility to handle varying workload, and still meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to multi-task and work multiple projects simultaneously.
Desired Skills/Knowledge:
• At least 10 years experience in Managed Hosting Services, Public Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google), Private Cloud (VMware), Outsourced infrastructure solutions (managed and un-managed), specialized Enterprise application suites or equivalent expertise.
• At least 2 years experience in design of distributed, high availability server-based network computing infrastructures. Storage, Disaster Recovery and advanced network experience is desirable.
• At least 2 years experience in configuration and support of Microsoft Windows, UNIX, or Solaris operating systems, including remote management.
• Computer environmental facilities including power distribution, uninterruptible power switching systems, generators, air handling equipment, cabling and cable management systems, fire suppression, and security.
• Application software, middleware, database and operating system layers.
EEO Statement
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, “protected statuses”). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.
Disclaimer
The above job definition information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on changing business needs and conditions.