Senior Solution Architect - IBM Power

At CDW, we make it happen, together. Trust, connection, and commitment are at the heart of how we work together to deliver for our customers. It’s why we’re coworkers, not just employees. Coworkers who genuinely believe in supporting our customers and one another. We collectively forge our path forward with a level of commitment that speaks to who we are and where we’re headed. We’re proud to share our story and Make Amazing Happen at CDW.

Job Summary

The Senior Solution Architect role focuses on pre-sales IBM Power system solution design. This role is responsible for working with internal and external sales teams to plan and organize sales strategies. The incumbent analyzes the sales environment including customer expectations, competitive environment as well as the customer's technical environment and defines actions to be performed in the sales cycle timeframe. The Senior Solution Architect is a field-based technical presales role. The Senior Solution Architect develops and maintains strategic relationships with Sales Management of the teams they support and are seen as a trusted advisor to grow the IBM Power system business. The Senior Solution Architect is expected to be subject matter expert in IBM Power system solutions. The incumbent in this role operates independently using standard approaches, existing tools, templates, and resources; shares knowledge and information that may benefit the team.

What you’ll do

• Technology Leadership: Is a passionate learner who demonstrates continuous learning by proactively expanding technical depth IBM Power systems.
• Operates with the perspective and insight that business needs, not just technology, establish the limits on what can be achieved.
• Designs technical IBM Power system solutions using standard approaches, considering the customer’s infrastructure limitations and opportunities; analyzes, interprets, and presents assessment results.
• Determines and defines services that complement and/or round out proposed hardware and software engagements, estimates required engineer effort.
• Uses team tools, templates, resources, and processes for maximum efficiency, productivity, consistency, and high-quality execution.
• Provides feedback to technology leaders where opportunities exist to improve offerings, design, and delivery execution.
• Conducts technology/solutions training for CDW audiences (e.g., Sales, Inside Solution Architects), using developed material.
• Contributes to the team’s knowledge base and readily shares knowledge with other Solution Architects, Inside Solution Architects, and Sales.
• Sales: Follows up on implemented solutions and identifies new opportunities that complement the work that was completed.
• Researches and reviews customer profile information; applies knowledge of the vertical to develop customer intimacy prior to sales calls and/or strategy sessions.
• Assists customer in understanding their equipment maintenance contracts, upgrade needs, and renewals; analyses the most cost-effective approach for the customer (e.g., renew the contract or purchase new equipment and contract.)
• Uses various tools to calculate the Total Cost of Ownership and/or Return on Investment and explains to customers and Sales the business value of a solution and its benefits.
• Articulates to customers the Practice’s value proposition; articulates audience-centric version of the value proposition to customers, account managers, and partners and uses it to generate additional revenue opportunities for CDW.
• Plans and executes events in territory by replicating plans from other successful events; secures funding to support CDW customer events; drives attendance to sponsored events.
• Leads business-focused technology solution presentations at CDW, Customer, and Partner events and meetings in your territory.
• Uses technology assessments and demos as a sales tool for furthering sales opportunities; identifies cross sell-and/or up-sell opportunities for an engagement, equips/assists Solution Architects and Sales to pursue it.
• Collaborates with Partners, Inside Solution Architects (ISA) and Account Executives (AE) to drive mapped opportunities; fine tunes strategies and approaches to achieve greater sales results.
• Operates in a regular cadence with multiple partners to educate, plan, and execute on joint strategies in collaboration with multiple stakeholders (ISA, AE, Sales Managers, Field Sales); understands partner alignment in geography and leads customer opportunity mapping exercises; coordinates on-site partner visits.
• Develops a detailed and ambitious Territory Plan in collaboration with Partners, AEs, and ISAs and uses it to manage their business.
• Produces marketing-type documents and materials (e.g., presentation) to customer in territory.
• Sales Support: Responds to questions about partner registrations, associated registration issues, and customer engagement history.
• Prioritizes time spent on opportunities based on potential return on investment.
• Produces Bills of Materials, including product maintenance; writes Statements of Work (including work estimates), RFPs, RFIs, and proposal content.
• Maintains pre-sales pipeline data, develops plans, and takes actions to move opportunities to closure.

What we expect of you:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
• Four-year minimum technical pre-sales or technical architecting experience
• Knowledge of IBM Power systems AIX and or Iseries
• Ability to size and configure IBM Power systems and storage solutions in IBM eConfig tool.
• Experience with IBM Storage solutions including Flash Systems would be ideal
• Understand sizing of IBM Storage solutions including capacity and performance
• Self motivated to deliver proactive proposals for either IBM Power systems and storage solutions base on sales campaigns
• Stay up to date on products, applications, technical service, market conditions, competitive activities, advertising, and promotional trends through the reading of pertinent literature, seminars, and online training
• Proven success and experience selling technologies solutions and services
• Knowledge and proven success of engaging and working with sales teams
• Ability to execute on territory goals and metrics
• Ability to adapt and change to the business needs of the practice and team coverage model
• Strong interpersonal and presentation skills, including consulting skills

Pay range: $92,000 - $130,400 depending on experience and skill set

Annual bonus target of 25% subject to terms and conditions of plan

Benefits overview: https://cdw.benefit-info.com/

Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials

We make technology work so people can do great things.    

CDW is a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 Index, CDW helps its customers to navigate an increasingly complex IT market and maximize return on their technology investments. Together, we unite. Together, we win. Together, we thrive.

CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.     

CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, CDW’s goal is to get to know you as an applicant and understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. While AI can help you present yourself more clearly and effectively, the essence of your application should be authentically yours. To learn more, please review CDW's AI Applicant Notice.