Senior Solutions Architect at Vodafone Global Enterprise

Role Purpose/Business Unit:

• The Senior Solutions Architect role is based within the Cloud Hosting and Security business. The role of the Senior Solutions Architect is to interact with customers to gather technical requirements, architect customer IT Infrastructure and compile solution proposal documentation in the Cloud and Hosting Services space as part of the Sales process

Your responsibilities will include:

• Responsible for technical exchanges and key customer opportunity insights during the pre-sales phase of key customers 
• Operates as Cloud expert in the areas of IaaS, PaaS, SaaS cloud Integration and cloud native technology
• Based on Huawei Cloud's cloud product and solution capabilities, responsible for demand analysis, solution design, POC verification, and traditional IT cloud solution design for public cloud projects
• Provide a solution focused consultancy service to clients across SMMEs, business partners and retail customers 
• Keeping abreast and insight of competition, competitive issues, and products 
• Collaborate with sales (BDM), R&D and other teams to ensure the continuous operation of key customers
• Build and maintain productive relationships with key clients, internal groups within the company, suppliers and partners. 
• Deliver presentations to customers on existing and emerging technologies as well as the benefits or impact of these on customers. Identify opportunities within client environments for solutions or new product development
• Respond to business and wholesale customer queries as per request for information (RFI) and request for proposal (RFP) documents 
• Conduct research on and keep abreast of ICT trends to identify new product opportunities. Utilise solution design experience and expertise to provide input into and create architecture for new product development 
• Regularly meet with the internal parties, e.g., Products and Engineering teams; as well as external parties; e.g. suppliers and partners; in order to understand internal and external roadmaps, technology strategies and product strategies
• Review and assess all existing products and services or those being considered by Vodacom in terms of its applicability and impact on business customers.

The Ideal Candidate for this role will have:

Must have technical / professional qualifications and experience: 

• 5 - 8 Years relevant experience in IT or Engineering (essential)
• 3-year Degree in IT or Engineering related field (essential)
• Azure Cloud Solutions Architect Professional Certifications and other relevant Public Cloud certifications across AWS and others are beneficial.
• Experience working within client/partner and consulting organizations
• Experience migrating or transforming legacy customer solutions to the cloud
• Previous experience with cloud migrations and app modernisation projects is advantageous
• Experience with creating AI solutions and creating security offerings leveraging the Microsoft cloud is advantageous

Core competencies, knowledge, and experience:

• Sound cloud solution architecture or technical sales experience in developing ICT technologies, cloud native solution.
• Knowledge in IT trends with historical Public Cloud (Microsoft, AWS etc.) solutioning experience
• Knowledge on open-source technology landscape, IaaS, PaaS and SaaS
• Skills in business sense, problem solving, project management and analytical.
• Great communication skills, team spirit, and a can-do attitude.
• Knowledge of identifying, developing, negotiating, and closing large-scale IT and cloud technology deals
• Direct sales experiences with account or partner sales approach will be a plus