Principal Solution Architect

**Principal Solution Architect**
**Home office /Dresden, Germany**

**Role purpose**:
The Principal Solution Architect (PSA) in the Cloud & Security Global Cloud & Edge GTM Practice is a senior, customer facing pre-Sales role at the forefront of delivering our CEO’s vision to transform Vodafone from a Telecoms to a TechComms company. The PSAs will have deep experience of legacy IT infrastructure and their migration to Public Cloud platforms and EDGE solutions as well as Public Cloud Platforms such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. They will build strong, trusted-adviser relationships with Vodafone’s customers and help shape the pre-sales conversation to align with Vodafone’s Cloud & MEC solutions portfolio and ensure customers rapidly adopt and benefit from Public Cloud and Multi-access Edge Compute technologies that deliver innovation and value.

The PSAs will have a wealth of experience in managed hosting, private cloud and public cloud from a technical, business and financial perspective. In this role they will work up to C-suite level and demonstrate thought leadership capability, understanding of the Digital era and how the appropriate strategies can be adopted to support our large, global and strategic customer accounts to accelerate their Public Cloud adoption and innovate once there.

The PSAs will be the Technical Authority and Vodafone SME on “Journey to Cloud” migrations and Public Cloud and as such will be required to lead and advise other Architects within the Cloud & Edge Computing Practice and wider Vodafone Solution Design community on all technical matters in these areas. As such the PSAs are required to establish and maintain an excellent understanding of the latest technology trends and how Cloud can be applied to customer’s businesses to address their technology and innovation needs. They will have the drive and passion to develop a detailed understanding of the products and services that exist within the Vodafone Portfolios as well as the ability and vision to drive the portfolio forward through cutting-edge, co-created solutions which deliver competitive advantage for customers and technology leadership for Vodafone.

**With us you will**:

- To be the Vodafone Subject Matter Expert and Technical Authority on “Journey to Cloud” migration and Public Cloud solutions within the Cloud & Edge Computing Practice and wider Vodafone Solution Design community on all technical matters in these areas
- To lead and be the technical authority for customer solutions proposed by C&S and ensure customer requirements are understood and met fully from a technical and service perspective and be able to balance this with customers’ and Vodafone’s commercial priorities.
- To align customers’ Business and IT strategy with solutions based on Vodafone’s products and services and explain how Vodafone can support the customer’s journey to cloud.
- Maintain communications with the customer through the solutioning process to ensure that dates for completion and any issues are understood, captured and agreed.
- Engage with key partners and Vodafone Architects to address customer solution requirements with their expertise and solutions.
- Ensure that the technical solution links to the Service and cost case requirements in the proposal and contract and work with Commercial and Sales teams to ensure that solutions meet not only customer’s technical requirements but also their budget.
- 7+ years’ experience in dealing with corporate customers in a solution design or consultancy role with core expertise in designing enterprise multi-million complex solutions.
- Experience of operating at a C-suite level with a record of accomplishment in identifying, influencing and negotiating with senior strategic decision makers.
- 3+ years of experience leading Cloud Solutions as a SME on migration from legacy IT to one or more Public Cloud platforms and supporting other Architects as a Technical Authority in this area
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with proven ability to produce and present quality documentation to support bid generation and contractual delivery and presenting to C-suite level.
- Self-motivated, ambitious and innovation hungry with strong ability in leading complex and high-value enterprise solutions

**Desired/Must have technical/professional qualifications**:

- Strong experience in Public Cloud solution design with strong knowledge in at least two of the following areas: Public Cloud Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Alibaba Cloud, Google Cloud Platform.
- Strong knowledge of VMware, Storage, LAN, SD-WAN, IoT, Security,
- Experience of operating in an ITIL, eTOM or TOGAF, Design Thinking environment, with a good understanding of business principles, practices advantageous.
- 7 years’ experience in an IT/Public Cloud/IoT, IaaS, PaaS, and Enterprise architecture discipline.
- Certified to AWS Professional, Azure Expert Level or Googl