Senior Solution Architect (Apps) @ Rackspace

Rackspace, as a cloud computing services pioneer, delivers proven multicloud solutions across apps, data, and security. Rackspace Technology is a leading provider of expertise and managed services across all major public and private cloud technologies. We’ve evolved Fanatical Support to encompass the entire customer journey — providing Fanatical Experience from first consultation to daily operations.

We’re looking for an experienced candidate for the Application Services Pre-Sales Solution Architect, which is a specialty domain role that applies specialised knowledge of solutioning principles and technology to select sales opportunities. The candidate will be regarded as an expert inside of Rackspace in an Application Services solutioning team. This role works in close collaboration with the sales, solutions, and delivery team to design specific and innovative Application Services components related to customers, application development, modernisation, and other transformative initiatives. This will often be part of a wider end-to-end solution including platform design, managed services, security, and data/AI. Additionally, the role leads internal efforts to build credibility within specific technologies as they apply to Cloud Native Development Services. The role is UK based, however will work with the global Rackspace team focusing on delivering solutions to new and existing customers within the EMEA region.

Responsibilities:

• Develop deep professional relationships with clients and act as a trusted business and technical advisor for client executives.
• Well versed in related topics with the ability to navigate complex negotiations.
• Provides guidance, expertise, and training to new team members.
• Exercises independent judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
• Determines methods and procedures on new assignments with little instruction.
• Influences beyond their personal role and leads pre-sales projects with impact across multiple Rackspace teams including but not limited to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), Product Management, and the Solutions and Sales teams.
• Provides mentorship to fellow Solution team members.
• Leads customer workshops to educate on specific technologies and concepts.
• Elevates the rest of the solutions team in their area of expertise.
• Evaluates customer needs and provides direction on technical and transformational concepts that solve for current and future challenges.
• Writes formal project proposals, responds to RFIs, RFPs and bids, and statements of work that capture the customer’s requirements, propose innovative solutions that meet their business and technical objectives, and estimate the effort required to execute projects aimed at specific goals and target outcomes.
• Responsible for associated activities such as capturing notes and activities in Salesforce and assisting in managing deal pipeline.
• Recognises buying signs, compelling events, and decision makers.
• Foresees potential technical and business customer objections early in the sales cycle.
• Overcomes concerns and lowers customer risk to selecting Rackspace.
• As a Trusted Advisor, uncovers both overt and latent pains specific to their specialty domain expertise.
• Demonstrates strong judgment and creativity in selecting methods and techniques for obtaining solutions.
• Works on complex problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors.

Qualifications:

• Experienced professional using best practices and knowledge of internal or external business issues to improve products or services.
• Strong understanding of modernising legacy applications into modern applications via methodologies such as rehosting, re-platforming, serverless, or container adoption.
• Recognised within Rackspace for their proven extensive technical knowledge within a specific domain (Application Modernisation, DevOps).
• Requires solid understanding of the processes, procedures, and systems used to accomplish the work and in-depth familiarity with the broader underlying concepts in own job family/job discipline.
• Specialised technical knowledge in the specialty domain with the ability to quickly learn new concepts.
• Strong understanding of developing cloud native modern applications and software development practices.
• Maintains an in-depth knowledge of one or more Cloud Hyperscaler (i.e. AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Builds and maintains strong knowledge of the entire Rackspace portfolio.
• Knowledge of modern software development practices with exposure to any language, Java, C#, Node.js, Scala, Python, or GO preferred.
• Knowledge of building containerised applications and systems on modern container orchestration platforms.
• Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines with respect to serverless and container application preferred.
• Excellent attention to detail, communication skills (written and verbal), and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to prioritise deals, training, and initiatives through highly effective time management.
• Excellent problem solving, analytical, presentation, and whiteboarding skills.
• Track record of success working through technical challenges requiring specialty knowledge within enterprise organisations.
• Track record of success dealing with ambiguity (internal and external) and working collaboratively with other departments and organisations to solve challenging problems.
• Advanced knowledge and thought leadership on technology and industry trends that affect development decisions for enterprise organisations.
• Demonstrates knowledge of complex designs of engineering assemblies and sub-assemblies, process, layouts, and schematics; familiar with development of product test methods.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or Business required or close to 10+ years of working experience in a similar capacity in a technical presales or delivery capacity.
• At least ONE industry certification required: AWS preferred, Azure, GCP, etc.
• At least ONE top tier technical certification in a highly desired: i.e. CISSP, ITIL MALC, etc.
• Additional Business focused and Rackspace product certifications highly desired.