At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead technical strategy for AWS co-sell opportunities and design innovative architectures.
- Company: Join VML, a global creative powerhouse known for its innovative brand solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy a hybrid work environment, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a collaborative culture that values creativity and connection.
- Why this job: Shape the future of AWS partnerships and make impactful architectural decisions.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in technical pre-sales with deep AWS expertise and strong client-facing skills.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
VML is a global creative company that combines brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to create connected brands that drive growth. Guided by a Human First philosophy, VML is known for its innovative work for brands and consistently ranks among the world’s leading creative companies. VML’s global network spans 55+ markets with principal offices in Buenos Aires, Kansas City, London, New York, São Paulo, Shanghai and Singapore. VML is part of WPP, the trusted growth partner for the world's leading brands.
WPP Enterprise Solutions is the enterprise technology and transformation capability of WPP, delivering data, AI, and modern applications for the world's leading brands. We partner with AWS to bring these capabilities to blue-chip clients. This role sits at the centre of that growth.
We are hiring the senior technical voice of our AWS alliance in EMEA. You will own the technical strategy behind our co-sell pursuits: the reference architectures that become client blueprints, the proof points that remove doubt, and the joint solutions that define our AWS partnership. This is a hands-on principal role for someone who wants their architecture decisions to carry weight across a fast-growing alliance.
This is a principal-level technical pre-sales role. You are the senior technical authority for AWS co-sell across EMEA. You partner directly with Alliance Sales, Alliance Solution Leads, AWS Solutions Architects, and client engineering teams to win strategic pursuits. You set the technical direction, and you bring the depth to back it up in the room.
This is an individual contributor role with senior influence. You will mentor delivery teams and shape technical standards, but your primary impact is winning the pursuits that grow the alliance.
What You Will Own
- Technical leadership on strategic pursuits: serve as the senior technical partner on priority AWS co-sell opportunities.
- Reference architectures that become standards: design the architectures that anchor our joint AWS solutions and get reused across pursuits.
- Proof that converts: scope and lead the proof-of-concept work that proves we can deliver, and shape those POCs so they become production systems.
- AWS field relationships: build trusted relationships with AWS Solutions Architects, Specialist SAs, and ProServe.
- Technical direction for the alliance: advise our leadership and client leadership on AWS architecture strategy.
Technical Depth
- Generative AI: Amazon Bedrock, SageMaker, agentic and generative AI application patterns.
- Data & Analytics: Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC), AWS Clean Rooms, data lakes, analytics pipelines.
- Customer Experience: Amazon Personalize, Amazon Connect, serverless architectures.
- Modern Applications: Lambda, Step Functions, API Gateway, container orchestration.
- Integration: Event-driven architectures, microservices, API design.
How Success Looks
- Technical win rate on the strategic pursuits you lead.
- Competitive deals turned in our favor by your technical credibility.
- Reference architectures adopted as reusable standards across the alliance.
- POC-to-production conversion on the engagements you shape.
- Strength of your working relationships with AWS field and specialist teams.
What You Bring
- 5+ years in technical pre-sales, solution architecture, or technical consulting, with senior client-facing credibility.
- Deep hands-on AWS expertise with a track record of delivered projects.
- A strong record leading demos and POCs that win competitive pursuits.
- Command of enterprise architecture patterns and the judgment to apply them.
- Experience in a Global Systems Integrator, agency, or professional services environment.
Preferred
- AWS certifications: Solutions Architect Professional and specialty certifications (ML, Data Analytics).
- Hands-on experience with Amazon Bedrock and generative AI implementations.
- Familiarity with Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) and advertising technology.
- Prior AWS partner-company or direct AWS experience.
- Experience supporting co-sell motions with AWS field teams.
- Vertical compliance familiarity.
Why This Role
You will be in the room for the technical decisions that win AWS deals. You will build the architectures that become client solutions and the proof that tips competitive pursuits in our favor. Your technical excellence directly drives AWS alliance revenue growth, and here it will be seen.
We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office an average of four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.
WPP (VML) is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for all positions without discrimination or regard to characteristics. We are committed to fostering a culture of respect in which everyone feels they belong and has the same opportunities to progress in their careers.
Principal Solutions Architect, Technology Sales Lead (AWS) in Kennington employer: VML
At VML, we pride ourselves on being a leading creative company that fosters a vibrant work culture where innovation and collaboration thrive. As a Senior Technical Project Manager, you'll have the opportunity to work with some of the world's most exciting brands while benefiting from our commitment to your professional growth and development. Our hybrid work model promotes flexibility, and our core values of Heart, Brains, and Courage ensure that every team member feels empowered to make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal Solutions Architect, Technology Sales Lead (AWS) in Kennington
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at VML or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to VML.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like VML.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like VML that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal Solutions Architect, Technology Sales Lead (AWS) in Kennington
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at VML.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at VML and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at VML
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If VML uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
