Solution Architect

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

26d

About The Position

Microsoft Industry Solutions Delivery is a global organization hosting over 6,000 strategic sellers, industry and security experts, elite engineers, world-class data scientists and architects, consultants, and delivery specialists. Together with our partners, we help Microsoft’s most strategic customers worldwide to address their specific challenges and provide comprehensive and industry-specific solutions that meet their unique needs.
As a Solution Architect, you will work closely with clients to understand their business needs and requirements, particularly in the area of R&D. You’ll translate this into specific systems, applications, or process designs for complex technology solutions and architectures. You’ll act as an advocate for the client as the ultimate authority on architecture designed to address their business challenges. You’ll provide direction for design activities, often project-based, sometimes working at customer sites.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field AND 12+ years experience in technology solutions, practice development, architecture, consulting, and/or technology domain (e.g., Security)
• OR Master's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years experience in technology solutions, practice development, architecture, consulting, and/or technology domain (e.g., Security)
• OR equivalent experience
• 2+ years managing multiple projects or portfolios
• 1+ year(s) experience leading blended, multidisciplinary teams

Responsibilities

• Understanding Customer / Partner Technical Environment
• Gather customer/partner insights from a broad range of stakeholders to shape and form the definition and ongoing execution of projects. You will anticipate industry trends and leverage insights to influence long-term technology strategy.
• Act as a customer advocate and share insights with Product Engineering teams and the business to improve Microsoft technologies, products, services and offerings to better meet customer/partner needs.
• Define and document Architecture to communicate the value proposition of the business solution along with the project approach.
• Understand and demonstrate business value (e.g., release of revenue, cost savings) to resolve ambiguity in the requirements and constraints, and document assumptions and implications where it cannot be resolved.
• Architecture Design and Deployment
• Collaborate closely with the Account Team to understand the customer requirements and contribute to the solution. Drive alignment, based on the customer’s priorities, requirements/constraints, approach, principles, concepts, and expectations. This includes documenting a solution approach and tradeoffs that balance risk, technical credibility and innovation to meet customer need, predominantly based on existing solution offerings and/or reference architecture.
• Support the implementation in close partnership with the delivery team and work with the account / project team to resolve technical and non-technical issues.
• Develop and execute a strategy to circumvent and prevent complex or escalated scenarios. Leverage specialist skills of others to drive technical alignment across internal/external teams, leveraging deep knowledge of resources.
• Practice Development
• Generate new and/or improvements to existing intellectual property. Connects gaps and patterns across business and technology areas to drive changes.
• Drive the re-use of intellectual property and recommend practices in both pre-sales and delivery as well as participate and contribute to internal/external communities.
• Lead virtual teams by sharing ideas, insight, and provide technical expertise across internal communities, using knowledge of Microsoft architectures and their context in the competitive landscape.
• Trusted Advisor
• Develop a deep network of internal/external relationships with senior-level decision makers to influence in addressing problems/blockers and facilitating additional views on the matter of interest.
• Act as an advisor to external stakeholders and maintains knowledge of Microsoft’s technologies, products, and services to communicate Microsoft's mission, strategy, and capabilities.
• Articulate complex concepts in a simple manner to strive for the best course of action or outcome for optimal results. Leverages network and industry experience to connect customers/partners with ideas, people, and resources to support their success.
• Thought Leadership
• Share insight, strategic, technical input with internal team members and stakeholders and actively pursue opportunities that grow impact and capabilities of the broader organization.
• Act as a mentor to less experienced colleagues by educating them on technical and non-technical concepts and sharing best practices.
• Culture
• Thrive in challenging situations while exhibiting flexibility and the ability to tolerate and manage through ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Enable others by using an inclusive approach to stakeholder engagement, teamwork, and problem-solving by welcoming diverse points of view, leveraging the talent of others, and searching for new, holistic solutions.
• Other
• Embody our culture and values.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees