Solutions Development Architect

Cisco • Dallas, TX

2d • $128,400 - $191,600

About The Position

The Solutions Development Architecture (SDA) team is the consultative pre-sales powerhouse within Cisco Customer Experience (CX). We sit at the intersection of business strategy and technical innovation, translating complex customer challenges into holistic, multi-architecture frameworks, blueprints, and multi-year transformation journey maps that deliver measurable business outcomes. Our team operates in close partnership with Service Sales, the Deal Acceleration Team (DAT), CX Product Management (CXPM), and the CX CTO/CTAO to hunt for and qualify transformational lifecycle opportunities. Combining deep industry-vertical insight with cross-domain technical depth, we serve as the vital consultative bridge between pre-sales solution design and post-sales CX Delivery—ensuring that every scoped solution is practical, scalable, de-risked, and successfully realized for our strategic global customers.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field or equivalent relevant work experience.
• 8+ years of professional experience in technical solutions architecture or engineering.
• Expert-level industry certification, such as CCIE or an equivalent credential.
• Demonstrated technical proficiency across at least two major Cisco technology domains.
• Proven track record in managing complex, multi-architecture technical engagement lifecycles.

Nice To Haves

• Deep understanding of AI/ML integration within enterprise IT infrastructure.
• Exceptional ability to translate technical concepts into business-value conversations.
• Strong experience navigating high-stakes RFI/RFP processes for enterprise clients.
• Excellent collaborative skills to drive alignment between pre-sales and post-sales teams.
• Proven ability to mentor and guide technical staff on architecture standards and methodology.

Responsibilities

• Architect Multi-Domain Transformational Solutions: Lead the consultative pre-sales architecture by translating complex customer business and technical requirements into comprehensive blueprints, architectural frameworks, and multi-year journey maps aligned to strategic business outcomes.
• Hunt & Accelerate Lifecycle Opportunities: Partner proactively with Service Sales, Account Teams, and Deal Acceleration Teams (DAT) to identify, shape, and progress high-value lifecycle selling and transformational deals to closure with minimal friction.
• Lead CX RFP / RFI Engagements: Act as the designated CX Lead Architect on all strategic RFP/RFI responses, articulating the differentiated business value of unified Cisco technology and professional services.
• Bridge Pre-Sales Solutioning to Delivery Success: Conduct implementation risk assessments, cost-feasibility modeling, and transformation dependency mapping; collaborate closely with post-sales delivery architects to de-risk execution and ensure contracted solutions are delivered on time and within budget.
• Influence Executive IT/OT Decision-Makers: Engage customer leadership (Senior Directors, VPs, SVPs) using vertical industry expertise to demystify complex multi-technology architectures and instill confidence in Cisco’s lifecycle roadmap.
• Incubate Emerging Services & Scale Reusable IP: Collaborate with CXPM and GTM teams to accelerate emerging service offers, harvest delivery best practices, and contribute reusable architectural blueprints that strengthen Cisco’s market leadership.
• Mentor & Elevate the Technical Community: Foster technical excellence across the theater by mentoring emerging architects, sharing cross-architecture knowledge, and leading architectural transformation workshops.

Benefits

• medical, dental and vision insurance
• a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution
• paid parental leave
• short and long-term disability coverage
• basic life insurance
• grants of Cisco restricted stock units
• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year
• 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
• 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday
• paid year-end holiday shutdown
• 4 paid days off for personal wellness
• 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year (non-exempt employees)
• flexible vacation time off program (exempt employees)
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter
• up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next
• Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
• Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
• annual bonuses (for non-sales roles)
• performance-based incentive pay (for sales roles)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior