Solutions Development Architect

Cisco • Seattle, WA

5d

About The Position

The Solutions Development Architect is part of Cisco Customer Experience’s Solutions Development Architecture team, a consultative pre-sales organization that translates complex customer challenges into multi-architecture frameworks, blueprints, and multi-year transformation roadmaps. The role works with Service Sales, account teams, the Deal Acceleration Team, CX Product Management, and CX technical leadership to identify and qualify strategic lifecycle opportunities. It connects pre-sales solution design with post-sales delivery to ensure solutions are practical, scalable, de-risked, and realized successfully for global customers.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

• Deep understanding of AI/ML integration within enterprise IT infrastructure.
• Ability to translate technical concepts into business-value conversations.
• Experience navigating high-stakes enterprise RFI/RFP processes.
• Collaborative skills to align pre-sales and post-sales teams.
• Ability to mentor and guide technical staff on architecture standards and methodology.

Responsibilities

• Translate complex customer business and technical requirements into comprehensive architectural blueprints, frameworks, and multi-year journey maps aligned with business outcomes.
• Partner with Service Sales, account teams, and Deal Acceleration Teams to identify, shape, and advance high-value lifecycle and transformation opportunities.
• Serve as the CX Lead Architect for strategic RFP/RFI responses and communicate the business value of Cisco technology and professional services.
• Conduct implementation risk assessments, cost-feasibility modeling, and transformation dependency mapping.
• Collaborate with post-sales delivery architects to reduce execution risk and support delivery of contracted solutions on time and within budget.
• Engage customer leaders, including Senior Directors, VPs, and SVPs, using industry expertise to explain multi-technology architectures and Cisco’s lifecycle roadmap.
• Work with CX Product Management and go-to-market teams to accelerate emerging service offers, capture delivery best practices, and develop reusable architectural blueprints.
• Mentor emerging architects, share cross-architecture knowledge, and lead architectural transformation workshops.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, subject to plan eligibility rules.
• 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution.
• Paid parental leave.
• Short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Basic life insurance.
• Paid holidays and a floating holiday for non-exempt employees.
• A paid day off for the employee’s birthday, a paid year-end holiday shutdown, and paid personal wellness days.
• Paid vacation or flexible vacation time off, depending on employee classification and eligibility.
• Sick time off, with carryover of unused sick time subject to the stated limits.
• Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family matters.
• Optional paid volunteer days.
• Annual bonuses may be available for non-sales roles, subject to Cisco policies.
• Eligible employees may receive Cisco restricted stock unit grants.

What This Job Offers

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