Data Services Solution Architect - French Speaker

A Data Services Solution Architect is a practitioner in the field of Solution Architecture and will be working within the Cloud Infrastructure Outsourcing Solutioning team.

The Data Services Solution Architect is a very experienced architect with cross-domain, cross-functional and cross-industry expertise. He/she outlines solution architecture descriptions, then monitors and governs their specification and costing during a sales campaign. Must have performed roles in infrastructure management and in Presales, design / architect infrastructure solutions for managed services. Experience in architecting solutions, responding to RFPs for infrastructure management Outsourcing Services.

Responsibilities include:

Infrastructure Outsourcing pursuits

× Provide pre-sales / solution support to business requirements

× Conducting requirement workshops to capture customer requirements and evaluation / analysis of their data

× Apply domain expertise and innovative ideas to architect/design solutions, evaluate multiple options to meet client's business requirements

× Respond to RFI / RFP's, prepare solution documentation and presentations

× Design detailed delivery model for the run services

× Build the costing details for the run solution

× Present the solution to the customer during workshops, oral sessions

× Manage and mitigate the risks associated with the proposed solution

× Follow solution approval process

Business Development

× Manages presales and solutioning activities for the service offering

× Build and maintain costing models

× Create wining proposals by closely working with Bid Managers, onsite sales teams, internal delivery organizations, 3rd party vendors

× Build (and maintain repository) for costing models, proposals, and business development documents

× Mentor and guide junior Solution Architect resources

Desired Skills & Experience

× Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

× Operational and service delivery experience in following streams with in-depth domain expertise in any of the following streams:

o DC operations, DC migration & Consolidation

o ROBO solutions & Consolidation

o Server, storage, database, middleware

o OS & DB Refresh and Replatform

o Network and Security

o Virtualization / Cloud and transformation technologies

× Proven track record of having done customer facing solution defense.

× Capable to independently think, articulate and comprehend customer pain points in technology and commercial areas for providing solutions

× Team player and self-motivated individual

× Proficient (read, write, speak) in French and English languages

× Strong verbal and written communication skills to persuade others through presentations, demonstration and written communication

× Strong communication skills to listen to client and articulate back for solutioning

× Strong interpersonal and presentation skills for interacting with team member and prospective clients up to the Board level

Subject matter expertise - Data Services Solution Architect

× The role requires significant and rounded conceptual knowledge of all infrastructure elements including servers, operating systems, storage, database, middleware, networking, security, infrastructure operations, and application profiling, and cloud computing concepts

× Develops and implements strategic IT infrastructure outsourcing plans

× Acts as the solution lead; challenges complex and conflicting business needs and reconciles them in a valuable solution. Integrates functional, technical and organizational concepts and objectives into a coherent overall solution

× Effectively positions various alternatives and uses a structured approach for selecting the best IT infrastructure outsourcing solution

× Supports the decision-makers in shaping and closing IT infrastructure outsourcing deals

× Leads & guides difficult negotiations and ensures results of negotiations support the customer's current & future business needs

× Partners with executive management to ensure the deal & solution accomplish business objectives

× Effectively articulates the solution's value

× Develops & presents reports to different stakeholders including senior management/executive level

× Monitors industry and collects data to maintain awareness of current practices and future trends

× Analyses pricing trends in the market and benchmarking studies

× Experienced in managing 3rd party vendors (in outsourced situations) and contracts

× Thorough, proven and reference-able deal structuring of small, medium and large outsourcing deals in infrastructure space. 5m to > 50m Euro that spans traditional and latest infrastructure solution elements

× Commercial acumen that leads to linking solutions to cost to price and price to win. Full understanding on financial modeling, capex, opex, SLA, penalties, RRC, ARC and unit costs

Around 10-16 years of industry experience, of which last few years as a proven solution architect

Requirements

Technical / Professional certifications

× Industry training, and/or certifications with cloud platforms/technologies such as VMWare (i.e. vSphere, vCenter, VCD, vCAC, vCHS, etc.), Microsoft (HyperV, CloudOS, Azure)

× Storage - Netapp / SAN / NAS / EMC

× PMBOK or PRINCE 2 certified.

× ITIL

× Remote monitoring and management tools (Tivoli, BMC, HPOV etc)