Lead Architect - Pre-sales (m/f/d)

Purpose

Responsible for the end-to-end solution design, architecture, and technical leadership of complex customer opportunities and transformation programs. Act as the lead solution architect during the pre-sales phase, partnering with customers to understand business requirements, translate them into innovative and cost-effective technical solutions, and drive successful deal closure.

The role includes customer consulting, requirements analysis, solution strategy definition, preparation of technical and commercial solution concepts, effort estimation, and support of bid/RFP processes. The Solution Architect leads international virtual teams of technical experts, coordinates vendors and stakeholders, defines service and SLA concepts, and ensures a seamless transition from solution design through transformation and handover to operational delivery teams.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Pre-Sales & Customer Engagement

• Act as the lead technical advisor and solution architect during pre-sales activities and customer pursuits.
• Conduct customer workshops (in German and English) to understand business, operational, and technical requirements.
• Translate customer requirements into end-to-end solution architectures and service designs.
• Support RFP/RFI/RFQ responses, bid preparation, solution proposals, and customer presentations.
• Develop and defend solution concepts with customers, partners, and internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate with sales and account teams to shape opportunities and support deal qualification and closure.
• Prepare effort estimations, service costing, resource planning, and technical risk assessments for customer opportunities.
• Present solution strategies, migration concepts, and transformation roadmaps to customer management and technical stakeholders

Management Scope

• Serve as the senior escalation point, reviewer, and approver for solution architecture decisions and technical risks.
• Lead international virtual teams consisting of internal resources, external suppliers, and vendors of up to 15 people.
• Manage the design, planning, and implementation of contractually agreed services and solution outcomes.
• Lead customer-facing technical workshops, architecture reviews, and solution governance meetings.
• Drive alignment among sales, delivery, operations, vendors, and customer stakeholders throughout the deal and project lifecycle.

YOU WILL SUCCEED IF YOU:

• Hold a Master's degree in Information Technology or a related field
• Have at least 6 years of professional experience in Information Technology
• Hold a relevant field-specific professional certification
• Hold a recognized process or methodology certification
• Demonstrate expert-level knowledge of Operating Systems
• Demonstrate expert-level knowledge of Networking technologies
• Have advanced knowledge of IT Security principles and technologies
• Have advanced knowledge of Programming Languages
• Have advanced knowledge of Virtualization technologies
• Demonstrate expert-level knowledge of relevant domain-specific applications
• Possess strong communication, analytical thinking, presentation, and negotiation skills, and thrive in a collaborative team environment
• Have experience training, mentoring, and coaching others
• Demonstrate sound financial literacy and business awareness
• Have experience in Project Management
• Demonstrate leadership capabilities
• Have experience with Quality Management processes
• Speak English at an advanced level ( C1 )
• German language is an advantage

Other criteria or requirements

• Broad and deep knowledge about state-of-the-art technologies and products.
• Expert knowledge and experience with ICT environment verified by professional level certification exams preferably from multiple vendors
• Experience with enterprise architectural frameworks, service oriented architecture and building architecture roadmaps
• Ability to establish, implement and enforce appropriate standards to meet business requirements
• Complex knowledge about whole organizational structure, practical use of tools, KPI’s and connection with QM
• Ability to create and maintain technical documentation for complex solutions.
• Good IT processes knowledge corresponding to an industry standard certification

WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE US?

We believe in balance between work and personal life. An attractive and extensive work-life balance portfolio guarantees lasting motivation for employees and thus a better quality of life, promotes physical and mental well-being and contributes to a positive work environment. All this with the aim of providing more freedom in reconciling work, career growth, private life and individual lifestyle. Therefore we offer to our employees over 25 different benefits to improve their personal and professional life in these areas:

• Financial benefits
• Benefits with focus on learning and …