Solutions Architect - Nerdery

About Nerdery and Being a “Nerd.”

Nerdery is a digital product consultancy. Much more than consultants, we’re allies and guides on our clients’ digital journey – helping them to grow their business and delight their customers through intuitive, thoughtfully designed technology. As true partners, we prepare our clients for the opportunities in front of them, help them achieve their goals, and quickly deliver value for their customers. We do this by solving problems in creative ways across strategy, design, and technology.

At Nerdery, we’re not defined by our job titles but by the impact we make. You’ll work directly and closely with some of the world’s best brands to help create innovative digital products that serve everyone. As Nerds, our insight, innovation, and expertise are celebrated, and our growth is not only encouraged but expected. Being a Nerd means stepping up and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. We’re curious, fearless (well, not totally fearless – there are heights and spiders, after all), and always our authentic selves.

We are looking for a Solutions Architect to join our team! We invite you to check out the details below and consider whether becoming a Nerd is the next step in your career journey.

As a key player on the Growth team, the Solutions Architect holds a pivotal role that significantly impacts our business trajectory. Central to this responsibility is a deep understanding of our customers' and prospects' business intricacies and pain points. The Solutions Architect's core task is to conceptualize comprehensive solutions that directly address these challenges while effectively communicating their value to stakeholders.

This role spearheads the pre-sale orchestration of solution development and technical architecture, spanning strategy, design, engineering, and transition to delivery/implementation. It involves formulating an overarching architectural vision that seamlessly aligns with customer objectives and our organizational capabilities. In essence, this role will serve as a strategic bridge between technology and business, adeptly crafting tailored solutions that cater to customer needs while harmonizing with our growth objectives. This role necessitates a unique blend of technical proficiency, customer-centricity, and strategic finesse.

Responsibilities/Duties:

• Works in close partnership with clients, the sales team, and internal stakeholders to craft solutions that help solve client problems.
• Collaborates with customers to understand their specific needs, challenges, and objectives. This involves gathering detailed requirements to ensure a proposed solution aligns with their goals.
• Conceptualizes, proposes, and conducts intensive Solutions Workshops with clients in order to clearly define business problems and opportunities; to ideate, estimate, and propose solutions to them.
• Tailors solutions to fit the unique needs of each customer. This could involve modifying existing services/capabilities to better align with the customer's business processes.
• Defines and effectively communicates solutions with full consideration of business requirements, user needs/expectations, and technology constraints.
• Works closely with various teams, including sales, strategy, engineering, and product, to ensure the proposed solution is both feasible and aligned with our capabilities.
• Provides content, requirements, vision, and architecture to Sales for detailed estimate and proposal creation.
• Presents solutions to customers in a clear and compelling manner, demonstrating how the proposed solution addresses their challenges and provides value.
• Participates in Statement of Work (SOW) negotiation.
• Facilitates a smooth transition from sales to implementation by orienting the appropriate teams to the solution design and identifying related needs.
• Plays a lead role in client discovery and qualification, leveraging experts within Nerdery as needed.
• Participates in and leads portions of the Proof of Concept (POC) process.
• Conducts roadmapping and planning across strategy, design, and technology.
• Provides recommendations and technical guidance to improve performance, reliability, and reusability within customer constraints of budget, resources, and business dependencies.
• Evaluates and presents information that will facilitate effective and timely decision-making, linking features and functions of the company's solutions with tangible business benefits that meet customer needs.
• Leads, participates in, and contributes to market and business development activities.
• Develops and maintains knowledge of adjacent and emerging technologies in the industry and market segments.
• Provides key contributions in thought leadership efforts through writing and speaking engagements.

Skills and Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of experience in a digital consulting firm or creative agency with experience as a Software Architect or Sales Engineer.
• Minimum of 5 years of client-facing experience.
• Expert-level knowledge and understanding of solution architecture, solution design and delivery, technology infrastructure, and integration.
• Hands-on experience as an architecture practitioner with an ability to think broadly across domains.
• Experience in influencing key decision-makers to help shape the technology strategy.
• Demonstrated ability to provide guidance to teams on the direction to achieve client strategic imperatives.
• Demonstrated consultative selling techniques.
• Experience participating in solution configurations and the creation of PoCs to meet customer requirements.
• Proven experience growing accounts through exceptional service and partnership.
• Strong business acumen.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build rapport with both customers and internal teams.

Preferred:

• AWS, Google, and ITIL certifications.
• API Management Knowledge.
• DevOps Experience.
• Microservices Knowledge.
• Background in the delivery of custom software solutions (PMO, Product, Strategy, etc).

Are We the Right Fit For You?

The best way to get the scoop on whether Nerdery is the right place for you is to chat with current Nerds. We would be delighted to have a conversation with you and share insight into what it’s really like to work at our organization and if it’s a place where you can thrive. Our interview process will provide you ample opportunity to talk with other team members and assess whether the role is a good fit for your next chapter. Take the first step and apply today – our Talent Advocates will then reach out to you to get the ball rolling!

Location Options:

Chicago, Minneapolis, Phoenix or US Remote Based

Must be legally authorized to work within the country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status.

Nerdery is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state and local fair employment practice laws. Nerdery strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender or transsexual individual), pregnancy, marital status, familial status, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, status with regard to public assistance or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. All employees, other workers and representatives of Nerdery are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. Nerdery will ensure that all employment practices are free of such discrimination. Such employment practices include, but are not limited to: hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, selection, layoff, disciplinary action, termination, compensation, benefits, selection for training, including apprenticeship and other terms and conditions of employment. Nerdery will also provide reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities pursuant to all applicable laws.