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

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
Yes