Job Title: Lead Architect – Networking & Security  

Reports to: Director of Solution Architecture

Location: Travel throughout the UK with occasional overnights

 Overall Job Purpose:

Acquired by the iomart Group in 2015, SystemsUp has a longstanding history and highly credible reputation for providing independent consultancy and project services. We have strong partnerships with key vendors such as Microsoft, Barracuda, Amazon & Google as well as access to a range of services through our partners and parent company. We believe our team experience, independence and therefore our strengths lie in our roots as a pure consultancy organisation working and using extensively modern and productive technologies across both public and commercial sectors in the United Kingdom.

We’re extremely excited to have this opening, as we continue to invest in our partnership with Barracuda, a leading cloud security vendor.

Building out our network and security practice, Barracuda awareness is important for development of the successful candidate, but broader network and security knowledge is crucial to support customer engagements and transformation.

The role of the Lead Architect is a senior technical position within SystemsUp and requires “thought leadership” and strategic direction within technologies related to all forms of modern workplace technologies and solutions for end users.

Core technology experience must include a number of industry standard vendors in a network/security capacity e.g. Barracuda, Cisco, Fortinet, CheckPoint, Palo Alto, Microsoft (Azure), AWS, VMware, HP, Aruba, SD-WAN technologies, SIEM, etc.

 The Lead Architect will support customer meetings resulting in appropriate pre-sales materials such as statements of work or proposals, plus creation and updating of other documentation as required such as web site and marketing materials, data sheets, blogs, etc.

The Lead Architect will also need to…

• Assist in developing go to market strategies for networking and security technology solutions
• High level and low-level design skills, requirement gathering, delivering customer workshops, presentations and roadmaps
• Implementation, deployment, configuration and migration skills (this will be a hands-on role)

These key areas will develop and grow based on vendor direction and customer requirement. 

Flexibility and agility must be a part of their personal skills as well as a proper understanding of correct process and adherence to quality principles, offering any advice and recommendations on improvements that could be made.

           Main Duties of the Job:

• Perform presales activity as required in support of the Solution Architecture and Sales teams both within SystemsUp but also in support of the wider group (iomart and Cristie Data) such as attending meetings, writing or contributing to proposals, statements of work, RFP responses, business case materials, cost models.
• Understanding of a customer’s business requirements and aspirations in relation to technology; architecting the design and development of technology solutions for customers and acting as a trusted advisor to our customers.
• Build excellent documentation, designs, implementation and migration plans using the input of others as required and spelling out clearly our desire to deliver customer outcomes.
• Run workshops and meetings in a professional and engaging manner with the achievement of mutually desired solution outcomes.  
• Development and delivery of technology specific presentations, white board sessions and workshops to both large audience seminars and project workshop environments.
• Technical ownership of the solution design and implementation, including supporting technologies.
• Maintain a broad understanding of vendor technologies products, an understanding of their architectural principles and, where appropriate, high level solution design skills and pre-sales accreditations in these products.
• Maintain an in-depth knowledge of industry standards relevant to the role, project delivery methodologies and relevant vendor technology roadmaps.
• To adhere to all company policies and processes as communicated by line management in order to maintain corporate ISO accreditation levels.
• To obtain and maintain technical accreditations as required by management in accordance with the guidelines provided by manufacturers and software vendors.
• At all times to provide a courteous service and professional approach to customers and to the delivery of allocated tasks as required.
• To perform any other duties which, from time to time may be allocated by your Team Leader/Manager

            Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Excellent technical and commercial understanding in creation of technology solutions and outcomes for customers.
• Experience in architecting and being involved with implementing a broad range of technology solutions related to the following; modern workplace, hybrid/public/private cloud, networking, storage, security.
• Experience in owning and contributing to proposals, statements of work, RFP responses, business cases, cost models and leading the review process.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, enabling the presentation of complex technical solutions.
• Minimum of 3-5 years’ relevant experience in a customer facing consultancy focussed organisation.
• Minimum of 5-8 years’ experience as an SME in one or more relevant technology areas
• Experience in working with both architectural principles and project delivery methodologies including fundamentals of project management.
• Ability to mentor other technical staff to help develop their skills and role.
• Team player but with the ability to work unaided.
• Professional appearance and manners.
• Positive and constructive attitude in all work-related matters.
• Strong time management skills and ability to work at pace within a fast-moving environment.
• Suitable pre-sales level accreditations in supporting technologies is also beneficial.