Solution Architect

Overview of the Solution Architect Role at Microsoft

Microsoft Industry Solutions Delivery is a global organization comprising over 6,000 strategic sellers, industry and security experts, elite engineers, world-class data scientists, architects, consultants, and delivery specialists. Collaborating with our partners, we empower Microsoft’s most strategic global customers to tackle their unique challenges by delivering comprehensive, industry-specific solutions tailored to their needs.

As a Solution Architect, you will engage deeply with clients to comprehend their business requirements, particularly within Research & Development. You will translate these into specific system, application, or process designs for intricate technology solutions and architectures. Acting as a client advocate, you will be the ultimate authority on architecture designed to address their business challenges. This role involves providing direction for design activities, often project-based, and may include working at customer sites.

Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees, we foster a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to achieve our shared goals. We uphold values of respect, integrity, and accountability to cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive.

Key Responsibilities

Understanding Customer / Partner Technical Environment

• Gather comprehensive customer/partner insights from diverse stakeholders to shape and execute projects effectively.
• Anticipate industry trends and leverage insights to strategically influence long-term technology initiatives.
• Act as a customer advocate, sharing insights with Product Engineering teams to enhance Microsoft technologies and offerings.
• Define and document architecture to clearly communicate the business solution's value proposition and project approach.
• Demonstrate business value (e.g., revenue generation, cost savings) to resolve requirement ambiguities, documenting assumptions where necessary.

Architecture Design and Deployment

• Collaborate with the Account Team to understand customer requirements and contribute to solution development.
• Drive alignment based on customer priorities, requirements, and principles, documenting solution approaches and trade-offs.
• Support implementation in close partnership with the delivery team, resolving technical and non-technical issues.
• Develop strategies to prevent and circumvent complex or escalated scenarios, leveraging specialist skills for technical alignment.

Practice Development

• Generate new or improve existing intellectual property, identifying patterns to drive impactful changes.
• Champion the re-use of intellectual property and recommended practices in both pre-sales and delivery.
• Lead virtual teams by sharing insights and technical expertise across internal communities, leveraging deep Microsoft architecture knowledge.

Trusted Advisor

• Cultivate a strong internal and external network of senior-level decision makers to influence problem resolution and facilitate diverse perspectives.
• Advise external stakeholders, maintaining expertise in Microsoft technologies to communicate the company's mission and capabilities.
• Articulate complex concepts simply to guide optimal outcomes, connecting customers/partners with relevant ideas and resources.

Thought Leadership

• Share strategic and technical insights with internal teams, actively pursuing opportunities to expand organizational impact.
• Mentor less experienced colleagues, educating them on technical and non-technical concepts and best practices.

Culture

• Thrive in challenging situations, demonstrating flexibility and managing through ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Enable others through inclusive stakeholder engagement, teamwork, and problem-solving, welcoming diverse viewpoints.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field AND 12+ years of experience in technology solutions, practice development, architecture, consulting, and/or a technology domain (e.g., Security) OR Master's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field AND 6+ years of experience in similar areas.
• 2+ years managing multiple projects or portfolios.
• 1+ year(s) experience leading blended, multidisciplinary teams.

Key skills/competency

• Solution Architecture
• R&D Solutions
• Client Engagement
• Technical Leadership
• Business Value Proposition
• System Design
• Application Design
• Process Design
• Stakeholder Management
• Intellectual Property Development