Lead Architect with German language (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.

German language skills are mandatory , as the role involves direct communication, workshops, presentations, and negotiations with German-speaking customers and stakeholders.

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 )

- Speak German at an advanced level ( C1 )

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