Principal Architect
World Wide Technology
- Saint Louis, MO
- Permanent
- Full-time
- The Principal Architect understands all client scopes and objectives. They will be the one solution / technical voice facing the client externally and the escalation point internally for WWT employees, Partners, and Contractors.
- The Principal Architect will partner with the PMO counterpart to resolve Risks and Issues upon identification.
- The Principal Architect is accountable for resolving technical Risks and Issues in their project using their background and the array of resources available within WWT.
- The Principal Architect holds staff, contractors, and partners responsible for ensuring that the WWT best practices and templates are followed and delivered to the customer.
- The Principal Architect will review deployment documents, technical assessments, and other technical outputs to ensure a correct and consistent tone is delivered as defined by “One Voice.”
- The Principal Architect will manage their respective project as if it were their own stand-alone business and deliver a service that matches WWTs expectations, focusing on profitability and professionalism.
- Main technical contact between WWT and customer from beginning to end of a project ensuring the team meets the customer's technical needs.
- Demonstrated ability to lead architecture development activities and methodologies leading to comprehensive discovery, analysis, and technical/business recommendations.
- Advanced communication skills, including business/technical writing and presentations.
- Advanced ability to present in-depth technical solutions.
- Self-motivation with the ability to motivate and energize a project team.
- Drive to exceed customer and project goals.
- Demonstrate ability to work successfully at all customer levels, from C-level executives to end users.
- Thoughtful leadership and innovative thinking.
- Can maintain positive peer & customer service attitude in the face of significant challenges.
- Drive additional profitable growth within the accounts.
- Develop relationships throughout the customer's organization to source new business.
- Responsible for the delivery of project work, ongoing quality of the work, ensuring standards and delivery methodologies are being followed and appropriate resources are available to meet the current and future demands of the project.
- Participate with Sales during the sales process through Project Scoping Workshops (PSWs), presentations, solutions, and development of Scopes of Work.
- Provide the bridge between Sales and Professional Services as new opportunities are closed.
- Proven track record of customer focus, including the ability to foster long-term client relationships.
- Ability to successfully manage partner and vendor resources.
- General understanding of financial forecasting, reporting, and budgeting.
- Personnel management experience.
- Expert knowledge of project architectural principles and practices.
- Willingness to travel.
- Proactively detects technical deficiencies and develops practical, workable solutions to problems.
- Takes full responsibility for the overall execution and delivery of critical tasks or projects.
- Creates an environment where others feel safe to be open and candid and where conflicting ideas and opinions are regularly discussed.
- Conveys the WWT vision in real and relevant terms that others can identify with, helping others see how things will improve.
- Stays focused on the team and WWT strategic priorities and allocates their time and resources accordingly.
- Works with and through others to consistently break down barriers between teams.
- Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor.
- Proactively seek ways to expand technical knowledge.
- Possesses professional maturity and presence.
- Works actively on mentoring and team development with more junior team members.
- Proficient in the aspects of project launch and closure.
- Ability to act as a technical expert.
- Good technical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Manage technical swim lanes of large or multi-disciplinary/multi-phased projects, including planning, staffing, budgeting, and delivery.
- Maintain current knowledge of industry trends and tools to provide best-practice insight and best-in-class recommendations to management.
- Ensure that all components and usage are consistent and compliant with all applicable regulatory, departmental, IT, and corporate standards, policies, and guidelines.
- Perpetually positive and optimistic, lives and breathes core values.
- Ability to solve problems and resolve project dysfunction using creativity or leveraging core values.
- Ability to leverage core values to hold individuals or teams accountable and advocate core values.
- Minimum five years (5) of industry experience in IT infrastructure architecture development and technology consulting, advisory, or professional services.
- 3-5 years’ experience as a Senior or Lead Architect or equivalent experience.
- Proven track record of successfully managing and delivering complex IT projects on time and within budget, utilizing programmatic approaches e.g. Agile or Waterfall
- Demonstrated ability to design, develop, and implement scalable, reliable, and efficient technical solutions.
- Extensive experience in leading cross-functional teams in the execution of IT programs, including defining scope, milestones, and deliverables, while ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and stakeholder expectations
- Skilled in navigating uncertain and rapidly changing environments, with a proven ability to use data to identify core issues and make informed recommendations
- Exceptional problem-solving skills, with a knack for breaking down complex situations into manageable components, facilitating clear decision-making processes and action plans.
- Strong communication and leadership abilities, capable of rallying team members around a unified vision and driving forward progress, even when faced with incomplete information or shifting priorities.
- Expertise in aligning technical solutions with business objectives, demonstrating a deep understanding of how technology can drive efficiency, growth, and competitive advantage.
- Experience in conducting thorough needs analyses and collaborating closely with business stakeholders to ensure technical specifications deliver tangible business value.
- Proven capability in measuring the impact of technical solutions, e.g. KPIs, OKRs & ROI metrics to assess alignment with business outcomes and adjust strategies as necessary.
- Thorough understanding of at least one central WWT technology core focus area (Infrastructure Modernization, Security Transformation, or Multi-cloud architecture), key technology partners, and industry trends.
- One or more major industry IT certifications, ideally with one or more of WWT’s core OEM partners.
- Demonstrated leadership, team building, and management skills.
- Advanced client-facing skills, including analyzing and providing solutions to complex architecture or services problems, influencing and negotiating with clients.
- Demonstrated technical consulting experience in one or more vertical sectors: government, public sector, higher education, finance, health care, technology, or other commercial.