Consultant - Presales - IT

Pre Sales Consultant

Role summary :

- To develop quality communications solutions to meet customer business requirements. The process starts with the collection and analysis of all pertinent data essential to understanding customer requirements.

- The role takes responsibility for solution design inclusive of the underlying technical architecture, service level agreements, overall solution costing, delivery planning and representation of that solution as required.

- Customer facing activities such as customer presentations and negotiation in conjunction with the account manager is expected.

- Involved, during Pre-Sales phase, on - Accounts- for which large, complex, or turnkey type opportunities are proposed. Responsible for the end-to-end validation, including design of large, complex and nonstandard solutions covering technical architecture, delivery planning, compatibility with operational infrastructure, costing and SLA.. Has the overall accountability for development of the complete operational and technical solution to be contracted.

- Builds confidence with the customer and supports the account manager in selling the solution. Lead the production of a corresponding strategy, design and cost structure incorporating existing customer services.

- Ensure from the solution launch meeting through contract signature that all support and approvals required from internal and third party vendors are complete.

Key responsibilities :

- Assigned as a core team member to pre-qualify an opportunity before bringing to full DAC qualification. Perform an assessment of the opportunity and complete the solution qualification dashboard and produce a first cut, rough order magnitude model of the opportunity

- Work closely with the customer to understand their business objectives and compelling criteria to better shape the solution. During solution development and negotiations of scope change present the solution as required to expedite achieving a high level of agreement. Finalize the baseline through negotiate with the customer to gain agreement on technical and operational findings as a result of due diligence.

- Accountable for the production of an optimal solution meeting customer requirements utilizing GSI capabilities directly, through Partners, or other Third Parties

- Lead at least one technology / solution block and engage and direct other pre-sales consultants, design architects, and subject matter experts as required. Negotiate scope and service level adjustments during presales phase as required. Combine all available Business Services and Third Party resources to generate standard and non-standard service blocks.

- Responsible for obtaining the necessary validations and approvals for both solution and associated costs. Accountable for identification and quantification of the corresponding gaps and risk factors (technical, costing, SLA) and supporting mitigations in conjunction with Commercial Management

- Plan, manage, and lead key internal bid reviews: design to cost review, solution review and post contract handover review with the service delivery and project team.

- Lead the production of the consolidated technical solution proposal documents including high level design and presentations as required, working closely with the Bid Program Manager / Account Manager.

- Support the contracting process as the lead for the solution within the negotiating team, assessing customer desired changes relative to the impact on the solution and financial, as well as associated consequence of these changes.

- Last point of escalation for unresolved issues within the technical and operations arena

- Participate in customer meetings to present and defend the solution from a technical and operational standpoint

- Support the contracting process as the lead for the solution within the negotiating team, assessing customer desired changes relative to the impact on the solution and financial, as well as associated consequence of these changes

- Ability to choose partners, interface with them for the appropriate solution blocks and evaluate their scope and deliverables and fit into the overall solution to the customer.

- Demonstrate knowledge of industry technical developments within the Infrastructure and Solutions sectors; provide regular assessment of competitor propositions

- Contribute to Knowledge Management Repository to bring industry-leading solutions

Essential role related knowledge, skills, certifications, and experience :

Education, qualifications, and certifications :

- Degree in engineering, computer science or equivalent

- Recognized certifications such as CCIE (R&S), CCDP

Experience :

- 8 to 10 years of experience in sales support and design of Cisco Routing & Switching, SDA, SD-WAN, ACI, Data Center Switching and Mobility solutions

- Knowledge of CCW tool

- Designing Campus Infrastructure solutions, indoor/ outdoor WiFi solutions

- Knowledge of Cat 9K, 6500, 4500, 29xx, 9200, 9300, 9500, 9600 switching portfolio with experience of having configuration and troubleshooting done

- Preferred experience of Network programmability

- Having worked on perimeter security, NGFW, IPS/ IDS and other security solutions

- Knowledge of Cisco product portfolio with Juniper, HPE Aruba and other major OEMs.

- Track record of consultative selling / wider solution design; business acumen to assess opportunity

- Understanding of Professional Services for the above mentioned product portfolio

- Personal and professional credibility to challenge customer assumptions / internal responses

- Experience in building solutions form OEMs like Cisco (mandatory), Juniper, HPE Aruba, F5, Arista, Extreme.

Knowledge of :

Cisco R&S Infrastructure :

- Cat 2900, 3500, 3850, 4500, 6500

- ISR 43xx, 44xx, ISR 1000, ASR 1000

- Cat 9K

- Server / Link Load Balancers

- Indoor WiFi Solutions

Tangential Knowledge considered a positive :

- Financial analysis and modeling skills

- Value added services