Solution Architect Lead 

Location: Remote           Exemption Status: Exempt 

PURPOSE 

Ascend Technologies is seeking a Solution Architect Lead to coach and develop our Salesforce delivery team, as well as design and deliver Salesforce implementations. This role will support the Director of Delivery & Operations in leading and growing our Salesforce practice.  This role will deliver consulting efforts to our customers, including Salesforce and related cloud technologies implementations using implementation best practices and the ability to translate complex problems in layman’s terms.   

The Solution Architect Lead will have expansive experience with the Salesforce platform and related technologies. This role will support the day-to-day functions within our Salesforce delivery teams working closely with the other Consultants, Developers, Architects, and Project Managers to deliver highly quality solutions. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

The Solution Architect Lead has these primary areas of responsibility: 

1. Technical Expertise 

• Be the Expert: Serve as a subject matter expert on Salesforce platform; stay up to date on new Salesforce products.  Demonstrate an understanding of overall system architecture, how systems work and relate to Salesforce (i.e. ERP systems, Apps, and other CRM systems).  

• Disseminate Expertise: Continuously stay on top of market direction, demands and new technologies, and disseminate expertise throughout the technical delivery team and the sales team.  This includes certifications and increased practical depth of knowledge on the Salesforce platform. 

• Conduct Business and System Research: Perform research on systems other than Salesforce and design/advise on the overall business needs of the solution. Assess new technologies, concepts, and business models, while demonstrating a history of staying current in emerging technology trends to meet business goals. 

2. Team Development and Strategy 

• Grow Delivery Team: Partner with Director of Delivery & Operations in technical interviews to grow our Salesforce W2 and 1099 delivery team. 

• Build Training and Professional Development: Partner with Director of Delivery & Operations to ensure Salesforce delivery team is provided strong leadership, coaching, performance feedback, and well-defined career advancement plans. 

• Deliver Coaching: Partner with Director of Delivery & Operations to monitor job performance through direct observation and provide necessary coaching and motivation to maximize employee contribution and organizational performance. 

• Support Creation of Service Offering: Support leadership in creation and maintenance of service catalog and pricing tools, in strategic alignment with customer/market demands. 

• Support of Sales/Marketing Strategic Plan: Bring technical expertise to sales strategic planning and the creation of marketing content. 

• Achieve Department KPIs: Track to departmental targets to include utilization, revenue, gross profit, etc. via supporting SAS systems and processes (i.e. identify opportunities to pull revenue forward during monthly forecasting). 

3. Project Design and Configuration 

• Scope Projects: Provide presales support by driving deeper-level technical requirements during the sales process in order to scope and estimate the project. 

• Assess Business Processes: Define required business and technical goals, and mapping customer business processes to Salesforce features, suggest improvements and efficiencies for the overall solution being provided. Develop complex workflows to automate process where applicable. 

• Create Project Plan: Develop and execute Project Plan that ensures customers objectives are accomplished within timelines/budgets. 

• Document User Stories: Collect and document detailed requirements. Advise and influence leaders on trends that could potentially affect the success of a function or business area. 

• Design Solutions: Design customized solutions and execute the solution by leveraging Salesforce and other toolsets. Understand third party integrations and functionality and impact of these integrations, and ability to document and diagram an end-to-end data flow process. 

• Demonstrate Project Delivery: Demo work as completed, obtain feedback, and adjust as needed. Deliver scope and documentation as defined in SOW. 

• Validate and Test: Validate the development and configuration work to ensure it meets the project's criteria.  Facilitate system and user testing and deliver project training via train-the-trainer where needed. 

• Facilitate Meetings: Prepare presentations and effectively facilitate meetings as needed. 

4. Collaboration 

• Lead the Project Team: Manage a development team on projects providing oversight and leadership through the entirety of the project; this could include customer-side team management. Provide coaching, technical mentoring, guidance, clarification, and feedback to team members. 

• Develop Customer Relationships: Successfully build and nurture long-term customer relationships. Establish and build a rapport with customers to identify areas of future business. Lead and solve client escalations as necessary. 

• Partner with Sales: Work alongside account owner throughout sales and project delivery process in alignment with customer goals. Engage with Sales Engineer to ensure scope is aligned with delivery capabilities and departmental KPIs. 
  
  As the Solution Architect Lead:  

• You have experience in our field - You have extensive experience in the Salesforce ecosystem and have successfully navigated the delivery landscape. 

• You have leadership experience - You’ve led and grown a team of smart, technical people with good ideas who want to get to the next level. You realize your team is your greatest strength and you support their career development and advancement. 

• You understand the importance of strategic thinking - You've implemented and managed delivery processes that scale across large projects and managed services engagements. You're a strategic thinker and you see the big picture. 

PREFERRED SKILLS, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE  

• B.S. degree in Computer Science, Business, or equivalent years of professional experience in a relevant field 
• 8+ years of experience overseeing the technical direction, development, and implementation of Salesforce software solutions 
• 5+ years of consulting experience 
• Certifications: Admin, Sales/Service Cloud, Platform App Builder or Platform Developer 1 
• Previous project management experience 
• In-depth understanding of coding languages (Java, JavaScript) 
• Strong experience with configuration, customization, programming with APEX Classes, APEX Triggers, Process Builder, Flows, Lightning components and implementing new instances of Salesforce
• Salesforce integration experience, including between different business systems as well as working with integration tools
• Possess working knowledge of and a commitment to greater understanding of evolving Salesforce and related technologies
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions that demonstrate good judgment 
• Must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in business analysis, negotiation, problem solving, and interpersonal skills 

At Ascend Technologies we firmly believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not only fundamental values but also powerful drivers of innovation, growth, and success. We are committed to fostering an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered. 

CORE VALUES 

We are seeking highly motivated individuals who have the willingness and ability to demonstrate Ascend core values:   

• Committed to Client Success: Our actions and our words always align with the best interest of the client. 

• One Team: We work collaboratively to overcome challenges with humility and respect and do what it takes to find innovative solutions. 

• Integrity: We are unquestionably committed to doing the right thing even when it is hard. 

• Accountability: We hold ourselves and each other accountable for keeping our commitments to our clients, our communities, and one another. 

• Transparency: We create open lines of communication with each other and our clients, fostering relationships founded on candor and trust.