Overview
Do you want to help enrich the lives of learners worldwide?
At RM, we’ve been pioneers of education technology since 1973. We provide technology and resources to the education sector supporting over 10 million students around the world. We work with 28,000 schools, nurseries, and education trusts in 115 countries to deliver customer-centric solutions that improve education outcomes worldwide.
What we do helps learners at all stages of their lives, from preschool to higher education and professional qualification. We partner with schools, examination boards, central governments, and other professional institutions to enrich the lives of learners.
The Solution Architect is to be highly skilled and motivated and will join our Technical Pre-Sales Team, focusing on the UK education sector. The ideal candidate will possess deep technical knowledge of infrastructure products and solutions, and have a passion for leveraging technology to enhance educational environments. This role involves working closely with sales teams, partners, and customers to provide technical expertise, drive product adoption, and ensure successful implementation of infrastructure solutions.
The role provides an elevated level of technical expertise to our customers ranging from network managers to senior leaders from a single school to a large academy trust; working with all areas of sales and account management teams to ensure that we can provide effective, value for money, and technically sound solutions.
The Solution Architect will provide technical ownership for solutions. The role holder will have the opportunity to design and respond to a range of sales opportunities as well as upcoming government-run programmes and RM project initiatives.
The Solution Architect is to be a self-starter, reporting solely to the Technical Pre-Sales Manager.
Responsibilities
* The Solution Architect is a customer-facing role, requiring the holder to spend time working proactively and reactively with customers through virtual and face-to-face interaction in schools and Multi Academy Trusts.
* The Solution Architect is to attend partner training and gain certifications to ensure we retain partnership levels and to support product knowledge.
* Where agreed with the Technical Pre-Sales manager, attend events run by the funding partner, as and where relevant, to grow the client base and create opportunities.
* Create, maintain, and present high-level opportunities, values, and status to internal and external stakeholders.
* Attend bi-weekly partner business reviews to discuss opportunities, trends, and stock.
* Provide in-depth technical knowledge and support for infrastructure products and solutions, including wireless, switching, security, and network management to the sales and bid team, including joint customer-facing meetings.
* Collaborate with sales teams to understand customer requirements, design tailored solutions, and deliver compelling product demonstrations and presentations, translating technical solutions into educational and financial benefits.
* Architect proposals based on customers’ requirements that are deliverable, supportable, value for money, and future-proofed. Review solutions being proposed for existing and new customers that address the unique challenges and needs of educational institutions.
* Understand emerging technology and how it applies to education. Work with Service Account Managers to identify early adopters and present the benefits of the technology to school decision-makers.
* Work with people throughout the company and third-party companies on the preparation of Quotes/Statements of Work for presentation to the customer.
* Bid Architecture – this may range from providing technical input to an informal sales proposal all the way through to being the solution owner as part of a large strategic formal bid (e.g., Academies and new builds).
* Improve the RM infrastructure product offering by working with product managers and product teams across the company on current and future product developments.
* Work with the Technical Pre-sales Manager and wider team to create and maintain technical documentation, including solution designs, heatmaps, cost models, and best practices.
* Work with the Technical Pre-sales Manager embedding and delivering on key strategic initiatives.
Pre-Sales Delivery
* Support the Technical Pre-sales Manager with identifying and applying appropriate standardized processes, tools, and reporting, to assist efficiency and automation of pre-sales technical support, with a high level of accuracy and professionalism.
* Work with the Technical Pre-sales Manager to understand the appropriate technical training needs and support the bid processes, with consideration to achieving profitable strategic outcomes.
* Where appropriate, work with the Technical Pre-sales Manager to help maintain relationships with key partners looking to develop infrastructure standards and processes.
* Work with product management to provide tiered infrastructure training and guidance to the sales, bid teams, and the wider group where required.
* Support Sales and the wider Technical Pre-Sales team by uncovering upsell and cross-sell opportunities encompassing our RM portfolio.
Proposition Development
* Working with internal colleagues and third-party companies on standardizing infrastructure product sets for ease of onboarding, selling, delivering, and supporting.
* Working with the Technical Pre-sales Manager to help the improvement of our infrastructure offering by providing insight to Product Managers on trends and gaps around customer needs and influencing current and future product developments. Collaborating with key stakeholders on the release of new propositions, to ensure they can be sold effectively into the market.
Experience
You will have proven experience of:
* Delivering detailed technical solutions.
* Presenting to high-stake customers.
* Ability to work accurately under pressure.
* Working in a highly collaborative environment.
You will be:
* A self-starter.
* Able to work in isolation or as part of a wider team. Must be a team player, energetic with a positive attitude.
* Work to short deadlines.
* Comfortable making key solution decisions.
You will have:
* Strong communication skills and the ability to present to key customers, including Principals, SLT, Governors, Government.
* A logical, analytical approach to problem-solving.
* Good communication skills, both written and spoken.
* Excellent planning, organizing, and time management skills.
* Exacting attention to detail.
* Ownership for proposing and implementing solutions.
* Good analytical ability.
* Excellent leadership skills.
* Detail orientation.
* Ability to present technical solutions to technical and non-technical customers.
What’s in it for you?
At RM we have "My Work Blend @RM" which provides office-based colleagues with multi-location and hybrid working options to suit them. As well as your office base, you can spend a proportion of your time working at other locations that suit your role and your life, including home, other offices, customer sites, distribution centres, or on the move. We encourage you to discuss arrangements for this role with your potential line manager during the recruitment process. We expect how we make best use of hybrid working may continue to adapt as we adjust to our new ways of working.
RM is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all permanent and temporary staff to share this commitment. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and all successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.
As well as a competitive salary and our core benefits package which includes private medical healthcare, life assurance and a Group Personal Pension Plan with higher contribution levels available, some roles are also eligible for a performance-related bonus. There are lots of voluntary benefits too. You could buy additional annual leave, join our dental plan, sign for a health assessment, or take part in our cycle to work scheme. You could even earn yourself an extra bonus for successfully recommending a friend or family member for a position within RM.
To better reflect the society that we serve, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. To achieve this, we create teams of talented people from different backgrounds and experiences and strive to be a business where our people can bring their whole selves to work. We also want to make the recruitment process as inclusive as possible for everyone. Should you require additional support with your application or through the interview process, please contact us at recruitment@rm.com.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
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