Solution Architect- AI

Microsoft Industry Solutions Delivery is a global organization hosting over 6,000 strategic sellers, industry and security experts, elite engineers, world-class data scientists and architects, consultants, and delivery specialists. Together with our partners, we help Microsoft’s most strategic customers worldwide to address their specific challenges and provide comprehensive and industry-specific solutions that meet their unique needs.

Our organization is at the forefront of innovation, driving value across the entirety of the customers’ digital and AI transformation journey through repeatable and customized cutting-edge solutions powered by Microsoft Cloud and AI. We take pride in embodying Microsoft's mission of empowerment, promoting a growth mindset, inspiring excellence, and fostering a culture of inclusivity where everyone is encouraged to share their unique perspectives and be their authentic selves. By joining our team, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to life-changing innovations that impact billions of people worldwide.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities

Are you ready to help shape the future of technology within ISD?

As a Solution Architect at Microsoft, you'll be at the forefront of innovation, designing and deploying cutting-edge architectures that transform businesses. You'll collaborate with top-tier stakeholders, drive project governance, and act as a trusted advisor, ensuring the seamless implementation of groundbreaking solutions. Join us and be a part of a team that turns visionary ideas into reality!Our organization is at the forefront of innovation, driving value across the entirety of the customers’ digital and AI transformation journey through repeatable and customized cutting-edge solutions powered by Microsoft Cloud and AI. We take pride in embodying Microsoft's mission of empowerment, promoting a growth mindset, inspiring excellence, and fostering a culture of inclusivity where everyone is encouraged to share their unique perspectives and be their authentic selves. By joining our team, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to life-changing innovations that impact billions of people worldwide.

Understanding Customer/Partner Technical Environment

• Gathers customer/partner insights from a broad range of stakeholders as well as the main business sponsor to shape and form both the definition and ongoing execution of projects. Identifies and evaluates industry trends (customer industry verticals, information technology [IT] industry). Adapts business models, plans, and solutions to insights.

• Works with customer/partner stakeholders (e.g., Enterprise Architects, Security Team, Development Team, Operations Team) and business sponsor to socialize both the business solution and the project approach to determine if changes are needed to the business solution. Where the cost of change is accepted by the customer, shares this feedback with the project team and the broader account team to make the necessary adjustments using mechanisms such as updating the solution approach and projected costs in presales and change requests in delivery. Contributes to Microsoft-centric operations and cadences to align with customer feedback.

• Uses evidence-based approach to represent the customer/partner as a customer advocate and shares insights with Product Engineering teams and the business with a view to improving Microsoft technologies, products, services, and offerings such that they can better meet customer/partner needs across a territory.

Architecture Design and Deployment

• Leverages a structured approach to Architecture Projects using existing methodologies (e.g., Waterfall, Agile, Iterative) that make use of existing reference architecture and established architectural styles and design patterns. Proposes and develops new solutions to scale across multiple customers/partners. Builds and maintains an architecture description document, an architecture decisions log, and a requirements/constraints traceability matrix to ensure the rationale for the business solution's Architecture is known and understood.

• Defines and documents the architecture through an architecture description document, an architecture decisions log, and a requirements/constraints traceability matrix to communicate the value proposition of the business solution along with the project approach. Leads complex cost-based and technology-based discussions to explain the Architecture in terms of its build, deployment, and ongoing operational use to determine customer appetite for the business solution. Uses a business-value approach that values return on investment (ROI) and customer costs-savings over technical ease of execution.

• Collaborates with the Project Manager to jointly drive project/technical governance of the design, build, and deployment into use of proof of concepts (POCs) and pilots, using enterprise architecture processes and ensuring quality control through peer review. Works with customers to understand and demonstrate business value (e.g., release of revenue, cost savings) that the business solution realize.

• Works with the business sponsor and customer/partner stakeholders (e.g., Business users, Enterprise Architects, Security Team, Operations Team) to gather and ratify requirements and constraints. Manages and resolves complex ambiguity in the requirements and constraints and documents assumptions and implications where it cannot be resolved. Maintains the requirements/constraints traceability matrix to prove that solution components have a rationale/justification for inclusion in the architecture of the business solution. Drives development and execution of test plans to prove that each requirement/constraint has been implemented as expected by the customer. Where there are defects, works in close collaboration with the Project Manager and Customer to redress or accept and document the status of the test results.

• Collaborates with the Account Team and/or Bid Team to understand the business solution/problem. Drives agreement, based on the customer’s priorities, requirements/constraints, approach, principles, concepts, and expectations. Builds and documents a realistically costed, advanced/complex Solution Approach with traceability of requirements, constraints, decisions, and tradeoffs that balances risk, technical credibility, and technical innovation to meet customer need, predominantly based on existing solution offerings and/or reference architecture. Jointly leads the implementation in close partnership with the Project Manager. Leads oversight and governance and establishment of quality practices and standards to realize the business solution. Uses a cohesive build methodology with an agreed release schedule and timeline so the solution can be transitioned to live operations, leveraging solution expertise. Ensures communication of and adherence to the pre-sales value proposition. Works with the Project Manager to highlight where assumptions have proven false. Uses change requests to modify the Solution/project approach when needed. As needed, collaborates with subject matter experts to receive specialized advice that can help define the Solution and project approach and increase the time to value for the customer.

• Anticipates and identifies scenarios that could slow or impede pre-sales/delivery. Orchestrates the broader Microsoft team to address technical blockers and works with account/project team to resolve non-technical issues. Reports significant problems to Microsoft management and resolves escalations when needed. Plans a way forward in complex and ambiguous situations with an innovative approach and durable design. Delegates and leverages specialist skills of others to drive technical alignment across internal/external teams. Coordinates disparate approaches into a single plan of action for complex scenarios.

• Works in close collaboration with the Project Manager and Account Team to identify, categorize, and communicate business and technical risks. Defines risk mitigation activities that are foundational to the project plan. Defines risk contingency plans for invocation should the risk occur. When appropriate, oversees a broad portfolio of accounts. Manages and ensures the all-up delivery of consulting engagements, as necessary.

Practice Development

• Generates new and/or improvements to existing intellectual property. Connects gaps and patterns across business and technology areas to drive changes. Identifies which ideas should be culled, with consideration for scale across customers. Drives the re-use of intellectual property and recommends practices in both pre-sales and delivery. Participates and contributes to internal/external communities.

Trusted Advisor

• Develops a network of internal/external relationships with senior-level decision makers to build influence in addressing problems/blockers and facilitating additional views on the matter of interest. Acts as an advisor to external stakeholders. Provides direction to facilitate relationships between others. Stays up to date on Microsoft’s technologies, products, and services in order to communicate Microsoft's mission, strategy, and capabilities. When appropriate, develops a strategic relationship with key stakeholders within the customer portfolio, often as part of a steering committee, to ensure service delivery is on track and major issues are being anticipated, identified, and managed.

• Uses evidence-based arguments that articulate complex concepts in a simple manner to respectfully challenge Microsoft and customers/partners when a decision or course of action will not produce optimal results. Leverages strategic expertise to encourage alternative approaches where applicable. Serves as the "technical conscience" to challenge the status quo and unrealistic expectations. Proactively resolves conflicts and seeks resolution to balance the overall outcome. Drives consensus where possible and leads decisions to resolve conflict when needed.

• Leads the adoption of Microsoft solutions technologies based on understanding of competitor solutions and how customer business value can be driven through Microsoft's offerings. Differentiates Microsoft's solutions in customer/partner conversations to influence the industry-wide direction for specific architecture(s).

Thought Leadership

• Leads virtual teams around technologies and customer/partner challenges by sharing ideas, insight, and strategic, technical input with technical teams, internal communities across the field, and the larger virtual team across Microsoft using knowledge of Microsoft architectures and their context in the competitive landscape.

• Participates in external architect community events (e.g., conferences, seminars, technical meetups, Webcasts, blogs, hackathons) and shares learnings with internal team. Acts a mentor to less experienced colleagues by educating them on technical and non-technical concepts and sharing best practices. Demonstrates deep industry knowledge and drives recognition for Microsoft solutions through presentations and engagements with external audiences.

Qualifications

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years experience in technology solutions, practice development, architecture, consulting, and/or technology domain (e.g., Security) OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years experience in technology solutions, practice development, architecture, consulting, and/or technology domain (e.g., Security) OR equivalent experience.

• 1+ year(s) experience leading blended, multidisciplinary teams.

• 2+ years managing multiple projects or portfolios.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field AND 10+ years' experience in technology solutions, practice development, architecture, consulting, and/or technology domain (e.g., Security)

  • OR Master's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years experience in technology solutions, practice development, architecture, consulting, and/or technology domain (e.g., Security)

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.