Job Summary
At CDW, we deliver customer outcomes through deep technical expertise, trusted relationships, and a strong services led approach. The Senior Network Architect operates as a senior presale overlay within the Secure Networks practice, responsible for shaping, designing, and leading complex network and security solutions aligned to customer business outcomes. This role translates business requirements into high level architectures, drives solution strategy across multi vendor environments, and leads engagements from early discovery through to proposal and handover to delivery.
Role Overview
- Owning solution architecture for complex customer opportunities
- Leading discovery, design, and proposal activities
- Aligning technology solutions to business outcomes, KPIs, and commercial objectives
- Driving the integration of CDW's Professional and Managed Services into solution designs
- Supporting revenue growth through high value, outcome led engagements
Customer Engagement & Solution Ownership
- Lead customer discovery sessions to capture business and technical requirements
- Translate customer outcomes into scalable, high level architectures
- Act as the technical authority throughout the engagement lifecycle
- Present solutions confidently to technical and non technical stakeholders
Architecture & Design
- Produce high quality solution proposals and high level designs (HLDs) aligned to customer requirements
- Design secure, scalable, and resilient network architectures across campus, data centre, WAN, and cloud domains
- Ensure alignment with best practices, vendor validated designs, and CDW standards
- Support pricing, sizing, and commercial positioning
- Identify opportunities to enhance solutions with additional services or capabilities
- Contribute to pipeline growth and strategic opportunities
Multi Vendor Solution Strategy
- Define optimal technology stacks across networking and security domains
- Assess multiple vendor solutions for compatibility, scalability, and business fit
- Leverage vendor relationships, tools, and resources to validate designs
Services Integration
- Embed Professional and Managed Services into solution designs
- Support scoping and estimation of services aligned to customer outcomes
- Collaborate with delivery teams to ensure smooth transition post sale
Core Experience
- 10+ years in network architecture, design, or consulting roles
- Strong experience across enterprise and/or data centre networking
- Proven track record of leading customer facing technical engagements
Technical Expertise
- Enterprise networking: LAN, WAN, Data Centre (EVPN/VXLAN desirable)
- Security technologies: NGFW, ZTNA, IPS/IDS, segmentation (Micro & Macro), WAF
- Strong vendor experience (Cisco, Juniper, HPE Aruba, Arista, Fortinet, Palo Alto)
Architecture & Consulting Skills
- Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions
- Strong problem solving and solution design capability
- Experience producing high quality technical documentation (HLDs, proposals)
Communication & Stakeholder Management
- Confident presenter to senior stakeholders
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to influence and build consensus across technical and commercial teams
Commercial Awareness
- Understanding of solution pricing, risk, and commercial positioning
- Ability to align technical design with revenue and margin objectives
Key Competencies
- Customer focused and outcome driven
- Strong analytical and decision making capability
- Effective collaboration across cross functional teams
- High level of accountability and ownership
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
Nice to Have
- Experience with Zero Trust architectures and modern security frameworks
- Exposure to cloud networking (AWS, Azure)
- Exposure within observability and AIOps (Splunk, Logic Monitor, Big Panda)
- Experience with automation and AI driven operations (Python, NetBox, Ansible, Terraform)
- Relevant certifications (CCNP/CCIE, JNCIP/JNCIE, etc.)
- Working experience with AI within the workplace (Microsoft CoPilot)
Additional Requirements
- Willingness to travel as required (typically up to 25%)
CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.