Service Solution Architect

Job description / Role

Scope

Location: City Stars Office, Cairo
Geographic area of responsibility: Middle East and Africa
Reports to: MEA Pre-Sales Director
Languages: Fluent spoken and written English and Arabic language capability required
Customer facing
Has no direct reports, but often leads and/or guides the activities of virtual teams to build service solution propositions for customers
Works with multiple customers across all sectors and countries in the CSS MEA region, in collaboration with Oracle CSS and Oracle cross-line-of-business (xLoB) teams
Works on services related opportunities across the entire lifecycle of all Oracle cloud and on-premises products. CSS opportunities typically involve extensive Oracle xLoB collaboration and require the CSS Service Solution Architect to work within xLoB teams, covering enhanced support, operations, and managed services requirements
Works with the local CSS Sales and xLoB teams to:

• Identify, build, and win leading edge/new logo services opportunities across existing and new Oracle CSS customers
• Use their IT services expertise to work with customers to identify a complete picture of services requirements and validate that all appropriate options have been considered
• Build and articulate compelling CSS service solutions for each opportunity, addressing identified customer business needs
• Work with our service delivery teams and SMEs to ensure the service requirements, risks, and costs associated with each CSS service proposition are fully understood and addressed
• Provide services subject matter expert input into contract and commercial documentation and negotiation
• Assist CSS to continue to achieve its growth targets and strategic initiatives
• Work with appropriate Oracle Partners, i.e. resellers, SIs, partners, and alliances

Responsibilities

To identify, foster, and define Oracle CSS services solutions for specific customer opportunities and assist in the sale alongside the CSS sales representative
Work with the customer, CSS management, and the xLoB account teams to:

• Understand the customer's business and IT strategic requirements and identify large scale CSS opportunities to assist the customer achieve its strategic goals
• Gather and assess customer needs, both business and technical, and translate these into CSS service solutions
• Build and lead virtual teams associated with these large scale opportunities

Effectively communicate with customers to be able to articulate both the high level principles and detail of all service components in a proposed customer solution
Build customer loyalty through achieving a trusted advisor relationship
Work proactively to build and leverage an effective and extensive network across Oracle xLoBs - be seen, respected, and in demand across Oracle as a high value asset and an SME in service solutions
Collaborate effectively internally and externally to ensure effective service solution design and development
Drive compelling proposals, presentations, and other customer and internal communications and discussions during opportunities
Drive service solution costing and pricing associated with specific opportunities and ensure that service solutions proposed are appropriately shaped to meet the commercial and contracting requirements of Oracle
Demonstrate a strong understanding of the IT services competitive marketplace
Work with disparate groups including, but not limited to, sales, delivery, customers, risk management, business development, contracts, commercial, product management
Work with CSS delivery throughout the sales cycle to ensure a smooth transition from sales to delivery
Navigate Oracle internal tools and processes to effectively participate and enable CSS sales
Transfer knowledge to other participant roles on the deal, account teams, delivery, and across the CSS Service Solution Architect community

Experience

CSS SSAs have 10+ years of experience in relevant IT services, across a wide range of technologies and customer sectors.

A typical experience profile for successful individuals in this role would include most if not all of the following:

• 10+ years of IT services, including significant direct experience of services roles within external IT services providers
• Broad understanding of typical enterprise applications and IT infrastructures including public and on-premises cloud, including but not limited to Oracle technologies
• Experience of working in a services presales role within an IT services provider
• General experience in IT services, service operations, and service management, including managed services/outsourcing
• IT project and programme management experience, including transformation, migration, and solution deployment projects
• Commercial and contract management, including construction and negotiation of pricing and custom contracting for complex service offers
• Sales and complex deal negotiation
• Architecting, implementing, and delivering complex service solutions for a range of mission critical IT environments
• Consulting and trusted-advisor roles within major customer organisations in relation to IT services
• Proven ability to construct and deliver compelling presentations and propositions to audiences
• Driving multiple IT services bids in parallel

About the Company

Oracle offers an integrated array of applications, databases, servers, storage, and cloud technologies to empower modern business. For most companies, flexibility is critical. Oracle provides a wide choice of software, systems, and cloud deployment models - including public, on-premises, and hybrid clouds - to ensure that technology flexes to the unique needs of a business.

Oracle Cloud is a complete, integrated stack of platform, infrastructure, and application services. With advanced scalability and security, Oracle Cloud enables technical agility across the enterprise, connects people to information for clearer insights, and fosters efficiency through simplified workflows.

More than 420,000 customers across 145 countries have harnessed Oracle technology to accelerate their digital transformation.