Salesforce, Pre-Sales Solution Architect

Applications Software Technology (AST) was founded on one simple thought, we put our people and our customers first, and you can never lose. AST is a globally recognized award-winning full-service enterprise Cloud transformation and systems integrator, specializing in Oracle Cloud, Salesforce, Oracle NetSuite, and JD Edwards, serving clients in the Public and Commercial Sectors for 29 years. Clients look to AST for leadership and assistance in systems integration, business process redesign, project management, systems administration, and training. From on-premises applications to modern Cloud technology, AST’s services encompass all aspects of Enterprise Resource Planning, Business Intelligence, Enterprise Performance Management, Customer Experience, and Middleware. AST also offers flexible Managed Services, supporting the needs of over 200 Public Sector and Commercial customers around the globe. If you're someone with energy, drive, and creativity, AST might be the place for you.

Currently, we are looking for a Salesforce, Salesforce Presales Solution Architect (Public Sector) to join our team. This is a full-time position that can sit anywhere in the United States. We are looking for an experienced individual that will help us accelerate our growth and improve our positioning in this market. with the expectation of travel as needed to customer and prospect sites.

What You'll Do

• Provide technical support in sales calls, solution presentations, and assist the Salesforce Sales Team in understanding customer requirements.
• Provide input for RFI and RFP responses, including the effort estimate, project resourcing, timeline, implementation methodology and solution components.
• Lead and facilitate discovery and scoping sessions with clients.
• Anticipate customer needs and identify appropriate solution alternatives.
• Incorporate experience, business savvy, creative and out-of-the-box thinking in designing solutions; offer multiple potential solutions.
• Provide recommendations on third-party applications.
• Work with Sales and Delivery team to develop customer demonstrations and prototypes.
• Support 'proof of concept' installations to help customers evaluate our capabilities.
• Conduct knowledge transfer to delivery team during the sales-to-delivery hand-off.
• Work with project teams to develop and validate estimates to support Change Orders
• Contribute to estimating and SOW templates.
• Maintain certifications and continually explore solution capabilities of the Salesforce ecosystem.
• Acts as a Lead Architect for sales opportunities, crafting solutions for prospects based upon business requirements
• Develop scoping estimates to develop and implement solutions proposed to prospects that include Salesforce and any related technologies such as middleware and integrations to support the solutions
• Ensures proposed solution meets prospective client's requirements, is functionally complete, and ensures solution aligns with and utilizes AST intellectual property
• Leads strategic planning activities and business case development
• Performs responsibilities including solution proposal management, solution design, solution review, risk analysis, proposal preparation and client presentations

What You’ll Bring

• 5-10+ years of relevant implementation and Architect level experience, preferably within public sector
• 5+ years of Salesforce implementation experience
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Salesforce public sector consulting and implementation experience
• Salesforce certifications (e.g., Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA), Salesforce Certified Solution Architect, Salesforce Certified Application Architect) are preferred
• Significant exposure to clients ideally within public sector domain
• Superior level on public sector trends, industry standards, emerging products & technology, and related subjects
• Strong communications skills with the ability to interface with all levels of internal and client project teams.
• In-depth experience in Cloud technologies.
• Understanding of key architectural frameworks, architectural design approaches and development methodologies
• Ability to understand and explain related technical issues, and skills related to working and resolving problems in customer accounts.
• Candidate must demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills. They will spend a good part of their time in verbal one-on-one and one-to-many situations discussing a technical approach to solving a customer issue.
• Written communications skills are required to assist with RFP responses

What We Bring

At AST, people are the center of everything we do, and we work to provide you with benefits beyond a paycheck. We strive to develop and recognize our people at all levels and give them the rewards they deserve. We offer full benefits including medical, dental, vision, retirement/401k, disability, life insurance, and unlimited PTO for all our North American employees to balance your work and life. We also offer additional benefits, such as commuter benefits, legal insurance, pet insurance, sabbatical leave, education reimbursement, parental leave, and much more.

Our Culture

At AST, people are the center of everything we do. In 29 years of business, we know that putting our people first is the key to success. Our passion for people has earned us multiple awards. Here are some of the most recent:

• 2023 National Cultural Excellence for Remote Work by Energage
• 2023 National Cultural Excellence for Innovation by Energage
• 2023 National Cultural Excellence for DE&I Practices by Energage
• 2023 National Cultural Excellence for Leadership by Energage
• 2023 Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces by Energage (5 th consecutive year)
• 2022 Top Workplaces in the Nation by Energage
• 2022 National Cultural Excellence for Leadership by Energage
• 2022 National Cultural Excellence for Innovation by Energage
• 2022 Dallas Fort Worth’s 2022 Best and Brightest Companies to Work for by National Association for Business Resources (NABR)

We foster a culture of trust, ownership, and innovation at every level of the organization. All doors are open and everyone’s ideas matter, giving our people the ability to quickly understand our customers’ needs and translate those needs into action. While we celebrate individual wins, we always strive for shared success. We are One AST.

Statement of Non-Discrimination: We value global diversity and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where we learn from each other. AST is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, making all employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status or any other characteristic or classification protected by law.