Job Description

We strive to be Your Future, Your Solution to accelerate your career!

Contact Derek Milligan at dmilligan@saigepartners.com, you can also schedule an appointment at https://calendly.com/dmilligan-saigepartners/30min to learn more about this opportunity!

Solutions Architect, Networking & Security

The opportunity

Lead the design of secure, scalable network solutions from the first client conversation through delivery handoff. You’ll work across HPE Aruba Networking and Juniper Mist, with solutions spanning wired and wireless networks, SD-WAN and WAN, data centers, and cloud connectivity to Azure and AWS. Security is built into your designs, including segmentation, network access control, firewalls, and Zero Trust principles.

The impact you’ll make

This is a presales architecture role where you’ll partner with account executives to understand client goals, shape solutions, and demonstrate their value. You’ll guide clients through discovery, presentations, site surveys, and proofs of concept, then prepare clear designs and documentation so engineering and managed services teams can deliver with confidence.

The role carries a sales quota. You’ll share accountability with the account team for annual product and professional services targets. Your success also depends on how effectively you validate solutions and win proofs of concept.

What you’ll do

Lead presales engagements

• Partner with account executives to lead discovery, understand client needs, and recommend networking and security solutions.
• Present technical designs through presentations, live demos, site surveys, and proofs of concept.
• Respond to RFPs and RFIs with solution designs, bills of materials, and technical documentation.
• Address technical objections and explain how proposed solutions meet client requirements.

Design network solutions

• Turn business requirements into scalable, secure network architectures.
• Create high-level and detailed designs for LAN, wireless, WAN and SD-WAN, data center, and cloud-connected networks.
• Build in security controls such as segmentation, network access control, firewalls, and Zero Trust principles.
• Align designs with industry best practices and client compliance needs.
• Evaluate and recommend network hardware, software, and platforms.

Support a smooth delivery handoff

• Prepare technical specifications, network diagrams, and scopes of work for engineering teams.
• Keep architecture, configuration, and change documentation accurate and current.
• Support project engineers during implementation and answer design questions.
• Ensure solutions integrate with managed services and monitoring.

Advise and enable clients

• Help clients make technology decisions, plan roadmaps, and apply networking best practices.
• Lead workshops, network assessments, and technical enablement sessions.
• Explain technical concepts clearly to executive and non-technical audiences.

Contribute to technology direction

• Track networking trends, including AI-driven networking, and recommend promising technologies.
• Build relationships with vendor and distribution partner technical teams.
• Share client feedback to help shape services and go-to-market plans.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to internal design standards.

What you’ll bring

• 7+ years of experience in network engineering, network architecture, or presales engineering, ideally in an MSP or IT services environment.
• Deep knowledge of enterprise networking, including routing, switching, wireless LAN, VPN, SD-WAN, and IP services.
• Strong understanding of network security, including firewalls, network access control, segmentation, and Zero Trust.
• Hands-on experience with HPE Aruba Networking (AOS-CX, Aruba Central, ClearPass) and/or Juniper Mist.
• Working knowledge of cloud networking in Microsoft Azure and/or AWS.
• Ability to manage multiple opportunities and projects with close attention to detail.
• Strong listening, negotiation, presentation, and writing skills.
• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field—or equivalent experience.

Preferred qualifications

• Certifications such as Aruba Certified Design Expert (ACDX), Aruba Certified Mobility Professional (ACMP), Juniper JNCIP or JNCIE, or Cisco CCNP or CCIE.
• Experience with Cisco or Meraki platforms.
• Familiarity with AI-driven network operations and network automation.
• Experience positioning solutions against competitors and handling objections in sales cycles.
• Ability to build relationships with and influence executive decision-makers.
• Experience writing scopes of work and preparing quotes in a PSA or CPQ tool.

Location and travel

Work from a home office or a company office, with regular travel to client sites for meetings, site surveys, and assessments. Site surveys involve walking facilities, accessing ceilings and equipment rooms, and spending time on your feet.

What you’ll get

• Flexible schedule and the option for a hybrid work environment
• Unlimited PTO
• Health, vision, dental, and supplemental insurance plans
• Health Savings Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• 401(k) profit-sharing plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Professional development opportunities
• Team celebrations

Saige Partners, one of the fastest growing technology and talent companies in the Midwest, believes in people with a passion to help them succeed. We are in the business of helping professionals Build Careers, Not Jobs. Saige Partners believes employees are the most valuable asset to building a thriving and successful company culture. Contact us to learn more about the opportunity below or check out other opportunities at https://careers.saigepartners.com/.