Pre-Sales Solutions Architect, State of North Carolina

Nice to meet you   

We’re the leader in data and AI. Through our software and services, we inspire customers around the world to transform data into intelligence – and questions into answers.  

We’re also a debt-free multi-billion-dollar organization on our path to IPO-readiness. If you’re looking for a dynamic, fulfilling career coupled with flexibility and world-class employee experience, you’ll find it here. 

About the job   

SAS has an opening for a Pre-Sales Solutions Architect to support the State of North Carolina vertical within our Government Division. In this role you will provide technical assistance for both software pre-sale and post-sale activities utilizing knowledge of technology, products, solutions and any relevant industry domain.  You will ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction and provide thought leadership focusing on value-based design through the creation and adoption of SAS solutions to address customer problems and challenges. Develops and enhances personal and group skills primarily for the benefit of establishing SAS as a credible partner with the State of NC. Possesses a strong knowledge of cloud, data science, and technology from SAS and/or open-source platforms. Showcases ability to relate customer challenges and technical concepts to SAS applications and user needs. You will collaborate with account teams to identify opportunities, articulate business and technical value, prepare, and present software demonstrations and product/solution overviews. 

Location: Preferance to the NC Headquarters, Cary NC 

As a Pre-Sales Solutions Architect, State of NC, you will: 

• Collaborate with sales team to outline available products and leverage sales opportunities. 
• Builds a trusted relationship with the Account Executive and account stakeholders to provide practical guidance in the functional and technical aspects of proposed software and set proper expectations to ensure customer satisfaction. 
• Delivers standard, customized and/or strategic presentations outlining the proposed software functional capabilities, competitive advantages and business benefits. 
• Delivers technical architecture related information, leads technical discovery sessions, responds to architecture and infrastructure questions when necessary. 
• Develop required client relationships to develop client trust and gain deeper insight to client situation, needs, and internal situations, with the intent of developing mutually beneficial long-term SAS/client relationships. 
• Maintains and develops relevant knowledge levels of technical and industry trends to identify impacts and opportunities created by these trends. 
• Supports partner development & enablement, as well as partnered sales opportunities. 
• Conducts discovery meetings to collect, clarify and document technical and business requirements during the sales cycle. 
• Plans and implements, in conjunction with Account Executive, customer retention and post-sale strategies to ensure account satisfaction, adoption and growth. 
• Provides demonstration and business development support at vendor-sponsored events, trade shows, and user group meetings. 
• Develops & maintains familiarity with company sales initiatives, product positioning, pricing, proposals, and models. 
• Strategizes with sales team on objectives of customer meetings, understand how this activity relates to overall sales plan and provides functional leadership for sales opportunities. 
• Participates in product, solution and/or technical training to acquire and maintain detailed level of product knowledge of core components of SAS offerings and related technologies. 
• Works pro-actively with the extended account team of Industry Consultants, Solution Architects and Technical Architects to strategize on opportunities, cross-training and knowledge transfer. 
• Applies intermediate to advanced knowledge of SAS products and solutions in sales opportunities. 
• Utilizes current SAS strategic selling techniques with account executives to strategize on prospects and develop strategic sales objectives. 
• Provides timely follow up and communications to account team. 
• Effectively works as part of team for complex sales involving multiple skill sets. 
• Performs other duties, as assigned. 
• Ensures all applicable security policies and processes are followed to support the organization’s secure software development goals. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Analytics, Computer Science, Statistics, or another related field. 
• 5+ years in technical marketing, technical support, information systems, or a related area of expertise including three years of programming in an open-source language or developing SAS applications with at least two interactive operating systems supported by SAS. 
• Knowledge of industry or market segments or in-depth knowledge of a specific area of industry expertise. 
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills. 
• Demonstrated project leadership skills. 
• Ability to relate technical concepts to SAS applications and user needs. 
• Ability to work and learn independently and as part of a team. 
• Strong facilitation and communications skills. 
• Advanced knowledge of cloud and data science technology and architecture. 
• Hands-on experience with SAS, Python, R, or other open source or cloud technologies preferred. 
• Clear understanding of sales strategies and cycles. 
• Local travel as business requirements dictates (approximately 25%). 
• You’re curious, passionate, authentic and accountable. These are our values and influence everything we do. 

World-class benefits   

Highlights include... 

• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental and vision plans.  

• Medical plan options include… 

• PPO with low annual deductible and copays.  

• HDHP combined with a health savings account with a contribution from SAS (no access to on-site health care center).  

• Onsite Health Care Center (HQ) that’s free to employees and family members enrolled in the PPO plan. There’s a pharmacy too Not local to HQ? The pharmacy will ship prescriptions for no additional charge  

• An industry-leading 401k plan.  

• Generous time away including vacation time, a variety of paid holidays, and our much-loved U.S. Winter Wellness Break between December 25 and January 1.  

• Volunteer Time Off, parental leave and unlimited paid sick days.  

• Generous childcare benefits for all full-time employees. 

Diverse and Inclusive   

At SAS, it’s not about fitting into our culture – it’s about adding to it. We believe our people make the difference. Our diverse workforce brings together unique talents and inspires teams to create amazing software that reflects the diversity of our users and customers. Our commitment to diversity is a priority to our leadership, all the way up to the top; and it’s essential to who we are.  

To put it plainly: you are welcome here.  

Additional Information 

To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status. SAS is an equal opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Read more: Know Your Rights. Also view the Pay Transparency notice. 

Resumes may be considered in the order they are received. SAS employees performing certain job functions may require access to technology or software subject to export or import regulations. To comply with these regulations, SAS may obtain nationality or citizenship information from applicants for employment. SAS collects this information solely for trade law compliance purposes and does not use it to discriminate unfairly in the hiring process. 

SAS only sends emails from verified “sas.com” email addresses and never asks for sensitive, personal information or money. If you have any doubts about the authenticity of any type of communication from, or on behalf of SAS, please contact Recruitingsupport@sas.com. 

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