Principal Solution Architect - NetApp

About this role

The Principal Solution Architect - NetApp is a nationally aligned, senior individual contributor technical pre-sales leadership role within CDW’s National Specialized Presales team. The role serves as a national technical authority for NetApp solutions and provides strategic architectural direction across enterprise compute, storage, converged and hyperconverged infrastructure, hybrid cloud, high-performance computing, AI-ready infrastructure, edge, and modern data center platforms.
The Principal Solution Architect works with internal and external sales teams to plan and organize sales strategies, analyze customer expectations and competitive and technical environments, and define actions within the sales cycle. The role partners with strategic customers, CDW leadership, sellers, field and consulting architects, services teams, and NetApp to shape technical strategy and support complex and transformational opportunities.
The Principal Solution Architect develops and maintains strategic relationships, serves as a trusted advisor, and leads through influence, innovation, thought leadership, coaching, and reusable practice assets. The role helps establish technical direction for the Lenovo ISG business while supporting cross-practice collaboration and consistent delivery quality.
What you will do:

• Serve as a national technical authority and escalation resource for complex, strategic, and transformational NetApp opportunities across CDW.

• Define architectural direction for enterprise compute, storage, converged and hyperconverged infrastructure, hybrid cloud, HPC, AI-ready infrastructure, edge, and modern data center solutions.

• Lead technical strategy for complex pursuits, including discovery, solution framing, architecture validation, competitive positioning, executive presentations, and cross-practice alignment.

• Design solutions addressing infrastructure requirements, business constraints, operational considerations, financial objectives, and long-term roadmaps.

• Serve as an executive-level trusted advisor and lead briefings, innovation workshops, architecture reviews, and business outcome discussions.

• Review peer designs for quality, accuracy, scalability, supportability, and alignment to requirements.

• Define complementary services and collaborate with services teams on scope and effort estimates.

• Lead technical go-to-market execution and develop repeatable solution plays.

• Develop standardized deliverables, reference architectures, design templates, SOW frameworks, demonstration guidance, assessment methods, and reusable intellectual property.

• Maintain strategic relationships with Lenovo and ecosystem partners and execute joint strategies.

• Lead national enablement and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

• Coach and mentor architects, engineers, specialists other technical professionals.

• Communicate CDW’s technology and services value proposition and support NetApp growth.

What we expect of you:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience and a minimum of 7 years of technical pre-sales or technical architecture experience OR 11 years of experience.

• Industry knowledge and domain expertise: Possess strong knowledge of enterprise storage, data management, data protection, cyber resiliency, hybrid cloud, and adjacent data center technologies.

• Demonstrate practical understanding of NetApp architecture, products, technologies, and solutions, including ONTAP and related data services.

• Team collaboration and leadership: Work effectively with cross-functional sales, services, delivery, partner, and technical teams; lead technical discussions; influence decisions; and provide guidance and mentorship to peers and developing architects.

• Customer-focused approach: Demonstrate a customer-centric mindset with strong communication, presentation, discovery, and facilitation skills. Build trusted relationships, understand customer needs, and communicate technical concepts and business value to diverse audiences.

• Solution design and problem-solving skills: Design and communicate comprehensive solutions that address customer requirements and business challenges. Analyze complex problems, identify appropriate options, build consensus, and resolve technical gaps.

• Business and commercial awareness: Connect technical recommendations to business outcomes, support opportunity strategy, and contribute to product, software, subscription, and services growth.

• Willingness to travel up to 25% or as needed.

• Current NetApp technical certifications aligned to the role and CDW partner requirements, a plus.

• Experience architecting NetApp solutions in enterprise, hybrid cloud, virtualization, container, data protection, cyber resiliency, or AI infrastructure environments, a plus.

• Experience supporting enterprise customers and complex, multi-practice, or strategic infrastructure opportunities, a plus.

• Experience with VMware Cloud Foundation, Red Hat OpenShift, Kubernetes, Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, or adjacent technologies, a plus.

• Experience delivering technical enablement, mentoring peers, or developing reusable solution assets and go-to-market content, a plus.

Pay range: $151,350 - $211,870 depending on experience and skill set
Annual bonus target of 25% subject to terms and conditions of plan
Benefits overview:
Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials
CDW is committed to being an AI-fluent organization
We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, a learner’s mindset, and a willingness to engage with ever-evolving technology and tools. We value adopting AI as a partner, openness to experimentation, and a shared interest in learning together on AI. Our goal is to create a culture where AI enhances—not replaces—human creativity and decision-making. You don’t need to be an expert today; what matters is your readiness to explore, adapt, and grow with us as we integrate AI responsibly and effectively into our work.Additionally, CDW…