Leads strategic sales pursuits by serving as a trusted technical advisor, building executive relationships, conducting discovery workshops, designing complex solutions, and presenting business value and ROI. Partners with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Customer Success, and third parties on solution development, account strategy, product enhancements, and business development. Coaches colleagues, documents best practices, and represents the company through presentations and thought leadership. Requires nonprofit industry expertise and experience with Blackbaud or equivalent solutions.
About the Role
The Solution Architect team works alongside our Sales, Product, and Marketing organizations to support strategic sales pursuits and business development opportunities. Solution Architects help account teams identify, pursue, and close strategic sales opportunities for our largest and most sophisticated customers, while continually driving add-on business within existing accounts.
As a Principal Solution Architect, you'll build executive-level relationships and serve as a trusted advisor throughout the sales cycle, from initial discovery through contract execution. You'll often lead cross-functional pursuit teams and own the technical design of the solutions we propose to customers and prospects.
What You'll DoSales Strategy
- Serve as a strategic and technical resource for the Sales and Solutions Consulting teams, leading pursuit of large or strategic sales opportunities that need creative, complex solutions.
- Act as a trusted advisor during the sales cycle, earning customer and prospect confidence through consultation and recommendations grounded in industry and technology expertise, and always rooted in integrity.
- Demonstrate expertise in consultative selling, our solutions and third-party solutions, industry and technology trends, the competitive landscape, and key plays within your specialized area or vertical.
- Coach others on how to map customer business needs to outcomes and align them with the right solutions and services.
- Develop executive-level relationships with customers and prospects to advance the sale and grow the revenue associated with the account, using a consultative selling approach.
- Define technical sales strategy, including assembling and directing a team of key contributors from other departments to support the pursuit and solution presentations.
- Lead in-depth discovery and assessment workshops, facilitating outcome-focused dialogue to understand, define, and document customer requirements.
- Conduct solution development sessions with the pursuit team, identifying the best-fit solution based on discovery, which may include partner or third-party solutions, customizations, or process recommendations.
- Demonstrate strong customer and market awareness, competently projecting how product ideas will play out.
- Document the proposed solution, including solution diagrams, ensuring it meets technical and business requirements and considers integration into the customer's environment.
- Present proposed solutions, articulating business value and ROI, in collaboration with the broader pursuit team as needed.
- Communicate data-driven goals, interests, and positions with poise in negotiation or conflict situations.
- Identify when shifts in strategy or direction are needed and respond effectively to technological and market changes.
- Partner with Customer Success to gather requirements and prescribe custom services solutions that meet customer needs.
- Advise Account Executives and Solutions Consultants on strategic pursuits outside your direct involvement.
Business Development
- Maintain expert-level knowledge of consultative selling, our solutions and third-party offerings, competitor information, industry trends, and vertical markets. Document and share best practices and case studies.
- Work closely with Sales and Marketing to identify, develop, and support business development activities, including go-to-market strategies, integrated solution planning, lead generation, and long-term account strategy.
- Partner with Product Management to help drive product enhancements and roadmap changes, recommending new capabilities that support market and customer needs.
- Advocate on behalf of the company to address customer needs and capitalize on market opportunities.
- Represent the company through presentations to a variety of audiences, including investor briefings, partner meetings, conferences, and user groups.
- Participate in thought leadership activities, such as writing articles for blogs or publications, creating marketing collateral, and authoring best-practice guides.
What you'll bring
- Nonprofit fundraising, financial, and/or operational experience is required.
- 6+ years of experience working with Blackbaud solutions or equivalent industry experience.
- 4+ years of Solutions Consulting experience.
- 5+ years of experience presenting or managing complex solutions for nonprofit organizations.
- Ability to operate under minimal supervision while leading strategic, account-level deals.
- Strong listening skills and a demonstrated ability to ask effective need-development questions.
- Ability to influence others through presentations, demonstrations, and written communication.
- Experience developing and delivering presentations to both executive-level and working-level audiences.
- Ability to translate technical features into business benefits.
- Ability to recommend strategic workflows and policies related to product solutions.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail.
- Experience working within a solution-selling or consultative selling environment.
- Ability to travel as needed, up to approximately 25% of the time.
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Blackbaud powers social impact through purpose‑driven technology and responsible AI. Guided by our Intelligence for Good® vision, we’re building a culture where innovation, trust, and human expertise come together to help organizations make a greater difference in the world.
Blackbaud is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive work environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.
The starting base salary and annual proposed commission is $135,100.00 to $179,800.00. Blackbaud may pay more or less based on employee qualifications, market value, sales quota, Company finances, and other operational considerations.Benefits Include:
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Remote-flexible workforce
Wellness Programs
401(k) program with employer match
Flexible paid time off
Generous Parental Leave
Donations for Doers
Pet insurance, legal and identity protection
Tuition reimbursement program
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