Tech companies looking to break into or bolster their enterprise account sales need to consider hiring a Solutions Architect (SA) to join your go-to-market (GTM) team. The SA is effectively a technical seller that, along with Sales Engineers (SEs) and Implementation Consultants, help design and validate feature specifications for complex software deployments to ensure a product delivers value on the client’s investment – which is critically important for larger, more expensive deals.
Based on our latest findings featured in the brand new Betts Enterprise Compensation Guide, this article provides an in-depth look at the role and responsibilities of a Solutions Architect in the world of enterprise-level SaaS, and how this will affect your talent acquisition strategy:
What is a Solutions Architect?
A Solutions Architect serves as the technical bridge between a customer’s business challenges and your product’s capabilities. Unlike more traditional sales roles that focus primarily on commercial terms, SAs bring more granular and practical technological expertise to the conversation, designing and validating functionality that best meets the customer’s various requirements, while also ensuring these designs can be successfully implemented within the existing ecosystem. The role has evolved significantly in recent years, transitioning from a primarily technical advisory position to one that balances product expertise with business acumen.
The Role of Solutions Architects in Enterprise Sales
In the enterprise sales ecosystem, Solutions Architects play several crucial roles that directly impact deal progression and success:
Aligning Technical & Business Decisions
Enterprise-sized deals will involve multiple stakeholders across both technical and business teams. One of the primary responsibilities for an SA is translating those complex technical concepts for executive-level audiences, while ensuring their business requirements are still being accurately reflected in the solutions pitched.
Risk Mitigation Through Technical Validation
Enterprise buyers are increasingly risk-averse when it comes to technology investments. Solutions Architects contribute to managing – and reducing – perceived risk by demonstrating technical feasibility, identifying potential implementation challenges and developing mitigation strategies before the deal closes.
Scoping Projects for Success
One of the most valuable functions of an SA is accurately scoping implementation requirements. By documenting project scope early in the sales cycle, Solution Architects help prevent scope creep and set realistic expectations for both the customer and internal delivery teams.
Competitive Differentiation
In highly competitive enterprise-level deals where features and pricing may be similar across different vendors, the expertise and approach of a Solutions Architect can be a decisive factor in making your product stand out. Their ability to design tailored solutions that leverage a customer’s existing investments while addressing specific challenges allows your GTM teams to create meaningful differentiation for your offer.
Experience & Skill Requirements for Solutions Architects
Exact responsibilities and training requirements vary for SAs from company to company, but the most effective candidates will typically combine specific software architectural knowledge, strong communication skills and industry-specific business acumen. Here is a quick breakdown of the skill sets and experience you should look for when hiring a Solutions Architect:
Implementation Scoping & Documentation
- Experience conducting thorough technical discovery with engineering teams
- Created technical documentation and implementation plans
- Developed architecture diagrams that demonstrate integration approach
- Configured solutions for customer environments and use cases
Sales Support & Stakeholder Management
- Ability to balance technical requirements against organizational constraints
- Experience defending technology decisions against competing priorities
- Examples of successful technology implementation leadership
- Participation in sales meetings to address technical questions
- Built relationships with customer technical teams
Technical Expertise
- Experience with relevant cloud environments (AWS, Azure, etc.)
- Understanding of authentication systems and enterprise security practices
- Programming proficiency in at least one relevant language (Python, SQL, etc.)
Solutions Architects vs. Sales Engineers
While both Solutions Architects and Sales Engineers serve important technical sales roles, they fulfill various functions with different scopes and responsibilities:
Deal vs. Project
SEs work most often in a pre-sales capacity, meaning they are talking around concepts and what is possible when identifying what clients need. An SA is responsible for making these ideas a reality, identifying changes that may need to be made and other steps that ensure the project is a success that delivers value to the client.
Team Collaboration
While a Sales Engineer will inevitably work with sales (duh) most directly and collaborate with other teams as needed, Solutions Architects as a requirement will be bouncing between various departments and customer points of contact to validate project tasks and needs. From engineering to the client’s IT staff, SAs will be called to work with everyone involved in implementation.
Role Scope
An SE will most often work with prospects or customers to determine their needs and identify how well product capabilities align with their goals. A Solutions Architect must think more broadly in terms of strategic targets, with an eye on all of the pieces that go into the implementation project to make sure they all “fit” correctly.
When Do You Need to Hire a Solutions Architect?
Determining the right time to bring on a SA for your go-to-market team depends on several factors related to your company’s growth, your typical deal complexity, target market and your product’s technical specifications. All this in mind, you should definitely consider hiring a Solutions Architect when:
- Your sales cycles consistently involve technical validation stages
- Customers routinely request detailed documentation before purchasing
- Implementation complexity is causing friction in the sales process
- Your win rates are lower for more multi-layered deals
- Sales teams struggle to answer feature questions during the sales process
- Moving upmarket to enterprise customers
- Expanding into new industries with specialized functional requirements
- Increasing average deal size beyond $250K
- Expanding into multi-product solutions that require integration knowledge
The Challenge for Sourcing Solutions Architects Quickly
Finding qualified Solutions Architects that have the right kind of experience you need – whether it is selling into a specific industry or decision-making title – is difficult in the current job market due to these factors:
- The role requires the rarer combination of technical and selling expertise
- Top-performing SAs are in high demand across tech (particularly with the growth of AI)
- Traditional recruiting channels are inefficient with sourcing specialized or unique candidates
- The prolonged Time-to-Hire for these specialized roles will inevitably raise your Cost-per-Hire for each candidate you source
- Competition over the limited pool of qualified creates significant compensation rate shifts quickly
Finding Your Solutions Architect with Betts
Relying on job boards, referral networks or RPO (recruitment process outsourcing) firms on their own is often too ineffective when trying to source candidates for specialist roles like Solutions Architect. That is why Betts developed our Recruitment as a Service (RaaS) model, offering a new approach to talent acquisition. RaaS comes with benefits such as:
- Access to pre-vetted talent: RaaS includes access to Betts Connect, featuring one of the largest networks of GTM talent in the tech sector
- Expertise in tech: An expert Betts recruiter will be available for on-demand support, leveraging their experience for quickly sourcing right-fit candidates
- Cost-effective scalability: Unlike traditional recruiters who charge per placement, our subscription model allows unlimited hires at a consistent cost
- Faster Time-to-Hire: Our streamlined process reduces the time spent finding qualified candidates, allowing you to fill critical roles faster and accelerate your enterprise sales motion
Hire Your Unicorn Solutions Architect for Enterprise Sales
No matter your company stage, adding the right Solutions Architect at the right time can be a critical catalyst for winning complex enterprise deals and ensuring successful implementation. Get in touch with our team today and get started on your search for your unicorn technical seller, without wasting your hiring budget chasing down false leads.
Contact Betts here and learn how our unique RaaS model can help you connect with the GTM talent your enterprise sales motion needs.