Solutions Architect

Partner Solutions ArchitectJoin the networking revolution! Alkira, a Lumen company, is reinventing networking for the AI era. We are searching for an experienced, creative, out-of-the-box thinker to join our rapidly growing channel team. In this critical role, you will work closely with channel account managers, engaging our key strategic partners in the US and around the world.Location: Candidates located in Chicago, IL region will be highly consideredKey Responsibilities:Training and Enablement: Conduct training and technical enablement activities for partners to build their knowledge of the joint Alkira and Lumen solution and positioningSolution Development: Work jointly with partners to build customer solutions for their networking and security needsContent Creation: Develop necessary content in the form of slides, videos, and PDFs for partner consumptionEvents and Webinars: Participate in partner and industry events to evangelize the joint Alkira and Lumen solutionCompetitive Intelligence: Keep your finger on the pulse of the latest industry innovations and arm partners with competitive differentiationCollaborative Engagement: Collaborate with internal teams, including product management, engineering, sales, and marketing, to ensure partners receive the necessary support and resourcesSelf Learning and Improvement: Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest Alkira innovations by doing hands-on labs, reviewing documentation, taking training, and so onQualifications:Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related fieldExperience: Minimum of 5 years of experience in a solutions architect, solutions engineer, or similar technical role, with a focus on partner or customer-facing engagementsTechnical Skills: Strong knowledge of networking and security technologies is REQUIRED! Cloud skills in AWS, Azure, and/or GCP are preferredCommunication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiencesProblem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think critically and provide innovative solutionsCollaboration: Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment and build strong relationships with partners and internal stakeholdersAbout AlkiraAlkira, a Lumen company, is building the future of enterprise networking: one programmable platform to connect, secure, and operate every cloud, site, partner, data center, and AI workload. Founded by Amir and Atif Khan, the creators of Viptela and pioneers of the SD-WAN market, Alkira was built to radically simplify how enterprises deploy and manage network infrastructure. Today, as part of Lumen, we are bringing that cloud-native operating model to a global network foundation trusted by the world's largest enterprises.Our platform helps customers move faster without managing hardware, stitching together providers, or operating fragmented cloud networks. Teams can build and scale connectivity on demand, apply consistent security and segmentation, and gain visibility across distributed environments from one place.At Alkira, you'll help shape the next chapter of networking: cloud-like consumption, private-network performance, and total control across the enterprise. We move fast, solve hard problems, and build technology that changes how global businesses connect.Join us and help build the future of networking.CompensationThe compensation offered for this position will depend on qualifications and experience. This is a commissioned sales role with expected base salary plus commission target in a range of $150,000.00 - $225,000.00/yrLife at Alkira, a Lumen Connect SolutionLife at Alkira is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI-focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes.Our Lumen 8 behaviors guide how we interact, make decisions, and work together, shaping a culture built to perform and win.Equal Employment OpportunitiesWe are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, "protected statuses"). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.