Consulting Solutions Architect - Modernization, Bay Area

LOCATION Candidates must be based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Candidates outside of this region will be automatically disqualified. JOB SUMMARY NetApp is seeking a Senior Value Engineering Consultant (IC5) to join our Modernization Solution Architect team. In this highly strategic role, you will help customers make confident, data-driven technology investment decisions by translating NetApp solutions into measurable business value. You will operate at the intersection of technology, finance, and executive strategy, partnering with sales teams and customers to quantify outcomes such as Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), Return on Investment (ROI), Net Present Value (NPV), and risk reduction. Your work will directly influence deal strategy, accelerate pipeline progression, and position NetApp solutions around business outcomes versus solution cost.

This role is critical to advancing NetApp’s shift toward value-led selling, enabling larger, more strategic, and more durable customer engagements. WHAT YOU'LL DO

Customer Engagement & Value Discovery

Proactively partner with account teams to engage customers early in the sales cycle and shape opportunities using value engineering frameworks Facilitate discovery discussions to uncover customer business drivers, financial constraints, and decision criteria Translate customer challenges into quantifiable cost, risk, and growth impact

Financial Modeling & Business Case Development

Build and deliver financial models including:

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Return on Investment (ROI) Net Present Value (NPV) Cash flow and lifecycle analysis

Quantify the cost of inaction and articulate the financial impact of current state vs. future state Develop clear comparisons across alternatives (status quo, incremental change, modernization, consumption models, competition)

Value-Based Solution Alignment

Partner with Solution Architects to connect technical architecture decisions to measurable business outcomes Translate technical capabilities into financial and strategic impact aligned to executive priorities Ensure solutions are optimized for value (balancing cost, performance, flexibility, and risk)

Executive Communication & Deliverables

Create and present executive-level deliverables, including:

Value business cases Financial analyses and models Customer value narratives and presentations

Communicate effectively with senior stakeholders including CFOs, CIOs, and procurement leaders Deliver outputs that are transparent, defensible, and aligned to customer-validated assumptions

Deal Strategy & Outcome Influence

Influence deal strategy and win rates by anchoring conversations on economic impact rather than product features or pricing Position NetApp solutions against alternatives by highlighting lifecycle value, flexibility, and risk mitigation Support complex, multi-year, and subscription-based sales motions (e.g., Keystone, as-a-service models)

Enablement & Scalable Impact

Develop reusable frameworks, templates, and tools to scale value engineering across the field Enable account teams with value-based selling techniques, financial storytelling, and discovery frameworks Contribute to ongoing improvements in value engineering methodologies and processes

QUALIFICATIONS

8–12+ years of experience in Solution Engineering, Consulting, Value Engineering, or related roles Demonstrated experience building and presenting financial models (TCO, ROI, NPV) Strong ability to connect technical solutions to business and financial outcomes Executive-level communication and presentation skills Experience supporting complex enterprise sales cycles A passion for coaching, enabling, and training other internal resources to maximize impact at a company level Familiarity with lifecycle management and modernization strategies Experience developing sales frameworks, tools, or enablement programs

Preferred Skills & Experience

Experience with subscription, consumption, or as-a-service models (e.g., STaaS/Keystone) Background in infrastructure, cloud, and (not or) data management solutions Experience leading or being a team lead Advanced degree (MBA, Finance, or related discipline) preferred

Compensation:The target salary range for this position is 223,550 - 289,300 USD. The salary offered will be determined by the candidate's location, qualifications, experience, and education and may be outside of this range. The range is based on 'On Target Earnings’ (OTE) representing the total potential earnings, which is the sum of the base salary and potential commission earned when performance targets are achieved. Final compensation packages are competitive and in line with industry standards, reflecting a variety of factors, and include a comprehensive benefits package. This may cover Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Retirement or Pension Plans, Paid Time Off, various Leave options, employee stock purchase plan, and/or restricted stocks (RSU’s). These offerings are subject to regional variations and governed by local laws, regulations, and company policies. We will provide detailed information about the specific benefits for your region during the recruitment process.