About this role
Salary: £65,000 - 65,000 per year
Requirements: Significant consulting, pre-sales or architecture experience across infrastructure, cloud, network, security or education technologyStrong experience working in an MSP or similarly multi-customer technical environmentStrong architecture capability, including the ability to apply design principles and reference architectures to end-to-end solutionsBroad technical awareness across infrastructure and cloud, with particular depth in at least one key domain: network, cloud, identity, security or endpoint managementExperience leading complex discovery and translating ambiguous customer requirements into clear, practical solutionsExcellent presentation and stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to influence senior decision-makersDemonstrable experience contributing to proposals, bids, tenders, RFPs or framework submissionsStrong commercial awareness, including solution shaping, risk management, pricing input and value articulationExcellent documentation skills, including solution designs, diagrams, scopes of work and proposalsConfidence to challenge designs, assumptions and approaches constructivelyA collaborative leadership style, with the ability to coach colleagues and work effectively as part of one teamExperience working with schools or multi-academy trusts is desirableKnowledge of DfE standards, NCSC guidance, KCSIE, Cyber Essentials or education safeguarding requirements is desirableExperience of design governance, reference architecture development or technical standards ownership is desirableExperience supporting framework opportunities and strategic public-sector bids is desirable Responsibilities: Lead complex discovery across multiple schools, sites, stakeholder groups and technical domainsDesign end-to-end solutions spanning network, cloud, identity, endpoint, security, safeguarding, backup, compliance and operational monitoringApply our reference architectures and relevant DfE, NCSC and KCSIE guidance to solution designLead the technical contribution to strategic bids, tenders, framework opportunities and high-value projectsProduce high-quality solution documentation, including high-level designs, diagrams, scopes of work, assumptions, responsibilities, acceptance criteria and migration approachesPresent recommendations confidently to senior leadership teams, governors, trust leaders and technical steering groupsAdapt technical communication for non-technical decision-makers and technical specialistsWork with Sales and Finance to shape commercially viable and competitively positioned solutionsValidate delivery effort, dependencies, sequencing, migration plans and cutover feasibility with Implementation ServicesWork with Systems Operations to ensure every proposal is operationally ready, resilient, secure and supportableIdentify design, delivery, operational and commercial risks early, recommending practical mitigationsPeer-review solution designs, proposals, scopes and assumptions created by other members of the Solutions teamCoach and mentor Pre-Sales Solutions Architects in discovery, design quality, documentation and presentation skillsImprove reference architectures, solution standards, templates and the solutions catalogueChallenge bespoke approaches where a repeatable, supportable standard solution would deliver a stronger customer outcome Technologies: ArchitectCloudNetworkSecurityActive DirectoryArubaAzureCiscoHyper-VIAMSupportmacOSMicrosoft 365Office 365VPNVMwareWindowsiOS More:
We are Dataspire, partnering with schools and multi-academy trusts to build dependable, high-performing technology environments that help schools operate securely and efficiently while enabling teachers and students to make the most of technology. This is a Senior Pre-Sales Solutions Architect role based in Manchester with hybrid working, three days per week in our office, a salary of £60,000 to £69,000, and full-time hours of 37.5 per week. We offer 32 days annual leave including bank holidays, an additional paid Christmas shutdown day, your birthday off, on-site parking, optional branded workwear, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Pluralsight licence, protected learning time, vendor-led training, monthly one-to-ones, structured continuing professional development, and clear progression towards Lead Solutions Architect. We are a Mental Health at Work Committed organisation and a Disability Confident employer, committed to creating a working environment where everyone feels supported, valued and able to perform at their best.
last updated 32 week of 2026