Sr Field Solutions Architect

Description

At CDW, we make it happen, together. Trust, connection, and commitment are at the heart of how we work together to deliver for our customers. It's why we're coworkers, not just employees. Coworkers who genuinely believe in supporting our customers and one another. We collectively forge our path forward with a level of commitment that speaks to who we are and where we're headed. We're proud to share our story and Make Amazing Happen at CDW.

This role is designed for senior architects whose primary value lies in architectural judgement, technical depth, and long-term design integrity. As a Senior Field Solution Architect, you act as a lead architect for customer environments, shaping designs that are operationally sound, secure, and aligned to Canadian enterprise realities.

You are accountable for architectural decisions, technical quality, and ensuring solutions can be implemented, supported, and evolved over time. You work closely with sales, but your primary focus is architecture- not product pitching.

Core responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end architecture across compute, storage, networking, virtualization, cloud, data protection, and security
• Own architectural discovery and technical validation, identifying risks, constraints, and trade-offs early
• Design pragmatic, supportable architectures suitable for Canadian customers and regulatory expectations
• Define technical scope, assumptions, and dependencies for Statements of Work
• Act as an escalation point for complex or non-standard designs
• Partner with sales teams to align architectural direction with customer priorities and business outcomes
• Mentor fellow FSAs through reviews, whiteboarding, and design coaching
• Collaborate with Principal Architects on complex, cross-domain designs and strategic initiatives

How senior FSAs succeed in this role

• They lead with architecture, not products, focusing first on constraints and operational realities
• They simplify complexity, avoiding over-engineered or risky designs
• They challenge assumptions early and raise risks before delivery is impacted
• They design with implementation and long-term support in mind
• They are trusted escalation points for complex architectural decisions
• They invest in enablement through documentation, patterns, and shared standards
• They communicate clearly with architects, delivery teams, and executives
• They build strong working partnerships with sales team members, ensuring technical guidance and commercial strategy are aligned
• They work alongside Principal Architects to tackle the most complex and strategic design challenges

What this role is not

• Not a quota-carrying sales or product-specialist role
• Not a junior or mid-level architecture position
• Not focused on slide creation or demo-only work
• Not a "yes-by-default" role, technical judgement and challenge are expected
• Not a hands-off advisory role without accountability for outcomes

What success looks like

• Solutions are implemented with minimal redesign or delivery surprises
• Architectural risk is identified and mitigated early
• Other FSAs and delivery teams rely on your judgement
• Architectural patterns improve and scale across engagements

Experience and background

• Senior experience in architecture, consulting, or enterprise IT design roles
• Deep hands-on knowledge of modern data centre and hybrid cloud environments
• Regular experience navigating ambiguity and trade-offs
• Strong written and verbal communication skills

CDW is committed to being an AI-fluent organization

We're looking for people who bring curiosity, a learner's mindset, and a willingness to engage with ever-evolving technology and tools. We value adopting AI as a partner, openness to experimentation, and a shared interest in learning together on AI. Our goal is to create a culture where AI enhances- not replaces- human creativity and decision-making. You don't need to be an expert today; what matters is your readiness to explore, adapt, and grow with us as we integrate AI responsibly and effectively into our work.

Additionally, CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, our goal is to understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. As an AI forward company, we see AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for new ways of thinking, creating, and communicating. We encourage candidates to embrace an AI mindset, one that's curious, adaptive, and ready to explore what's possible. We welcome thoughtful use of AI to expand your perspective and elevate how you share your story, while ensuring your application remains rooted in your own background, judgment, and voice.

About Us

CDW is a Fortune 500 technology solutions provider that helps businesses, government, education, and healthcare organizations achieve what's possible through technology. What makes CDW different isn't just what we do- it's how we do it. At CDW we act as one- building trust, speaking candidly, and working together to achieve more. We play to win- focusing on what matters most and delivering for our customers. And we think forward- staying curious, moving fast, and continuously learning. We believe meaningful work happens when people feel supported, heard, and empowered to contribute. That's why we think of ourselves as coworkers, not just employees- working together to solve complex challenges and deliver real impact for our customers and communities.

As a full-stack, full-lifecycle technology partner, CDW brings deep expertise, strong relationships, and broad industry knowledge to help turn ideas into outcomes. When you join CDW, you become part of a collaborative environment where your work matters, your growth is supported, and your contributions help shape what's next.

Together, we deliver the full promise of what technology can do. Together, we Make Amazing Happen.

CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.