Presales Solutions Architect

Title:Solutions Consultant

Location: Lowry Mill, Lees Street, Manchester, M27 6DB

Working pattern: Hybrid 3 days per week in the office

Salary: £70,000-£79,000

Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week

Reporting to: Head of Technical Services

ABOUT DATASPIRE

Dataspire partners with schools and multi-academy trusts to build dependable, high-performing technology environments. Our work helps schools operate securely and efficiently, while enabling teachers and students to make the most of technology.

We are looking for a Senior Pre-Sales Solutions Architect to lead the discovery, architecture and presentation of complex, strategic and multi-site opportunities.

You will be a senior technical voice in customer meetings, tenders, framework bids and internal solution reviews. You will shape solutions spanning infrastructure, cloud, identity, network, cyber security, safeguarding, endpoint management, backup and operational readiness.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in education while working at the intersection of customer strategy, technical architecture, commercial shaping and operational delivery.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Solutions Consultant, you will act as the technical bridge between our customers' educational goals andDataspire's solutions. You will lead technical discovery and design end-to-end solutions covering networks,cloud platforms, identity, security, safeguarding, endpoints, backup and management tooling forstandard and moderately complex school or MAT opportunities.

You will work directly with customers and internal teams to ensure your designs are technically sound, commercially viable and perfectly aligned with education-sector standards. You will collaborate closely with Sales, Implementation Services and Systems Operations to ensure a smooth transition from proposal to live service.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead technical discovery workshops with IT leads, school leaders and internal stakeholders including site assessments and current-state documentation.
• Design end-to-end solutions across networks, wireless, servers, virtualisation, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, identity, security, safeguarding, endpoints, backup and management tooling using Dataspire reference architectures and DfE, NCSC and KCSIE guidance.
• Produce high-quality proposal content including solution overviews, HLDs, scope boundaries, assumptions, acceptance criteria and SOW input.
• Work with Sales and Finance to size, price and package solutions balancing commercial constraints with scalability, supportability and margin.
• Present solution options clearly to both technical audiences and non-technical school leadership.
• Collaborate with Implementation Services before proposal submission to validate deliverability, effort and sequencing.
• Ensure Systems Operations considerations (monitoring, backup, patching, security operations) are included in every design.
• Maintain and improve the solutions knowledge base, design patterns, templates and handover packs.
• Capture lessons learned from delivered projects and feed improvements back into standards.

TECHNOLOGIES YOU'LL WORK WITH

• Network and connectivity: HPE Aruba, Cisco Meraki, Ubiquiti.
• Perimeter and edge security: Smoothwall, Securly, Barracuda, Fortinet.
• Servers and virtualisation: Microsoft Windows Server, Hyper-V, VMware (ESXi, vCenter), Dell EMC, HPE ProLiant.
• Collaboration and productivity: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace for Education.
• Identity and directory services: Active Directory, Azure AD, Entra ID, IAM Cloud.
• Endpoint management: Autopilot, SCCM, Intune, Google Endpoint Management, JAMF, Lightspeed, MDM.
• Apple platform management: macOS, iPadOS, iOS, JAMF.
• Storage and backup: SAN, NAS, S2D, Redstor.
• Remote access and voice: RDS, VPN, 3CX, Microsoft Teams.
• Security, filtering and safeguarding: DfE, Cyber Essentials and KCSIE-aligned platforms.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• Experience in an MSP, education technology, infrastructure delivery or technical consulting environment.
• Ability to translate business and educational outcomes into clear technical designs.
• Good breadth across networking, Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Intune, Windows Server, backup, security, wireless or endpoint management.
• Confidence leading customer conversations, running workshops, demos and solution walkthroughs.
• Strong documentation skills. Clear proposals, assumptions and scope boundaries.
• A collaborative "One Team" approach working alongside Sales, Implementation Services and Systems Operations.

Nice to have: An education-sector background or experience designing IT solutions for schools or MATs. What matters most is your ability to apply IT best practices to educational environments.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Normal hours of work of 37.5 per week.
• Hybrid working 3 days a week in the office.
• 32 days holiday each year inclusive of bank holidays.
• Additional paid Christmas shutdown day.
• Birthday off.
• On-site parking.
• Optional branded workwear.
• Employee Assistance Programme available to support colleagues with wellbeing, mental health, legal, financial and personal advice.

DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION

You will benefit from a structured development framework including:

• Continuing Professional Development (CPDs) aligned to our financial year.
• Monthly 1:1s.
• Pluralsight licence with ringfenced learning time.
• Vendor-led training where needs identified.
• Clear progression path towards Senior Solutions Consultant by owning larger, riskier or multi-site opportunities and reviewing the work of others.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

Our mission is to create dependable, high-performing IT environments that give teachers confidence in using technology and help young people access outstanding learning experiences. In this role, every solution you design will directly influence how teachers teach, how students learn and how schools operate safely and efficiently. If you are motivated by the idea of making a tangible difference in education, this is the role for you.

Dataspire is a Mental Health at Work Committed organisation and a Disability Confident employer. We are committed to creating a working environment where everyone feels supported, valued and able to perform at their best.