We are hiring for a position located in Dubai, UAE, within NetApp’s Azure Cloud Solutions Architect (CSA) team. This role operates in a pre-sales capacity, focusing on identifying candidate workloads, designing and architecting appropriate solutions, running proofs-of-concept, and facilitating customers’ active consumption of NetApp’s Azure-based products. Much of the customer engagement occurs collaboratively with Microsoft Sales and Technical teams, providing technical expertise on Cloud services offered by both NetApp and Azure. The successful candidate will articulate how our technology enables customer innovation in Azure. This is a highly technical role with a significant focus on customer and partner (Microsoft) interaction, education, and collaboration, placing you at the center of our customers’ digital transformation efforts.
Job Requirements:
- Strong technical knowledge of Cloud concepts and technologies, particularly Microsoft Azure (Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification preferred).
- Passion for solving customer business challenges with Cloud technology solutions.
- Personal initiative and motivation to achieve customer success without close supervision.
- Experience working with customers in the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.
- Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently.
- Eagerness to learn and adapt to changing requirements and technology.
- Experience running proofs-of-concept for software, hardware, or Cloud-based solutions in a pre-sales role.
- Knowledge of Network Attached Storage (preferably NetApp) and how application workloads (e.g., SAP, Oracle, SQL, VMware, HPC, Virtual Desktops) utilize NAS storage in a Cloud environment.
- Familiarity with container orchestration concepts (preferably Kubernetes).
- On-premises infrastructure and workload experience; knowledge of data migration methodologies is a plus.
- Willingness to travel within the assigned geography to customer locations, and occasionally beyond.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong English language skills (other languages are a plus).
Regular Activities:
- Qualifying customer opportunities and requirements, and assessing the potential solution fit for NetApp’s offerings in Azure.
- Designing solutions that may include software, Cloud, and professional services; running technical workshops to demonstrate those solutions.
- Presenting (Solution Selling) at customer and partner events, Microsoft and NetApp sales meetings, and corporate events.
- Designing and executing proofs-of-concept to illustrate solution fit within the customer’s environment.
- Handover new customer wins to Professional Services and/or Customer Success.
- Participating in/hosting industry meet-ups and user groups.
- Publishing reference architectures, significant wins, best practices, etc.
- Maintaining a broad view of the industry through constant learning and a growth mindset.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree plus 6-8 years of related field experience. Microsoft Azure Cloud certifications are a plus, including:
- Microsoft Azure Administrator
- Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions
- Azure Network Engineer
At NetApp, we embrace a hybrid working environment aimed at strengthening connection, collaboration, and culture for all employees. Most roles will have some level of in-office and/or in-person expectations that will be detailed during the recruitment process.
