Director, Solutions Architect

About Us

Diligent is the AI leader in governance, risk and compliance (GRC) SaaS solutions, helping more than 1 million users and 700,000 board members to clarify risk and elevate governance. The Diligent One Platform gives practitioners, the C-Suite and the board a consolidated view of their entire GRC practice so they can more effectively manage risk, build greater resilience and make better decisions, faster. 

Learn more at diligent.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook

Position Overview: 

Own solution design authority for Diligent’s largest and highest-risk opportunities, and scale that capability into repeatable architecture patterns, standard artifacts, and AI-enabled scoping so the field can execute bigger deals faster with less rework.

This role reports to the Senior Director, Global Solutions Engineering (and works in tight partnership with Pillar SE Leaders, Value Engineering, Product, Professional Services, and Customer Success).

Scope
Leads Solution Architecture as a global function (direct reports where applicable). Primary focus is enterprise and multi-solution pursuits, integrations, and complex solutioning.

What you own

1. Enterprise solution design and design authority

• Lead solution architecture for strategic pursuits, especially $100k+ and multi-solution opportunities.
• Produce decision-grade solution designs: target architecture, integrations, security/identity approach, data flows, assumptions, and dependencies.
• Establish a consistent design authority review process to surface risk early and prevent late-stage surprises.
• Partner with SE and VE to align solution feasibility, value hypothesis, and executive narrative.
  
  2. Standard artifacts and scalable architecture playbooks

• Build and maintain a library of reference architectures, integration patterns, and reusable design templates.
• Standardize enterprise deal artifacts (solution design doc, integration diagram, gap/risk register, PoV inputs) and drive adoption across the field.
• Convert repeat questions and one-off designs into reusable plays.
  
  3. Complex PoCs, integrations, and strategic unblockers

• Lead or support complex PoCs and integrations that unlock revenue and reduce technical risk.
• Set technical success criteria, guardrails, and exit conditions for PoCs to avoid “science projects.”
• Package learnings into repeatable patterns, demos, and documentation.
  
  4. AI-enabled solutioning and automation

• Identify friction in scoping and solutioning and deploy automation that reduces manual effort and improves consistency.
• Partner with SE CoE and systems owners (CRM, call recording, knowledge base) to operationalize AI-native handoffs and documentation.
• Deliver 1–2 high-impact automation or reuse initiatives per half-year that return measurable presales capacity.
  
  5. Cross-functional operating rhythm

• Run an operating cadence with Sales, SE, VE, Product, and PS to align on standards, coverage, and risk decisions for enterprise pursuits.
• Provide crisp technical guidance into deal reviews and executive escalations.
• Maintain a feedback loop from the field to Product on recurring gaps, integration blockers, and roadmap dependencies.

People leadership (if managing a team)

• Hire, coach, and develop Solution Architects; define role clarity and career progression.
• Build an intake and prioritization model that keeps SA time focused on highest-leverage work.
• Set quality bars for artifacts, reviews, and deal engagement.

Key responsibilities (day-to-day)

• Own solution architecture for assigned strategic pursuits and lead architecture workshops with customer technical stakeholders.
• Produce and govern Solution Design Docs, integration diagrams, and risk/assumption registers for enterprise deals.
• Lead architecture reviews and drive decisions on tradeoffs, constraints, and mitigation plans.
• Build and maintain reusable playbooks, checklists, and reference architectures.
• Partner with SE/VE to tighten discovery outputs, improve technical storytelling, and strengthen executive readiness.

What success looks like (12 months)

• Most $100k+ ICP-fit deals have an SA-approved solution design and a usable risk/assumption register before scoping and approvals.
• Fewer late-stage technical surprises and less rework between presales and delivery teams.
• A living architecture playbook library is actively used by field SEs and reduces one-off solutioning.
• Measurable reduction in manual scoping effort through automation and reuse.

Experience and qualifications
Required experience

• 10+ years in enterprise SaaS solution architecture, solution consulting, presales engineering, or technical delivery leadership.
• 3+ years leading teams (people leadership or leading a function across regions).
• Proven ownership of solution design authority for $100k+ enterprise deals (or equivalent complexity), including PoCs and integration-heavy solutioning.
• Strong technical breadth across APIs and integration patterns, SSO and IAM concepts, RBAC, data flows/reporting, and security/compliance considerations.
• Executive communication skills: ability to translate technical tradeoffs into business decisions and clear risk posture.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Master’s degree (MBA, MSCS, MS Engineering, or similar) is preferred.

Certifications (preferred, not required)

• Cloud architecture certification (AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Google Professional Cloud Architect, or Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect).
• Security certification exposure (CISSP, CCSP, or equivalent) for regulated/enterprise environments.
• Enterprise architecture or integration credentials (TOGAF, MuleSoft, Boomi, or similar) are a plus.

Preferred additional background

• Experience building scalable presales standards: playbooks, gated reviews, reference architectures, and reusable artifacts.
• Experience deploying automation or AI-enabled workflows in presales (scoping, documentation, knowledge reuse).
• Exposure to GRC or regulated industries (risk, audit, compliance, governance).

Competencies

• High judgment under ambiguity and willingness to hold the line on unmanaged risk.
• Builder mindset: turns one-off work into reusable systems.
• Strong stakeholder navigation across Sales, Product, PS, and cross-BU teams.
• Calm, structured operator under enterprise deal pressure.

Suggested KPIs

• % of $100k+ deals with SA-approved solution design and risk/assumption register before scoping/approvals
• Reduction in post-signature rediscovery and escalation due to solution gaps
• Adoption rate of reference architectures/playbooks across the field
• Hours saved via reuse and automation (measured quarterly)

What Diligent Offers You 

• Creativity is ingrained in our culture. We are innovative collaborators by nature. We thrive in exploring how things can be differently both in our internal processes and to help our clients
• We care about our people. Diligent offers a flexible work environment, global days of service, comprehensive health benefits, meeting free days, generous time off policy and wellness programs to name a few
• We have teams all over the world. We may be headquartered in New York City, but we have office hubs in Washington D.C., Vancouver, London, Galway, Budapest, Munich, Bengaluru, Singapore, and Sydney.
• Diversity is important to us. Growing, maintaining and promoting a diverse team is a top priority for us. We foster and encourage diversity through our Employee Resource Groups and provide access to resources and education to support the education of our team, facilitate dialogue, and foster understanding.

Diligent created the modern governance movement. Our world-changing idea is to empower leaders with the technology, insights and connections they need to drive greater impact and accountability – to lead with purpose. Our employees are passionate, smart, and creative people who not only want to help build the software company of the future, but who want to make the world a more sustainable, equitable and better place. 

Headquartered in New York, Diligent has offices in Washington D.C.,  London, Galway, Budapest, Vancouver, Bengaluru, Munich, Singapore and Sydney.   To foster strong collaboration and connection, this role will follow a hybrid work model. If you are within a commuting distance to one of our Diligent office locations, you will be expected to work onsite at least 50% of the time. We believe that in-person engagement helps drive innovation, teamwork, and a strong sense of community.

_{We are a drug free workplace. Diligent is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth, physical disability, mental disability, age, military status, protected veteran status, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer related or HIV/AIDS related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Diligent's EEO Policy and Know Your Rights. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at recruitment@diligent.com.}

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