Principal Architect (3913)

SMX is currently seeking a Principal Architect to play a pivotal role in our Center of Excellence, responsible for developing technical strategies and management approaches to meet client needs. They will support the creation of proposals, white papers, and market research documents. Success in this role requires both leadership and hands-on engagement in capture, proposal writing, combined with the ability to generate winning strategies aligned to government evaluation criteria. The Solutions Architect may support Business Development in client engagements, leading in whiteboard sessions, workshops and strategy sessions to document requirements and envision mission solutions. The Solutions Architect will collaborate with business development, writers, graphic designers, and subject matter experts to develop a compelling story that resonates with customer goals. In some instances, the Solutions Architect may also lead proposal management activities, ensuring that the solution aligns with SMX’s processes and tools. This is a remote position supporting a Washington DC based team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

•    Content Strategy & Development: Create, structure, and organize content for proposals, market research responses, and white papers. Develop strategic narratives, including drafting, editing, visualizing, and formatting content to ensure clarity and           consistency.
•    Solution Articulation: Translate complex solutions into easy-to-understand narratives and collaborate with technical experts to ensure alignment with the client’s needs and vision.
•    Client Engagement: Engage with clients to understand their evolving needs and align proposed solutions accordingly.
•    Conduct presentations, public speaking engagements, and collaborative whiteboard sessions.
•    Has a successful track record in providing technical leadership in federal new business pursuits, with over $100M in TCV wins in the previous 5 years
•    Workshops & Thought Leadership: Lead workshops and contribute to thought leadership initiatives to strengthen client relationships and shape procurement opportunities.
•    Innovation & Technical Vision: Drive innovative solutions by blending technical expertise with forward-thinking concepts that align with customer specifications.
•    Proposal Development Support: Collaborate with graphic designers to integrate visuals and diagrams that enhance readability and clearly convey technical ideas.
•    Project Coordination: Partner with proposal managers and other stakeholders to maintain schedules and ensure timely proposal submissions.
•    Opportunity Shaping: Work closely with Capture Managers, Business Development Managers, and Account Leads to shape proposal strategies and value propositions that align with client goals.
•    Systems Design & Analysis: Lead the development of technical concepts, including system architecture, business processes, data architecture, and life cycle cost estimations. Perform trade-off and alternative analyses to optimize solutions.
•    Risk Management: Conduct risk assessments and provide actionable recommendations for solution implementation, addressing potential challenges early on.
•    Compliance Integration: Ensure proposed solutions meet security and regulatory standards, including FedRAMP or other relevant frameworks.
•    Proposal Execution & Delivery: Coordinate technical teams to develop proposal content and support seamless contract execution.

Required Skills:

•    Bachelor’s degree with 15+ years of related experience, or a Master’s degree with 12+ years of experience. Equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of formal education.
•    At least 10 years of experience in solution development and implementation.
•    5+ years leading technical teams within high-performance environments.
•    Demonstrated success in securing contracts with the DoD or civilian agencies.

Technical Expertise:
•    Strong understanding of software development methodologies, including Agile, SAFe, DevSecOps, and CI/CD practices.
•    Comprehensive knowledge of Defense and Public Sector enterprise systems, including SAP, Oracle, Workday, and Salesforce.
•    Hands-on experience in proposal development, with a focus on both capture activities and ongoing solution implementation.
•    Expertise in cloud technologies, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, with practical experience managing multi-cloud environments.
•    Proficient in cybersecurity, cloud security, governance, and compliance frameworks, with a strong understanding of FedRAMP requirements.

Collaboration & Communication:
•    Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to produce polished, customer-ready deliverables.
•    Proven ability to work across multiple disciplines, including business development, capture management, and technical delivery teams.
•    Experience coordinating complex pre-award activities with account teams, proposal teams, and subject matter experts.

Desired Skills:

•    Five years of experience with cloud technologies, including hands-on deployment and operational support.
•    Familiarity with innovative government procurement models, such as OTAs and agile contracting.
•    Knowledge of ITSM frameworks and experience managing services aligned with MSP and MSSP models.

Additional Comments:
Location & Travel Requirements:
•    This is a remote role, but travel may be required to meet with customers, partners, or SMX teams.
•    Candidates in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area are preferred.
Clearance Requirements:
•    Must be a U.S. citizen in support of DoD work.
•    Secret or higher clearance is preferred but not required.

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The SMX salary determination process takes into account a number of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories, relevant prior work experience, specific skills, education and certifications. At SMX, one of our Core Values is to Invest in Our People so we offer a competitive mix of compensation, learning & development opportunities, and benefits. Some key components of our robust benefits include health insurance, paid leave, and retirement.

At SMX®, we are a team of technical and domain experts dedicated to enabling your mission. From priority national security initiatives for the DoD to highly assured and compliant solutions for healthcare, we understand that digital transformation is key to your future success.

We share your vision for the future and strive to accelerate your impact on the world. We bring both cutting edge technology and an expansive view of what’s possible to every engagement. Our delivery model and unique approaches harness our deep technical and domain knowledge, providing forward-looking insights and practical solutions to power secure mission acceleration.

SMX is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability status, protected veteran status, race, color, age, religion, national origin, citizenship, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or genetic information.  SMX is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer including disability and veterans. 

Selected applicant will be subject to a background investigation.