Solution Architect Job Specifications

Simprints aims to contribute to transformative change in the international development sector. We recognize this can only be achieved through close collaboration with our partners, clients, and supporters. We currently deliver diverse projects with different clients in a variety of country contexts.  The Solution Architect is a new role at Simprints and will help us to increasingly meet the needs of our clients with the most appropriate technology and service solution. This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate with relevant experience in Engineering Pre-Sales, Solutions Architecture, and/or Customer Solutions Design. Candidates with experience of applying Pre-Sales in the Technology for Development sector would be highly desirable. 

About Simprints

Simprints is a nonprofit tech company spun out of the University of Cambridge. Our mission is to transform the way the world fights poverty. We build technology to radically increase transparency and effectiveness in global development, making sure that every vaccine, every dollar, every public good reaches the people who need them most. 

We use biometric technology to help verify coverage and increase the impact on the frontlines. Our goal is to enable our partners in the international development sector to better track and deliver progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, contributing to a world where every person counts in the fight against poverty.  We work with organizations such as Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the Gates Foundation, USAID, DFID, and Gavi, and partner with organizations such as the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, BRAC, Mercy Corps, Dimagi, and D-Tree to achieve our mission. Simprints has already reached over 1 million individuals through our flagship projects in Ethiopia and Bangladesh. 

We are in a unique situation: a nonprofit, impact-driven company that is processing millions of highly sensitive biometric records in some challenging settings. Pre-sales doesn't get more challenging (and exciting) than this! 

About the role

We are looking for more than just a Solution Architect. We are looking for someone who is passionate about designing technology-based solutions in service delivery and research projects around the globe. There is an opportunity to expand and grow within the organization, whilst having an exciting role scope and the ability to contribute to social impact objectives. 

You will work closely with Simprints’ partners to gather requirements and oversee the design and negotiation requirements on complex Technology for Development opportunities. This role is unique in its breadth, offering the opportunity to collaborate with almost every team at Simprints. You’ll work closely with partnership managers to develop a deep understanding of our partner's needs, work with engineers to design custom technical solutions, coordinate with our in-country teams, and work with our leadership teams on how best to maximize our service offering for further social impact. This post is based in Cambridge, UK, with remote working in the near term. 

Responsibilities

This role will report to the Director of Delivery, whilst maintaining close working relationships with the Director of Partnerships and with the Chief Product and Engineering Officer.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Helping to qualify and close opportunities (alongside the partnerships team) through developing a deep understanding of client needs.

• Demonstrating excellent stakeholder management and attention to detail whilst designing bespoke custom solutions and providing technical input into donor (funding) proposals. 

• Maintaining strict control over new project sign-off to ensure all project commitments are ethical and have undergone appropriate feasibility and impact assessments.

• Collating and analyzing technical market intelligence to contribute to the continual refinement and improvement of Simprints’ value proposition and understanding of the market. 

• Leading on internal organizational change initiatives; improving systems, processes, and tools across Partnership, Delivery, Product, and Engineering teams. 

• Supporting project start-up phases until project teams are recruited. 

What are the “must-have” skills and experience for this role?

• Significant Pre-Sales experience (or relevant Solutions Architect / Design experience), ideally in the tech for development space where you’ve designed projects with clients in developing country contexts. 

• Familiarity with data collection platforms, such as DHIS2, CommCare, ODK, OpenSRP, and/or other technology platforms commonly used in global development. Ideally, you have designed workflows common among frontline workers in development programs (e.g. health care, aid distribution, research, education).

• Leadership skills, ownership, and self-starting drive. An ability to articulate a clear vision for Pre-Sales, the skill to implement a comprehensive change plan, the experience to collaborate positively to make the change happen, and the grit to deliver on all the detailed work requirements. 

• Excellent written and verbal communications. You are empathetic and seek to understand different perspectives, bring clarity to ambiguous or ill-defined needs, can negotiate diplomatically when there are competing interests, and secure buy-in and alignment across stakeholder groups. 

• Attention to detail. Global development work is complex and unpredictable. To proactively anticipate risks, assess implicit requirements on top of contractual deliverables, and successfully meet ever-changing needs, you need to be able to translate a high-level idea into a concrete, detailed design and funding proposal.  

• Strong presentation and demo skills. We work across multiple sectors with a variety of stakeholders. Being able to tailor presentations to audiences of varying technical literacy levels, for a number of different use cases and workflows is crucial. You are comfortable hosting virtual presentations as well as conducting in-person.

• Permission to work in the UK.

Ideally, you will also have

• Working proficiency in French, Arabic, Spanish, or other common languages  

• An engineering mindset and passion for designing technology solutions

• The Pre-Sales Manager will interact directly with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds (both cultural and organizational). Being familiar with developing country contexts and prior experience interfacing with donors and/or government officials will be quite important.  

What we value

• Integrity. You have an unwavering commitment to ‘confronting the grey’ in all areas of your work and encourage transparency in all your interactions.

• Intellect. You understand the importance of rigorously detailed data and have a strong ability to synthesize complex and potentially competing requirements, and convert them into recommendations that drive business decisions.

• Problem-solving. You have distinctive problem-solving skills and good business judgment. You work in collaboration with other team members to identify creative solutions to complex problems. 

• Curiosity. You have a desire to think innovatively and explore and understand how different perspectives and complex data blend together to create the bigger picture and context.  

• Learning. You love learning new things, are able to think on your feet, and can pick up new tools and methods quickly.  

• Grit. You have a hands-on, can-do attitude and have the drive to dig deep into problems to discover pain points and features from multiple perspectives, and resilience to stay focused on a project to the end. 

• Passion. If being part of a team that designs and deploys technology for global health sounds exciting, we want to meet you!

5 Reasons to join Simprints

Life is short. We believe work should be awesome, meaningful, and fun. At Simprints we’re taking on global development’s biggest challenges, powered by an amazing culture and incredible people. Work with us, and you will grow faster, learn more, and take on great responsibilities with the potential to make lasting change.

• Genuine Impact. The opportunity to be part of our delivery of frontline projects around the world that impact millions of lives. 

• Global Leadership. Be part of a global team of country directors, project managers, engineers, and delivery partners dedicated to making a difference. In the process, work with exhilarating people from around the world representing over 20 different nationalities with a wide range of cultures, experiences, and viewpoints, with diverse backgrounds spanning tech companies like Google, businesses like BCG, and NGOs like Save the Children.

• Career Advancement. Join the leadership team of a fast-growing social enterprise that is breaking onto the global stage. Four years since we were founded, we are already working directly with the most influential and exciting partners in development—from ministries of health, to top donors like Gavi & USAID, to leading NGOs like JSI & BRAC. 

• Unlimited Paid Time Off & Flexible Hours. We set high goals and give people the freedom to choose when and how to achieve them. Work when, where, and how suits you best. Join a team that trusts you with the job.

• Real Professional Development. Beyond on-the-job learning, Simprints will support you with a professional development budget and access to global experts across our Board of Directors & Advisors

Simprints is an equal opportunity employer. We pride ourselves in our firm commitment to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workplace. We aim to attract, hire, grow, and retain the most qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, ability, religion, nationality, age, sexuality, and other differences. We encourage interested and suitable candidates who are part of underrepresented groups to apply for this position.

What to do next?

Traditional recruitment processes are open to a lot of subconscious bias: your name, where you studied, previous employers, and a host of other factors can lead to your candidacy being treated differently by others. We’ve built a recruitment system that seeks to minimize that bias as much as possible. To apply:

• Submit your CV at www.simprints.com/careers. You’ll receive a response and a link to an initial assessment. Not everyone is great at face-to-face interviews, and we want to make sure that you have the best chance to show yourself off in the best light. 

• Submit the initial assessment. Once we’ve received your completed assessment, they will be blinded and given to a panel of reviewers to be scored independently. 

• Technical assessment. Top-scoring applicants will then be invited to a more detailed technical assessment. 

• Video interview and digital experience half-day. The in-depth interview is an opportunity to understand your motivations for joining Simprints, assess cultural and technical fit, and provide you a chance to ask any questions you have about the role and company.  The final step of our recruitment process also includes a virtual “experience half-day.” While these are normally held in-person at our office in Cambridge, we’re currently holding these virtually because of the pandemic. The experience day is intended to ensure that Simprints is a good fit for you just as much as you are a good fit for us. You’ll have a chance to meet some of the team and demonstrate your skills in a few more technical exercises that simulate what it’s like to work at Simprints.