About Knowing Technologies (KT) and the Position:

Our mission is to equip independent schools with the tools they need to create educational experiences students crave. Through a combination of strategy consulting and technology support, our team of educators and architects guide schools in building effective technology programming and infrastructure. From complex network engineering to critical instructional design, we help schools save time and eliminate wasteful spending so they can focus on what’s important: teaching and learning. 

Over the years, KT has evolved its suite of services to embrace the full technology needs of our customers. We started as an IT support company, but realized it’s not enough to just implement technology as a utility. Schools must also build strategies aligned to their unique missions and effectively prepare students for a tech-enabled world. Our current service delivery model takes a proactive planning and relationship-centered approach to create Technology Solutions Partnerships (TSP) that give schools greater control of their mission. KT is now poised for growth and seeking to expand nationally.

The Solutions Architect (SA) sits at the forefront of KT’s mission to grow technology programs and design solutions for K-12 schools. This is a fast-paced, execution-centered, strategic role that requires excellent business acumen, technical aptitude, creativity, and an eye for sales opportunities. You'll leverage your track record of success in strategy and client services with a sharp focus on thrilling customers through crystal-clear strategic technology plans, well-timed remediation and growth projects, and proactive communication and issue management that bring comfort, clarity and joy.

This is not a Sales role, and it’s not an Engineering or Support role. Those roles exist elsewhere at KT. This role is about building trust. It’s about delighting customers with well-founded plans based on technology assessments, staying attuned to and managing the roadblocks and impediments that affect our customer’s journey. All of which makes us stand out as a top technology provider.

Successful candidates will have the professional experience to lead technical analysis and communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders to build customer confidence and stickiness. If you’re passionate about using technology for educational good and are excited about shaping the direction of a company, we’re looking for you! This role reports to the Director of Customer Solutions and Success and works closely with other technical and instructional innovation staff as part of our nimble, expanding company.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Build Plans: You will map solutions (initiatives) into a cohesive, sequenced technology roadmap (timeline and budget) that provides clarity to the customer.

• Build Relationships: You will assume customer ownership, including the relationship side of new customer onboarding; bring customer-first orientation to work—every day; monitor and support positive customer relations to reflect KT’s company values and position the company as irreplaceable in the customer’s eyes. You will be seen as an invaluable expert in technology issues that affect our customers, and your empathic approach to communication tells them that you see their world as they see it.

• Problem-Solve: Collaborate with customers to: a) know them and their felt needs and goals; b) identify short- and long-term evidence-based solutions to reduce reactive noise and increase customer satisfaction, factoring school goals, ticket analyses/trends, technology assessment results and remediation plan development; c) track and report on roadmap progress establishing credibility as “trusted advisor” in customer’s eyes; d) drive to effective resolution of customer needs; recognize when new customer solutions are appropriate; design and integrate solutions into the customer roadmap when data calls for it.

• Manage: Juggle the urgent vs. the important (reactive requests vs. plotting toward proactive plans), i.e. manage research-related requests sitting between the “help desk” and “project” teams to fill in needed context, determine next steps, and assign an owner to the work--escalate Issues with prudence and wisdom; keep Customer Care and Project Delivery teams accountable to effective and timely delivery; initiate new customer projects w/ specific business case, objectives, requirements, and expectations mapped; liaise with Project Delivery team to see projects to completion and keep customer apprised of progress; own maintenance of trimester reporting on tech backbone and develop micro-strategies to help customers respond to project opportunities rather than react

• Collaborate: Work with other Solutions Architects to understand technology needs surfaced from assessments, as well as remediation requirements aligned to negative findings; support Customer Care team development of internal service level agreements and report on quality assurance at KT customer sites; collaborate with Innovation Coaches to present unified message and coordinated service offerings to schools

• Reflect: Keep pulse of each customer by analyzing critical data sources including hourly service consumption; discern themes and share learning on positive momentum, trending customer concerns and delivery gaps surfaced in data; produce and present summaries of reactive tickets, time spent, root causes solved, risks identified and lowered – thereby anchoring our value and partnership; document lessons learned and share highlights at KT Town Halls; actively engage in customer prep meetings, providing recommendations and feedback to other customer-facing KT staff relative to the customer's tech roadmap and financial plan as appropriate; espouse continual learning orientation to stay well-versed in EdTech solutions and evolving school landscapes

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Desired Qualifications:

• 4+ years’ progressive experience in tech consulting and technical project management; delivering diverse technology solutions for education a plus

• Working knowledge of network infrastructure, cyber security best practices, and mobile device management (e.g. Mosyle, Jamf Pro, Meraki Systems Manager, Active Directory and Google Workspace for Education)

• Experience creating technology report templates or dashboards

• Natural relationship-builder with high level of interpersonal maturity and poise–always thinking ahead and in the customer’s best interests

• Strong listening skills with curiosity to ask questions; an action-oriented problem solver able to deliver in a fastpaced environment using superior organizational skills to manage up and laterally, juggle changing priorities, and drive towards deadlines

• Strong verbal and written communicator, with a keen eye for detail and experience producing narrative technology summaries and plans

• Sharp analytical skills that allow you to quickly assess situations, identify trends, develop insights and solutions, and apply learnings to a larger context

• Enthusiasm for the KT mission and great appreciation for the opportunity to use technology to transform learning in schools

• Preferred Qualifications: Advanced technical certification such as CCNA, broad experience designing and delivering infrastructure projects

Location/Travel:

KT Headquarters are in Redwood City, CA. Strong preference for candidates based in Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay Area, but candidates may be based anywhere on the west coast. Remote work possible when not visiting clients.

Up to 20% travel will be required to customer sites or KT events.

Salary Range and Benefits:

$110,000 - $130,000

Adjustments to this range will be made based on the geographic location of candidates.

Paid time off, 401K match, full medical insurance, commuter benefits, remote work arrangements, and other benefits and perks are part of this role.

How To Apply:

If this role seems like a good fit for you, please send us your resume and in lieu of a cover letter, a personal statement describing a time where you used data to support solving a problem for a customer.  In your personal statement, please also share your favorite hobbies, foods, and/or places to go. We look forward to learning more about you!

KT is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. KT will only consider candidates with existing authorization to work in the USA. No sponsorship will be considered. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to careers@knowingtechnologies.com. Include “Last Name, First name: Solutions Architect Assistance” in the subject line.