Director, Principal Architects - EMEA

Be part of a team that’s united in spirit, but diverse in thought and background

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic leader to head our EMEA Principal Architects team. This individual will be instrumental in evolving our EMEA-based technical principal architects into influential thought leaders and trusted advisors—both within NetApp and across our partner and customer ecosystems.

In this role, you will drive the development and execution of scalable, repeatable programs that align with our go-to-market strategies and our core solution areas. Your efforts will empower our technical field teams to accelerate revenue growth and elevate customer satisfaction and ensuring we have a strong bench of customer facing technical professionals who have mastery of the NetApp products with their aligned business segment and understand how to solve customer challenges with NetApp solutions. A key focus will be on creating solution-building frameworks and customer engagement models that address the critical technical priorities of NetApp’s customers.

The ideal candidate brings a strong background in sales, customer engagement, and product innovation, with a proven ability to think strategically and lead cross-functional initiatives. This position reports to the Sr. Director of Field Advocacy and Solutions Technology (FAST).

Job Requirements

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement an EMEA principal architect strategy aligned with company goals, fostering innovation and efficiency.
• Team Development: Lead, mentor, and inspire a diverse team to cultivate a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Technical Expertise: Provide thought leadership on industry trends and technical challenges, guiding the FAST leadership team.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders in EMEA to align sales efforts with business needs.
• Market Analysis: Conduct comprehensive market research in EMEA, including win/loss analyses, to adapt strategies to emerging trends and customer needs.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with marketing, product development, and customer success teams to ensure sales initiatives are supported and aligned.
• Client Engagement: Cultivate relationships with key clients and partners to drive customer satisfaction and loyalty through exceptional service.
• Training and Development: Oversee training programs for principal architects, equipping them with the necessary tools and knowledge for success.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in engineering, with at least 10 years in a leadership role.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams, with a strong understanding of sales, engineering, and customer engagement.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities, with a focus on data-driven decision-making.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, global environment, navigating diverse cultures and markets.

Job Segment: Architecture, Market Research, Product Development, Sales Engineer, Engineer, Engineering, Marketing, Research, Sales