Principal Architect

PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTDepartment: Engineering/OperationsReports To: VP, OperationsLocation & Type: Hybrid (Remote/Onsite - Remote candidates encouraged to apply with some travel required). Full-Time, FLSA ExemptSalary: Commensurate with experience ROLE OVERVIEWNorth Atlantic Networks is an MSP/MSSP/LEC delivering managed network security and advanced connectivity services, including Fortinet-managed security infrastructure (firewalls, switches, access points, routers, SD-WAN, MPLS, private networks, and LAN Edge/SD-Branch solutions. The Principal Architect is NAN’s senior-most engineering resource and the technical leader of all sales engineering and sales architecture activity. The role pairs deep, hands-on networking and security expertise with strong client-facing skills to win and shape complex opportunities, raise the technical bar across the engineering team, and extend NAN’s technical reach through its alliance and partner network. This is a senior individual-contributor role. The Principal Architect leads through expertise, mentorship, and influence - not through direct people management. ENGINEERING CULTURE AT NANNAN is deliberately evolving how engineering operates. We are broadening the technology stack we work with, raising the bar on documentation and repeatable process, and shifting toward a culture where engineering is defined by the work of mastering ambiguity and uncertainty when necessary to deliver world class outcomes - not by repeating the status quo. We expect senior engineers to embrace unknown territory, evaluate technologies on their merit rather than familiarity, and treat documentation, standards, and process as core engineering output rather than overhead. The Principal Architect is central to this transformation. The right candidate will not only thrive in this environment but help shape it - modeling the behaviors we want to scale, mentoring engineers through the shift, and setting the technical standards that make the new culture stick. If your idea of engineering is doing the same work you have done many times before, this is not the right role. If you are energized by hard problems without a known answer, by working across unfamiliar technologies, and by leaving the team better than you found it, you will fit well here. KEY RESPONSIBILITIESSales Engineering & Sales Architecture LeadershipLead all sales engineering and sales architecture activity at NAN - from discovery and qualification through scoping, solution design, proposal, and technical close.Own the technical narrative in customer-facing engagements: requirements workshops, solution walkthroughs, proof-of-concept guidance, and executive-level technical presentations.Develop and maintain standardized sales engineering artifacts: solution templates, bills of materials, scoping questionnaires, qualification frameworks, and reusable SOW/proposal content. Partner with sales leadership to qualify opportunities, shape complex deals, and improve win rates on strategic pursuits.Serve as the senior technical escalation point for in-flight opportunities that require deep cross-domain expertise (networking, security, connectivity, cloud, identity).Technical Advisory & Architecture Provide expert guidance on network security and connectivity architectures, including Fortinet ecosystem designs (e.g., segmentation, HA, routing, VPN, secure access patterns, switch/AP integration, SD-WAN/SD-Branch alignment). Architect end-to-end solutions spanning managed firewall/switch/AP/router services, SD-WAN, MPLS, private networks, and LAN Edge / SD-Branch. Review and advise on high-risk / high-impact customer designs, migrations, and major platform changes. Participate in change governance (e.g., CAB) as a senior reviewer for critical changes, where applicable. Core Network & Platform InfrastructureParticipate in the administration and ongoing evolution of NAN's core internal infrastructure - including the Arista backbone, carrier interconnects and transit, IP address management (IPAM), DNS architecture, and the underlying platforms that power our managed services.Provide architectural guidance and hands-on input on backbone design, peering, transit relationships, carrier-facing architecture decisions, IP addressing/IPAM standards, and supporting infrastructure services.Help reshape core infrastructure to support new technologies, new service lines, and the operational maturity goals of NAN's broader engineering transformation.Partner with operations to strengthen resilience, observability, change discipline, and configuration management across NAN's own network and service platforms.Identify and help drive remediation of architectural debt in the core platform, in coordination with the teams that own day-to-day operations.Help define the standards, patterns, and runbooks that govern how the core platform is designed, changed, and maintained - contributing senior expertise without holding sole operational ownership. Alliance & Partner Network Enablement Provide senior technical leadership on engagements delivered through NAN’s alliance and partner network, including opportunities where NAN is engaged in an advisory capacity rather than as the direct seller.Represent NAN as a credible technical authority in joint customer engagements, white-label arrangements, and channel-led pursuits.Support technical due diligence for partner and white-labeled offerings (e.g., evaluating capabilities, integration fit, and operational impact). Help shape go-to-market readiness for partner-facing offerings: service definitions, guardrails, prerequisites, and enablement materials. Mentorship & Technical Team Leadership (Non-Managerial)Serve as NAN’s senior-most engineering resource - the go-to expert and technical role model for the broader engineering team. Lead the team through coaching, design reviews, pairing, and structured knowledge transfer, without holding formal people-management responsibilities. Mentor engineers through scheduled sessions, design walkthroughs, and documentation. Contribute to internal training materials and playbooks to scale expertise across the organization.Participate as a senior subject matter expert in NAN’s buildout of Confluence as a central source of company knowledge.Standards, Patterns, and Service MaturityDevelop and maintain reference architectures, configuration standards, and security/design guidelines for: Managed firewall/switch/AP/router services, SD-WAN and private network solutions, and wireless LAN edge and SD-Branch management. Recommend improvements to service reliability, monitoring/alerting strategy, configuration management, and operational resilience (without owning daily operations). Risk, Security Posture, and Continuous ImprovementProvide security advisory input: threat-informed design considerations, control alignment, and risk-based recommendations. Support incident learning by contributing to post-incident technical analysis and prevention strategies during business hours.Identify systemic risks and improvement opportunities across customer environments, partner-delivered work, and internal platformsQUALIFICATIONSRequired Experience & SkillsSenior-level networking engineering expert with broad experience across the IT spectrum (networking, security, cloud, virtualization, identity, endpoint, observability). Deep, hands-on expertise with enterprise network and security architectures, including firewalls, routing/switching, wireless, SD-WAN, MPLS, and private networks. Fortinet ecosystem experience is strongly preferred. Fortinet certifications are a plus but not required however will be required to be obtained and maintained post-hire at the NSE 7 level. Demonstrated success in a sales engineering, solutions architect, or principal architect capacity, including leading technical conversations with senior client and partner stakeholders. Track record of designing and delivering complex multi-site, multi-technology solutions for enterprise or mid-market customers. Strong written and verbal communication; able to translate complex technical concepts for both technical and executive audiences. Demonstrated ability to mentor and uplift other engineers without relying on formal authority. Personal AttributesGrowth mindsetComfortable with ambiguityCurious across the stackDocumentation- and process-mindedCollaborative by defaultClient-centricPragmaticSUCCESS MEASURESImproved win rate and deal quality on strategic and complex sales pursuits.Improved quality and consistency of network/security solution designs (fewer redesigns, fewer avoidable post-sale issues).Strong adoption of standardized reference architectures, sales engineering templates, and design patterns. Measurable contribution to alliance- and partner-led opportunities through credible technical leadership. Faster decision-making on complex technical topics due to clear advisory and architectural guidance. Successful enablement outcomes: documented best practices, training sessions delivered, and improved team confidence on advanced topics.Positive feedback from clients, partners, and internal teams on collaboration, communication, and technical leadership.EQUAL OPPORTUNITYNorth Atlantic Networks (NAN) is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees