Ratchet, a Minneapolis-based internet marketing company, is currently seeking a Senior Account Architect for our downtown Minneapolis office. Ratchet works with creative organizations to deliver innovative, design-driven, interactive and desktop solutions that both move our client's brand forward and positively affect their bottom line. Ratchet is a rapidly growing technology solutions company that offers a fun, casual, creative, and collaborative work environment. We are a development focused organization that was founded by Developers.  As an employee of Ratchet, you can look forward to working on cutting-edge projects with high visibility.

Job Summary for Senior Account Architect

The Senior Account Architect is a sales professional in charge of launching new business, growing current business and ensuring customer satisfaction. The Sr. Account Architect is responsible for selling solutions to new and inbound leads to gain new business. He or she must also keep in touch with existing client decision makers and develop working relationships with them. He or she must create and present credentials pitches articulating Ratchet’s service offerings, and successfully close sales working to exceed quotas set by his or her superior.

The Senior Account Architect will have responsibility for the overall relationship, roadmaps, budget planning, and estimating for strategic accounts and new business in addition to leading new business pitches.  The Senior Account Architect is an independent, self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit, established business skills, excellent ethics and communication skills.  This position will work closely with the Innovation Team (technology trends, user experience, solution crafting) and Development Team Managers to brainstorm, ballpark, and pitch solutions to existing and new clients. 

The Senior Account Architect will also participate in the Discovery phase (e.g. initial engagements with new clients) with a focus on the client’s key performance indicators and overall short and long term business objectives.  The Senior Account Architect will work with the client’s senior management to create partnerships and achieve successful engagements. 

Essential Functions

·        Responsible for overall account relationship and client satisfaction within existing and new accounts  including the identification and management of:

o   Client roadmap creation / management

o   Client budget planning

o   Expectation management

o   Key Performance Indicator (KPI) identification and measurement

·        Shares responsibility with Innovation Team for scoping efforts for the Discovery phase of each new project or engagement

·        Serves as an escalation point for Development Managers

·        Responsible for leading and development of proposals, statements of work and RFPs – includes leading the estimating process and crafting the message needed to position Ratchet as the right partner

·        Leads quarterly / annual client reviews, attending client statuses on an as-needed basis

·        Identifies and drives opportunities within existing client

·        Generate new business leads, converting to opportunities, and closing the sale

·        Produces bi-weekly revenue forecasts to internal operations team

·        Provides performance related feedback to assist management in the review and development of staff members

Other Functions

·        Keep abreast of new technologies, implementation methodologies and industry best practices

·        May perform other job related duties as assigned

Education, Experience and Other Skills

·        Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years prior related leadership experience

·        Individual must have demonstrated experience:

o   partnering with clients to understand their business needs

o   defining and presenting service capabilities and offerings

o   developing proposals and statements of work

o   present, position, negotiate, and close business

o   demonstrating a thorough knowledge of Ratchet service offerings to grow existing client engagements

o   client lead generation, opportunity conversion, and closing

o   experience working with development life-cycles and the interactive industry

·        Individual must have solid account management experience, specifically including:

o   identifying client business objective and converting them to measurable metrics tied to project success (KPIs)

o   proficiency in managing customer understanding and expectations

·        Great writing and presentation skills

Mental and Physical Requirements

·        Ability to handle and be trusted with confidential and/or sensitive information

·        Ability to interact effectively with all levels in the company

·        Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

·        Ability to be flexible and to handle multiple projects in an organized, timely manner

·        Ability to problem solve, work under pressure, and to effectively manage stress

·        Ability to work independently

·        Ability to work collaboratively in team settings

·        Ability to think with agility as engagements evolve