Salesforce Higher Ed Solution Architect

The Salesforce Higher Education Solution Architect leads the design of scalable, secure, and effective Salesforce solutions for colleges, universities, and other higher education organizations. This role translates institutional goals and business needs into solution architecture, guides implementation teams, and advises clients on platform capabilities, best practices, and long-term roadmap decisions.

The Solution Architect is responsible for the following core functions, in addition to other duties as assigned:

• Lead discovery sessions with higher education stakeholders to understand current processes, business objectives, user needs, and technology constraints.
• Define end-to-end Salesforce solution architecture, including platform capabilities, data models, security, integrations, automation, and reporting.
• Design solutions that support higher education processes such as student recruitment and admissions, student engagement and success, advising, alumni relations, advancement, and constituent management, as applicable to client needs.
• Translate functional and technical requirements into solution designs, architecture diagrams, implementation plans, and actionable work for delivery teams.
• Evaluate Salesforce products and capabilities relevant to higher education, recommending fit-for-purpose solutions and identifying opportunities to use standard functionality before custom development.
• Guide integrations between Salesforce and institutional systems such as student information systems (SIS), learning management systems (LMS), identity platforms, marketing tools, and other enterprise applications.
• Establish architecture standards and provide guidance on data quality, migration, privacy, access controls, security, scalability, performance, and maintainability.
• Partner with project managers, business analysts, developers, administrators, and client teams to support configuration, customization, testing, deployment, and change management.
• Review solution designs and technical deliverables, resolve architecture issues, manage technical risks, and help ensure solutions meet agreed requirements.
• Present recommendations and trade-offs clearly to executive sponsors, functional leaders, and technical audiences; support roadmap planning and solution demonstrations as needed.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Maintain and pursue continuing education opportunities, including Salesforce training and certification exams.
• Participate in Apex IT internal initiatives, knowledge sharing, and practice development.
• Provide architecture expertise, mentoring, and hands-on support to project team members as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Thorough understanding of information technology procedures and practices.
• Flexible to changing needs.
• Organized with attention to detail.
• Strong follow-up and project coordination skills.
• Willingness to get hands-on with Salesforce configuration and solution design.
• Works well with cross-functional teams and client stakeholders.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Excellent analytical, logical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Thorough understanding of Salesforce architecture, implementation methodology, and higher education business processes.
• Proficient with, or able to quickly become proficient with, relevant applications, software, and tools used by the organization and the industry.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

• →May assist with training members of the technical staff.
• →May conduct interviews.
• →Assigns duties and responsibilities and oversees workflow of project staff.
• →May conduct project performance evaluations that are timely and constructive.

The work environment is remote or on-site at a client location. While remote, employees are expected to provide office space for themselves with a professional background (including virtual backgrounds) and noise level. A reliable and consistent internet connection is required.

• Prolonged periods sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer.
• Bending, sitting lifting, driving.

• Salesforce certification(s) relevant to solution architecture are strongly preferred.
• Ability to travel as required by customer projects.

• Full time work during Apex IT business hours and, at times, outside of business hours, if required.

(Education and experience based on requirements that are job-related and consistent with business necessity.)

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer or Information Science, Information Systems, Business, or a related field, or commensurate experience required.
• At least 7 years of related Salesforce experience, including solution design or architecture responsibilities, required.

• Experience implementing Salesforce solutions for colleges, universities, or other higher education institutions.
• Experience with Salesforce Education Cloud and/or relevant higher education solutions and data models.
• Salesforce certifications such as Application Architect, System Architect, or relevant Consultant certifications.
• Experience with enterprise integration patterns, APIs, middleware, data migration, and identity/access management.
• Experience leading discovery, architecture reviews, solution demonstrations, and client-facing design workshops.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.