Tekion Corp

Principal Solutions Architect – Enterprise

Tekion Corp

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Remote

Location: United States

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Salary

💰 $210,800 - $351,000 per year

Job Level

Tech Stack

About the role

  • Partner with enterprise Account Executives as a principal-level peer and domain advisor throughout the sales cycle — from discovery and qualification through proposal, executive alignment, and close.
  • Lead solution discovery sessions with prospective dealer group executives, developing a thorough understanding of their current DMS environment, operational structure, pain points, and strategic priorities.
  • Design and deliver tailored solution presentations and platform demonstrations that connect Tekion ARC capabilities directly to the prospect’s operational realities — grounded in how their business actually works, not generic product pitches.
  • Navigate complex, multi-stakeholder evaluations involving dealer group executive leadership (CEO, CFO, COO, CIO), department heads (Controller, Fixed Ops Director, F&I Director), and IT decision-makers, building independent credibility with each audience.
  • Travel 40–60% to engage prospects onsite, lead executive briefings, and be present for the moments that determine deal outcomes.
  • Serve as Tekion’s deepest subject matter expert on DMS platforms and end-to-end dealer operations, covering fixed operations (service, parts, repair), variable operations (retail, F&I, desking), accounting and financial reporting, and CRM.
  • Understand the full operational footprint of large, multi-rooftop dealer groups — including how processes, reporting hierarchies, and system dependencies scale across dozens or hundreds of rooftops.
  • Articulate the operational and financial impact of a DMS migration credibly, including data conversion, workflow retraining, integration dependencies, and go-live risk management.
  • Stay current on competitive DMS platforms (CDK, Reynolds & Reynolds, DealerSocket) — understanding their strengths, weaknesses, and the switching costs and objections they create.
  • Establish immediate and durable credibility with dealer group executives by demonstrating firsthand knowledge of how large dealership operations work — not product features in the abstract, but the operational decisions, tradeoffs, and pressures that define their day-to-day reality.
  • Lead executive discovery conversations that go beyond the immediate platform evaluation to uncover strategic priorities: growth and acquisition plans, margin improvement goals, talent and process challenges, and long-term digital transformation ambitions.
  • Position Tekion as a long-term strategic partner, not a software vendor — advising prospective customers on industry best practices, operational benchmarks, and how the ARC platform can serve as a foundational capability for their next phase of growth.
  • Handle the toughest objections — on platform maturity, migration risk, competitive alternatives, and organizational change — with transparency, data, and the quiet confidence of someone who has seen these transitions succeed.
  • Be the person in the room that dealer group executives want to call back. Your credibility extends the relationship beyond the sales cycle.
  • Design and document tailored solution architectures for complex, multi-rooftop implementations, including integration requirements, data migration scope, phasing strategies, and third-party connectivity.
  • Identify and evaluate solution tradeoffs, clearly communicating implications for timeline, cost, and operational risk to both the prospect and internal Tekion stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with Tekion’s product and implementation teams to validate feasibility of proposed solutions and establish realistic delivery commitments.
  • Produce high-quality deal artifacts including solution overviews, scope summaries, integration maps, and RFP responses.
  • Act as a direct feedback channel from large dealer group prospects to Tekion’s product organization — surfacing gaps, competitive pressures, and feature requests that influence roadmap prioritization.
  • Collaborate with Sales, Product, and Implementation leadership to continuously refine Tekion’s enterprise go-to-market approach, demo environments, and competitive positioning materials.
  • Contribute to a growing library of enterprise sales assets including reference architectures, objection handling guides, and case studies.

Requirements

  • 10+ years in solutions architecture, domain consulting, or senior technical leadership roles, with substantial experience in automotive dealer management systems or dealership operations technology at the enterprise level.
  • Comprehensive, hands-on knowledge of DMS platforms and dealership operations across all major departments: fixed ops (service, parts, repair), variable ops (retail, desking, F&I), accounting and financial reporting, and CRM.
  • Demonstrated ability to engage with mid-market or large dealer group executives (VP and C-suite) with genuine authority — as a domain peer, not a vendor presenter.
  • Deep understanding of DMS migration complexity at scale — data conversion, third-party integrations, workflow change management, and multi-rooftop go-live sequencing.
  • Deep familiarity with at least one major legacy DMS platform (CDK, Reynolds & Reynolds, DealerSocket, or equivalent) from an implementation, operational, or consulting context.
  • Exceptional executive communication, listening, and presentation skills; able to command credibility in a boardroom and adapt fluently across technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Proven experience contributing to complex, high-value B2B evaluations in a domain expert or senior advisory capacity.
Benefits
  • Competitive compensation and generous stock options
  • 100% employer-paid top-of-the-line medical, dental and vision coverage
  • Great benefits including unlimited PTO, parental leave and free snacks and beverages
  • The opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds from Silicon Valley’s most dominant and successful companies
  • Be part of an early stage, hyper-growth start-up with the opportunity to grow and prosper
  • Work on the latest and coolest technologies – everything is home-grown and built ground-up
  • A dynamic work environment with a strong sense of community and collaboration
  • The open and transparent culture that encourages innovation, rewards performance and discourages hierarchy
  • Exciting opportunities for career growth and development
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
solutions architectureDMS platformsdata conversionthird-party integrationsworkflow change managementfinancial reportingCRMintegration requirementssolution architecture designmulti-rooftop implementations
Soft Skills
executive communicationpresentation skillslistening skillscredibility buildingobjection handlingcollaborationstrategic advisingrelationship managementproblem-solvingadaptability