The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Senior Solutions Consultant (L3)
5-8 years of experience leading complex deals and mentoring juniors.Skills to master
- Mastering end-to-end technical sales cycles, designing and leading major PoCs, becoming a recognised subject matter expert, and informally mentoring junior team members.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently exceeding personal technical win rate targets.
- Proactively taking on leadership roles in cross-functional projects.
- Receiving positive feedback from AEs and junior SCs on mentorship.
- Demonstrating strong problem-solving skills in ambiguous situations.
- 2
Lead / Staff Solutions Consultant (L4)
8-12 years of experience, often with a specialisation or regional leadership.Skills to master
- Defining pre-sales strategy for a specific industry or product line, building reusable demo assets, influencing product roadmap decisions, and potentially leading a small sub-team or initiative.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully defining and executing strategic initiatives within pre-sales.
- Consistently influencing senior stakeholders (Product, Sales leadership).
- Building and maintaining a strong internal network across departments.
- Demonstrating strong commercial acumen alongside technical depth.
- 3
Technical Account Manager / Post-Sales Leader
10-15 years, with a strong focus on client relationships and technical delivery.Skills to master
- Deep client relationship management, understanding post-sales implementation and adoption challenges, managing technical delivery teams, and driving customer success.
You're ready to move on when
- Exceptional client retention and satisfaction scores.
- Proven ability to expand product adoption within existing accounts.
- Strong understanding of the entire customer lifecycle, not just pre-sales.
- Experience managing technical projects and resources post-sale.