UK

United Kingdom · Sales · Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Solutions Consultant

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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  • Experience bandMid-Level (2-5 years)
  • Direct reportsNo direct reports
  • Reports toManager, Solutions Consulting
  • UK framework levelUsually a coordinator, or early in a professional job

Also advertised as Presales Consultant · Solutions Engineer · Technical Sales Specialist

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

No confident skill match yet for Solutions Consultant. The closest we hold is below.

Level 5 Award in Managing Sales Technology Systems Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 5 · covers 1 of 1 standard

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Manage Sales Technology Systems Level 5 Award in Managing Sales Technology Systems
Understand Sales Digital Technology Systems ISP Level 2 Certificate in Professional Sales

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Solutions Consultant

2 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Manage Sales Technology Systems Institute of Sales Professionals · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 5
  2. Understand Sales Digital Technology Systems Institute of Sales Professionals · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 2
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Solutions Consultant?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • Advanced Data Storytelling for Executive Buy-in
  • Ethical AI & Data Governance in Sales
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Solutions Consultant plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

Start my Solutions Consultant plan, free Ready to pay? Subscribe for £70 a month

3What this role really is

A solutions consultant explains how a product can solve a client's problem, working alongside sales and technical teams. You work out what a client needs, then show how the product meets it. You explain technical ideas in terms business people understand, and work with their IT staff on the detail. The work includes building demos, running proof-of-concepts, and giving sales teams the technical grounding to close deals. It means solving real problems for real customers.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Salesforce (Sales Cloud, CPQ) Expert

Navigating opportunities, logging activities, pulling standard and custom reports, building complex multi-product deal configurations in CPQ. You'll be training AEs on CPQ best practices.

Reprise/Demostack (or similar demo platform) Advanced

Building custom, interactive demos from scratch, creating high-fidelity mockups, and managing multiple demo environments for different client use cases. You'll be the master of our demo tech.

Miro, Lucidchart, or Microsoft Visio Advanced

Designing complex, multi-system solution diagrams from a blank canvas. You'll use these to facilitate technical workshops and visually explain architectures to clients.

Confluence, Jira, Slack/MS Teams Advanced

Owning Confluence spaces for technical knowledge, writing detailed Jira tickets for Product based on client feedback, and leading technical discussions in team channels. You're a knowledge hub.

Gong.io or Chorus.ai Intermediate

Analysing competitor mentions and technical objection patterns across your own calls and potentially your team's calls to improve positioning and identify training needs.

Tableau or Power BI Premium Intermediate

Building custom dashboards to track PoC success rates, technical win rates, and demo activity for your assigned deals or a specific region. You'll turn data into actionable insights.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Technical Solution Design for a Prospect Proposes a solution based on existing templates, requires full review and approval from a Senior SC or Manager. Independently designs solutions for mid-market clients, consults with Manager on complex integrations or non-standard requirements. Owns the technical architecture document. Designs enterprise-level, multi-system solutions. Makes final technical architecture decisions within their workstreams, only informs Director for major strategic implications.
Proof of Concept (PoC) Scope & Execution Assists a Senior SC with PoC setup and data loading, follows a detailed plan. No authority to alter scope. Defines PoC success criteria with the AE and client, executes the PoC, and presents results. Must get Manager approval for any significant scope changes or resource commitments beyond £5K. Designs and leads complex PoVs for strategic accounts, including defining success metrics and resource allocation. Approves PoC budgets up to £25K.
Product Feedback & Feature Requests Collects client feedback and passes it to their Manager or AE. Identifies recurring technical challenges from multiple clients and formally submits well-articulated feature requests to Product Management, explaining the business impact. Influences Product roadmap decisions by aggregating and prioritising market demand for specific technical capabilities, representing the voice of the customer in product planning sessions.
Client Communication & Expectation Setting Communicates standard product information under AE guidance. All non-standard technical questions are escalated. Independently manages technical conversations with client IT and business teams, setting realistic expectations about product capabilities and implementation timelines. Knows when to bring in an expert. Leads executive-level technical discussions, manages complex client expectations, and negotiates technical commitments. Acts as the primary technical point of contact for strategic accounts.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Technical Qualification Rate
The percentage of opportunities where you've technically qualified the prospect and advanced them through the sales cycle.
Target · >80% of assigned opportunities

If you work on 20 opportunities in a month, at least 16 of them should have a clear technical path forward or a defined next step after your engagement.

Demo Delivery & Feedback Score
The number of demos you deliver and the average internal feedback score from your Account Executives and manager.
Target · 15+ demos per quarter with an average internal feedback score of 4.5/5

Delivering 18 demos in Q2, with AEs consistently noting your clarity, engagement, and ability to tailor the message to the client's needs.

Proof of Concept (PoC) Completion Rate
The percentage of Proof of Concepts you initiate that are successfully completed, meeting the pre-defined success criteria.
Target · >85% completion rate

Out of 10 PoCs started, 9 were completed with the client signing off on the agreed success criteria, leading to a clear path to close.

Sales Cycle Contribution
Your impact on reducing the average sales cycle length for deals you're involved in, particularly those with significant technical complexity.
Target · Contribute to a 5-10% reduction in sales cycle length for technical deals

Deals where you were involved from the technical discovery phase closed, on average, 15 days faster than comparable deals without early SA engagement.

Client Trust & Credibility
How well you establish yourself as a trusted technical advisor with prospects, leading to more open discussions and deeper insights into their challenges.
  • Clients proactively ask for your input on technical matters, they share sensitive architectural details, and they often refer to 'our Solutions Consultant' in internal meetings. You'll know you're doing well when clients come directly to you with questions even when the AE isn't around.
Internal Collaboration & AE Partnership
Your ability to work seamlessly with Account Executives, providing proactive support, sharing insights, and helping them navigate technical objections.
  • AEs consistently praise your responsiveness and helpfulness, they bring you into deals early, and you're seen as a true partner, not just a resource. You'll often be asked for advice on how to approach a technical conversation, even before you're officially on the call.
Solution Quality & Fit
The accuracy and appropriateness of the technical solutions you propose, ensuring they genuinely meet the client's needs and align with our product's capabilities.
  • Minimal post-sale escalations related to technical misunderstandings or unmet expectations. Customer Success reports high satisfaction with the initial setup and solution architecture. Your proposed solutions are practical, scalable, and avoid 'over-engineering' for the sake of it.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Solving Complex Client Problems

You get a real buzz from deconstructing a client's messy business challenge and then showing them, step-by-step, how our product makes their lives easier. It's like solving a puzzle every day.

Spending an hour whiteboarding a data integration flow with a client's IT team, and seeing their 'aha!' moment when they realise it's actually achievable.

Seeing Deals Close (and knowing you helped)

There's a genuine satisfaction in knowing your technical expertise directly contributed to winning a new client. You're not just a cog; you're a critical part of the revenue engine.

Getting the Slack message from an AE saying, 'Deal closed! Your demo was the clincher!'—that's a great feeling.

Continuous Learning & Growth

The tech landscape is always changing, and you love staying on top of it. You're always tinkering with new features, understanding new integrations, and expanding your knowledge base.

Diving into the documentation for a new API integration over the weekend because you know it'll help you win a specific type of deal next quarter.

What frustrates people
  • The Account Executive promising a feature that's barely a vague idea on the product roadmap, then turning to you in the meeting and saying, '...and my partner here can show you how it works.'
  • Spending 30+ hours building a bespoke PoC for a prospect who then 'goes dark' and never responds again. It happens more often than you'd think.
  • Being pulled into 'discovery' calls that are actually unqualified demos for prospects who have no budget, authority, or real need. It's a time sink.
  • The constant tension with the Product team between what the market is demanding today and what their six-month roadmap actually allows. You're often caught in the middle.
  • Losing a deal you've already 'technically won' because of pricing, internal politics, or a last-minute decision from a new executive you never even met. It's tough, but it's part of sales.
  • Having your week's carefully planned work derailed by a last-minute, 'urgent' request for a demo from a different time zone. Expect 2-3 of these weekly.
  • Explaining the same fundamental concept for the fifth time to a sales rep who, frankly, just refuses to learn the technical basics. It's tiring.
What this role does not give you
  • A predictable 9-to-5 routine with no surprises. This role is inherently dynamic.
  • The chance to build and ship code into a production environment every day. Your 'builds' are demos and solution designs.
  • A quiet, heads-down working environment. You'll be talking to people, presenting, and collaborating constantly.

8Who you work with

Your work directly impacts our mid-market revenue growth by increasing technical win rates and accelerating sales cycles. You'll ensure prospects clearly understand the value and capabilities of our product, which in turn reduces post-sale issues and improves customer satisfaction. Essentially, you're building the technical foundation for long-term client relationships.

Inside the business
  • Account Executives (your primary partners)
  • Product Managers (you'll feed them market insights)
  • Sales Operations (they'll help you with processes and data)
  • Customer Success Managers (to ensure smooth handovers)
  • Marketing (to help refine messaging and content)
Outside the business
  • Client Technical Teams (IT Managers, Architects, Developers)
  • Client Business Stakeholders (Department Heads, Project Managers)
  • Client Executives (occasionally, for higher-level discussions)
  • Implementation Partners (if we're working with a third party)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • At least 2 years of experience in a presales, technical consulting, or implementation role, where you regularly interacted with clients.
  • A proven track record of delivering compelling technical presentations or product demonstrations.
  • Demonstrable experience in understanding client requirements and translating them into technical solutions.
  • Strong foundational knowledge of CRM systems and sales processes.
  • The ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

API & Integration Architecture (Deeper Dive)

Clients are increasingly looking for seamless integration with their existing tech stacks. Moving beyond just knowing that we have an API, you'll need to understand common integration patterns, data flows, and how our API can be leveraged in complex enterprise environments. This means less 'it integrates' and more 'here's how it integrates with your specific system X'.

RESTful API Design Principles · Webhook & Event-Driven Architectures · Data Mapping & Transformation · Authentication & Authorisation Flows (OAuth 2.0, SAML)

  • This month: Review our API documentation thoroughly. Can you explain every endpoint and its purpose?
  • Next 3 months: Build a simple integration using our API and a common third-party tool (e.g., Slack, Google Sheets) in a sandbox environment.
  • Next 6 months: Shadow a senior Solutions Architect or an Integration Engineer on a complex integration discussion with a client.
  • Next 12 months: Be able to whiteboard a multi-system integration architecture, including data flow, error handling, and security considerations.

Quick win: Pick one common client integration scenario. Can you draw out the data flow and explain the key technical considerations off the top of your head? If not, start researching.

Cloud Infrastructure & Security Fundamentals

Many clients are moving to the cloud, and they'll want to know how our solution fits into their cloud strategy and, crucially, how secure it is within that environment. You'll need to speak confidently about cloud deployment models, shared responsibility, and common security controls.

Cloud Service Models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) · Shared Responsibility Model · Network Security Basics (Firewalls, VPNs, VPCs) · Data Encryption at Rest and in Transit

  • This month: Complete a free online introductory course on AWS or Azure fundamentals.
  • Next 3 months: Review our internal security documentation. Can you explain our key security controls?
  • Next 6 months: Shadow a security expert or a senior Solutions Architect on a client security review call.
  • Next 12 months: Be able to address common client security questionnaires with minimal internal help.

Quick win: Familiarise yourself with our company's cloud provider (e.g., AWS, Azure). Learn about their basic security features and how we use them.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending industry webinars and conferences to stay on top of market trends and competitive offerings.
  • Participating in online courses or workshops to deepen your technical skills in areas like cloud computing, APIs, or data analytics.
  • Engaging in peer-to-peer learning by shadowing senior Solutions Architects and sharing your own insights with the team.
  • Contributing to open-source projects or building personal technical projects to keep your hands-on skills sharp.
  • Reading relevant books and articles on sales strategy, solution architecture, and communication.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Advanced Data Storytelling for Executive Buy-in

Simply presenting data isn't enough anymore. Executives are swamped, and they need to quickly grasp the 'so what?' from your technical solutions. The ability to craft a compelling narrative around the data – showing clear ROI and strategic impact – will be essential for closing bigger deals.

  • Narrative Arc in Presentations
  • Visualisation Best Practices
  • Quantifying Business Impact
  • Audience-Centric Messaging

Ethical AI & Data Governance in Sales

As AI becomes more embedded in our sales tools (think CRM intelligence, automated prospecting), clients will increasingly ask about data privacy, bias, and ethical use. Being able to confidently discuss these topics, and how our solutions adhere to best practices, will build immense trust and differentiate us.

  • AI Bias & Fairness
  • Data Lineage & Transparency
  • Explainable AI (XAI)
  • Privacy-Preserving AI

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Discovery & Requirements Gathering
  • Proof of Concept (PoC) / Proof of Value (PoV) Management
  • Solution Selling & Value Engineering
  • RFP/RFI Response Strategy
  • Technical Feasibility & Gap Analysis
  • Enterprise Architecture Fluency (Basic)

14The pathway

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. 1

    From Associate Solutions Consultant (L1)

    1-2 years

    Skills to master

    • Independent demo delivery, basic PoC execution, initial client discovery, and foundational product knowledge. You'll have moved from assisting to owning.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently receiving positive feedback on independent demo deliveries.
    • Successfully completing basic PoCs with minimal supervision.
    • Proactively identifying client needs during discovery calls.
    • Demonstrating a solid grasp of our core product capabilities and common use cases.
  2. 2

    From Technical Implementation/Consulting

    2-4 years

    Skills to master

    • Deep product implementation knowledge, client-facing communication, project management, and problem-solving in a post-sale context. You'll need to adapt to the 'pre-sale' mindset.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Strong track record of successful product deployments and client satisfaction.
    • Excellent ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues.
    • Clear and effective communication with clients and internal technical teams.
    • A desire to shift from 'how it works' to 'how it solves their problem to win the deal'.
  3. 3

    From Product Specialist/Support Engineer

    2-3 years

    Skills to master

    • In-depth product expertise, understanding of common customer pain points, and the ability to articulate technical features. You'll need to develop stronger presentation and sales-specific communication skills.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Expert-level knowledge of our product's features, limitations, and common workarounds.
    • Proven ability to explain complex product functionality to customers.
    • A natural curiosity about client business challenges and how our product can address them.
    • Strong desire to move into a more proactive, revenue-generating role.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to managing a team of solutions consultants, or specialising further as a principal solutions architect.

16Pay and demand

Pay & demand

Typical pay £60,288 a year Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 (provisional), under the Open Government Licence v3.0

The figure is the median for full-time employees in the ONS occupation this job title codes to (IT business analysts, architects and systems designers), from the April 2025 survey, about six months old when published, as ASHE always is. It is that occupation's middle, not this role's. Half earn more.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Solutions Consultant is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Manage Sales Technology Systems, worked against Solutions Consultant.

Manage Sales Technology Systems Level 5

Applied to your work in Solutions Consultant

This unit aims to equip learners with the knowledge of functional requirements of sales technology systems and how to support users for effective adoption. Learners will be able to monitor system effectiveness, identify areas for improvement, and ensure the effective usage of sales technology to optimise sales performance.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

Start my Solutions Consultant plan, free
See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Solutions Consultant
  • Discovery & Requirements Gathering
  • Proof of Concept (PoC) / Proof of Value (PoV) Management
  • Solution Selling & Value Engineering
  • RFP/RFI Response Strategy
  • Technical Feasibility & Gap Analysis
  • Enterprise Architecture Fluency (Basic)
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

17The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Solutions Consultant is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Senior Solutions Consultant (L3)

    3-5 years in the Solutions Consultant role

    This is a natural next step, moving from mid-market deals to owning complex, enterprise-level accounts and mentoring junior team members.

    • Complex Solution Architecture Designing multi-system, highly integrated solutions for large enterprises.
    • Advanced PoV Design Crafting and leading Proof of Value engagements that demonstrate quantifiable ROI.
    • Competitive Strategy Deeply understanding competitor technical offerings and positioning our solution effectively.
    • Product Roadmap Influence Actively shaping future product development based on aggregated market feedback.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be honest, a big chunk of your day as a Solutions Consultant is spent on repetitive tasks, digging for information, or drafting communications. Imagine getting that time back. Our AI Productivity Hub isn't about replacing you; it's about making you a technical sales superhero, giving you more time to do what you do best: solve problems and build relationships.

We're investing heavily in AI tools specifically designed to make your life easier in Sales. For a Solutions Consultant, this means less time on tedious admin and more time on high-impact activities like deep client discovery, crafting bespoke demos, and strategising with your Account Executives. Think of AI as your super-efficient, always-on assistant, ready to tackle the grunt work so you can focus on winning deals.

RFP First Draft Automation

Use a generative AI tool, trained on our company's knowledge base (think Confluence, past RFPs, product documentation), to automatically generate initial answers for 60-70% of a new Request for Proposal. Your role shifts from painstakingly writing every answer to efficiently editing, refining, and adding strategic insights. This is a game-changer for speed and consistency.

Objection Analysis Accelerator

Leverage call intelligence tools like Gong or Chorus, supercharged with AI, to automatically tag and analyse common technical objections and competitor mentions across all sales calls. This gives you data-driven insights into what's really happening in the market, helping you refine your messaging, anticipate challenges, and even spot product gaps. It's like having a dedicated research team for every call.

Prospect Intelligence Synthesis

Before a big client meeting, use an AI assistant to quickly research a new prospect. It'll summarise their annual report, recent press releases, and key executive LinkedIn profiles into a concise, one-page technical briefing document. This highlights potential pain points, gives you clues about their tech stack, and helps you tailor your approach, all in a fraction of the time it used to take.

Stakeholder Comms Assistant

After a complex technical call, use AI to draft three versions of a follow-up email in minutes: a high-level business value summary for the economic buyer, a detailed technical summary for the IT team, and a concise project plan for your internal champion. This ensures everyone gets the right message, saving you loads of time and ensuring consistent, professional follow-up.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Solutions Consultant?

Common routes in include From Associate Solutions Consultant (1-2 years), From Technical Implementation/Consulting (2-4 years) and From Product Specialist/Support Engineer (2-3 years). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Solutions Consultant progress to?

This role can lead on to Senior Solutions Consultant (3-5 years in the Solutions Consultant role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Solutions Consultant?

Increasingly, Advanced Data Storytelling for Executive Buy-in and Ethical AI & Data Governance in Sales. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

Read the Zavmo manifesto to understand how you will be taught Meet your tutors

Or try another one

18Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 3

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in sales

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

The skills built in this role transfer well elsewhere. Some move into product management, using client insight to shape future products. Others move into customer success, helping clients get value after the sale, or into technical consulting in other industries. The ability to connect business needs with technical detail is useful in many settings.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Solutions Consultant plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.