Platform Architect

Job Description

At Zendesk, our mission is to simplify the complexity of business and make it easy for companies and customers to create connections. We build software that empowers organizations to deliver champion customer experiences, and with our recent landmark acquisition of Forethought in March 2026, we are driving the agentic service era forward. Together, we deploy the world’s most advanced self-improving AI agents—enterprise-ready and built natively to deliver definitive customer resolutions and scalable business impact.
 

As a Platform Architect for Forethought AI, you will sit at the crossroads of technical strategy and enterprise customer transformation. You will partner closely with Enterprise Account Executives and prospective customers to architect sophisticated, multi-step workflow automations and voice capabilities. This high-impact role gives you the autonomy to resolve a wide range of complex integration issues in creative ways , directly influencing our product roadmap while proving the quantifiable business value of generative AI to the world's top brands.
 

What you'll be doing

• Technical Sales Command: Serve as the primary pre-sales technical leader and subject matter expert, guiding technical relationships between clients, sales teams, and core Product/Engineering teams.

• Solution Architecture & Prototyping: Lead deep-dive discovery and scoping sessions to assess client needs; create detailed technical design specifications and build rapid-prototype mini-applications to demonstrate platform feasibility.

• Customized AI Storytelling: Design, configure, and deliver high-impact platform demonstrations that seamlessly articulate complex technical workflows into clear business narratives for executive stakeholders.

• Own the PoV Lifecycle: Scope, configure, and lead customers through rigorous Proof of Value (PoV) trials with minimal supervision, meticulously managing evaluations against defined success metrics.

• Integration Subject Matter Expertise: Provide advanced guidance on Zendesk’s platform architecture, integration capabilities (APIs, webhooks), and cloud ecosystem patterns (AWS and cloud technologies).

• Strategic AI Consultation: Act as a trusted advisor to evaluate existing customer service operations and advise clients on generative AI best practices to optimize efficiency, scale, and long-term customer satisfaction.

• Scoping to SOW Ownership: Translate validated technical solution scoping, dependencies, and architecture requirements directly into Statements of Work (SOW), ensuring a flawless handover to Post-Sales Implementation teams.

What you bring to the role

• Enterprise Pre-Sales Acumen: A proven track record in a high-touch, client-facing technical role (e.g., Solutions Engineer, Sales Engineer, or Technical Consultant) navigating complex, multi-stakeholder enterprise sales cycles.

• Technical Architecture Depth: Solid understanding of modern web architectures, data flows, and integrating corporate systems via standard web technologies and APIs (REST, GraphQL, etc.).

• AI/ML Fluency: Strong conceptual and practical familiarity with core AI, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) concepts, including enterprise deployment of Large Language Models (LLMs).

• Collaborative Execution: Exceptional communication skills with the ability to build formal internal and external networks, translating deep technical capabilities into quantifiable business value for C-level executives.

• Startup Agility with Enterprise Scale: Ability to independently prioritize and manage multiple complex accounts simultaneously in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of resourcefulness.

• Domain Expertise: Familiarity with foundational Helpdesk, CRM, or CX technology ecosystems (e.g., Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, ServiceNow, or Genesys).

Basic Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 to 8 years of related professional experience in pre-sales engineering, technical consulting, or enterprise architecture within the Software/SaaS industry.

• Hands-on experience working with programming or scripting languages (e.g., Python, JavaScript) and web technologies (HTML) for prototyping and data parsing.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive experience designing integrations on AWS or equivalent major cloud infrastructure frameworks.

• Formal certification or deep operational experience utilizing strategic enterprise sales frameworks (such as MEDDPICC).

• Deep domain expertise in customer support operations, contact center architectures, or modern automation/bot platforms.

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The intelligent heart of customer experience

Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

Zendesk is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer. If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law, please click here.

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law. If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to submit this application, complete any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please send an e-mail to peopleandplaces@zendesk.com with your specific accommodation request.