Head of Solutions Architecture, Startups

About Vercel: Vercel is the agentic infrastructure company, freeing people and agents to ship what's next. For more than a decade we've helped builders move from idea to production with speed, security, and exceptional developer experience. Now we're scaling our products for both agents and people to ship and run software, built in the open and trusted by OpenAI, PayPal, Ramp, Supreme, and millions of developers worldwide. About the role We are looking for a Head of Solutions Architecture to join our global Field Engineering team. You will build and lead the technical sales organization behind our relationships with the new and leading startups shaping how web and AI products get built. These teams ship using Vercel's core platform, Next.js, and our AI stack, and the technical decisions made in their first architecture review often determine how far they scale with us. You will own a global team of Solutions Architects within our Startups sales organization. You will set the bar for technical excellence across the deal cycle, coach your team through strategic accounts and critical deals, and step in yourself when it matters most: architecture reviews, migration plans, and high-stakes presentations. Beyond running the team, you will shape how Vercel wins in this segment. You will turn patterns from the field into repeatable plays and carry what startups tell you back to our engineering org so it shows up in the product. You will report directly to our Global Head of Field Engineering and partner closely with Sales and Field Engineering leadership to win new business and expand existing accounts. You will also own org planning, staffing, budgeting, and recruiting as you build the team this segment needs. This is a hybrid position based in San Francisco, Austin, or New York, with 3 days per week in office. What you'll do • Lead, develop, and manage Vercel's global Startups SA team, ensuring technical excellence across the pre-sales cycle. • Provide hands-on support for key accounts as needed (presentations, architecture reviews, migration plans). • Oversee and coach SA engagement on strategic accounts and critical deals, developing repeatable plays from trends you are seeing across your team. • Track and report SA performance to Sales and Field Engineering leadership quarterly. • Own org planning, staffing, budgeting, and recruiting. What you need • 10+ years of experience in Solutions Architecture, Sales Engineering, or similar technical pre-sales roles, with at least 5 years in a formal leadership position. • Strong background in modern web technologies (JavaScript, React, Next.js, Node.js, APIs, cloud infrastructure). • Proven ability to lead, coach, and scale technical teams in a high-growth environment. • Demonstrated success working with startups as customers across diverse industries. • Strong understanding of modern software development workflows (CI/CD, DevOps, frontend frameworks). • Experience collaborating with Sales, Product, and Engineering teams to drive customer success. Bonus if you • Have experience working with Vercel, Next.js, or similar frontend frameworks. • Have led SA teams at a high-growth developer tool or cloud infrastructure company. • Bring expertise in developer tooling, edge computing, or performance optimization. • Are comfortable presenting at conferences, webinars, or large-scale customer events. Benefits & Compensation: • Competitive compensation package, including equity. • Inclusive Healthcare Package. • Learn and Grow - we provide mentorship and send you to events that help you build your network and skills. • Flexible Time Off. • We will provide you the gear you need to do your role, and a WFH budget for you to outfit your space as needed. The San Francisco, CA OTE pay range for this position is $382,000 - $485,000 OTE. Actual salary will be based on job-related skills, experience, and location. Compensation outside of San Francisco may be adjusted based on employee location. The total compensation package may include benefits, equity-based compensation, and eligibility for a company bonus or variable pay program depending on the role. Your recruiter can share more details during the hiring process. Disclosures: • Privacy: Please review our Job Applicant Privacy Policy for more information on how we handle your data. • Equal Opportunity: Vercel is committed to fostering and empowering an inclusive community within our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Vercel encourages everyone to apply for our available positions, even if they don't necessarily check every box on the job description.