Customer Solution Design Manager
📍 Job Overview
Job Title: Customer Solution Design Manager Company: BT Group Location: Gurugram, Haryana, India Job Type: Full-time Category: Revenue Operations / Sales Operations / GTM Strategy Date Posted: February 02, 2026 Experience Level: 5-10 Years Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Role Summary
- Oversees the end-to-end technical design process, ensuring seamless translation of business requirements into deliverable customer solutions.
- Manages and develops a team of solution designers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous improvement.
- Drives the strategy for the global customer solutions organization, aligning it with business objectives and market trends.
- Cultivates strong senior-level customer relationships by providing expert service design and influencing customer service strategies.
- Implements and champions best practices in solution design, risk management, and technology integration to optimize operational efficiency.
📝 Enhancement Note: This role, while titled "Customer Solution Design Manager," possesses significant overlap with GTM operations, particularly in its focus on translating business requirements into deliverable solutions that meet customer needs. The emphasis on managing technical designs, customer relationships at a senior level, and influencing service strategy positions this as a critical role within the Go-to-Market (GTM) function, impacting revenue generation and customer satisfaction through robust solution delivery. The management of a team and the strategic direction of the organization suggest a mid-to-senior level operations leadership position.
📈 Primary Responsibilities
- Supervise the capture of customer technical requirements and their translation into detailed solution designs using established design methodologies.
- Manage the execution of the global customer solutions strategy, ensuring the team's capability to deliver excellence in end-to-end technical solutions.
- Contribute to defining the technical direction and determining optimal solution designs for clients, balancing customer needs with technical feasibility and business impact.
- Coordinate customer solution design engagements, including the facilitation of Statement of Work (SOW) creation, incorporating any third-party deliverables.
- Build and maintain strong senior-level customer relationships by providing specialized service design expertise and influencing the customer's service strategy and operational decisions.
- Lead change management activities, coordinating customer transition and migration planning and implementation processes.
- Identify potential risks associated with solution designs and implement controls and mitigations, ensuring compliance with industry and company policies.
- Coordinate reviews of solutions to ensure full integration across all technical and business aspects, maintaining consistency in architecture and technical processes.
- Prioritize design and delivery elements, allocating project workload effectively to ensure on-time and within-budget delivery.
- Champion, continuously develop, and share knowledge on emerging trends and changes in customer solution design with the team.
- Coach and manage team members to develop their capabilities, ensuring high performance through upskilling, development, and recruitment strategies.
- Implement process improvements within the customer solution design function to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong focus on process optimization and execution, which are core tenets of Revenue and Sales Operations. The emphasis on translating business requirements into technical solutions, managing SOWs, and coordinating project delivery directly impacts the GTM engine. The requirement to "Implement ways to improve working processes" is a direct call for operational excellence and continuous improvement, a key metric for operations roles.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education: A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related discipline is typically expected. A Master's degree or relevant certifications in project management or solution architecture may be advantageous.
Experience:
- Minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in technical solution design, solution architecture, or a related customer-facing technical role within the telecommunications or technology sector.
- Proven experience in managing and leading technical teams, with a track record of developing talent and improving team performance.
- Demonstrated experience in managing complex projects and ensuring successful delivery within scope, budget, and timelines.
Required Skills:
- Solution Design: Expertise in designing end-to-end technical solutions that meet complex business and customer requirements.
- Technology Integration: Strong understanding of how various technologies integrate and interoperate within a larger ecosystem.
- Talent Management: Demonstrated ability to coach, develop, and manage technical teams, fostering a high-performance culture.
- Decision Making: Proven ability to make sound, strategic decisions, considering technical, business, and customer impacts.
- Root Cause Analysis: Proficiency in identifying underlying issues in technical designs or project execution and implementing effective solutions.
- Growth Mindset: A proactive approach to learning, embracing new technologies, and encouraging innovation within the team.
- Risk Management: Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate technical and project-related risks.
- Negotiation: Experience in negotiating technical requirements, project scope, and potentially vendor deliverables.
- Commercial Acumen: Understanding of the commercial implications of solution design decisions and their impact on profitability and customer value.
- Technology Migration: Experience or understanding of planning and executing technology migrations and transitions.
- Customer Relationship Management: Skill in building and maintaining strong relationships with senior-level clients, acting as a trusted advisor.
- Performance Management: Ability to set performance goals, provide feedback, and manage team performance effectively.
- Inclusive Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead diverse teams, fostering an inclusive and collaborative work environment.
- Proposal Development: Experience in contributing to or developing technical proposals and Statements of Work (SOWs).
- Solution Architecture: Solid understanding of solution architecture principles and best practices.
Preferred Skills:
- Project Management Methodologies: Familiarity with Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid project management frameworks.
- Telecommunications Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of telecommunications technologies, services, and market dynamics.
- ITIL Framework: Knowledge of IT Service Management best practices, particularly in service design and transition.
- Stakeholder Management: Advanced skills in managing expectations and communicating with a wide range of stakeholders, including executive leadership.
📝 Enhancement Note: The skills listed are highly relevant to operations roles focused on service delivery and GTM enablement. "Commercial Acumen," "Proposal Development," and "Solution Architecture" are particularly crucial for roles that bridge technical delivery with business objectives. The emphasis on "Talent Management" and "Inclusive Leadership" points to a management track within operations.
📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Solution Design Case Studies: Showcase examples of complex technical solutions designed, detailing the problem statement, your design approach, key technical components, and the resulting business or customer benefits.
- Process Optimization Initiatives: Present examples where you identified inefficiencies in design or delivery processes and implemented improvements, quantifying the impact (e.g., reduced cycle time, improved accuracy, cost savings).
- Team Management Examples: Illustrate instances of successful talent development, performance improvement plans implemented for team members, or strategies used to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing within a team.
- Risk Mitigation Examples: Provide a case study demonstrating how you identified potential risks in a solution design or project and implemented effective mitigation strategies, preventing negative outcomes.
- Stakeholder Management Scenarios: Include examples of how you managed challenging stakeholder expectations or navigated complex decision-making processes involving multiple parties.
Process Documentation:
- Workflow Design and Optimization: Evidence of creating or refining workflows for technical solution design, requirement gathering, or project handoffs, emphasizing clarity, efficiency, and scalability.
- Implementation and Automation: Examples of processes that were either implemented or enhanced through automation, detailing the tools and methods used to achieve greater efficiency and accuracy in solution delivery.
- Measurement and Performance Analysis: Document how you have established metrics to track the performance of solution design processes and teams, including reporting mechanisms and analysis to drive continuous improvement.
📝 Enhancement Note: For a manager-level operations role, a portfolio demonstrating not just technical design skills but also process ownership, team leadership, and quantifiable business impact is essential. This section focuses on showcasing the candidate's ability to manage and optimize the operational aspects of solution delivery.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Customer Solution Design Manager role with 5-10 years of experience in Gurugram, India, the estimated annual salary range is ₹15,00,000 to ₹25,00,000 (Indian Rupees). This range can vary based on the candidate's specific qualifications, experience, and performance during the interview process.
Benefits:
- Comprehensive health insurance for employees and dependents.
- Generous paid time off (PTO) and public holidays.
- Retirement savings plan (e.g., Provident Fund contributions).
- Opportunities for professional development, training, and certifications.
- Employee assistance programs (EAP) for well-being support.
- Potential for performance-based bonuses and incentives.
- Access to BT's extensive network and employee discount programs.
- Opportunities for international travel or collaboration depending on project scope.
Working Hours: Standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with flexibility often available depending on project demands and team needs. The role is based on-site, requiring adherence to the office schedule.
📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on data from reputable salary aggregators for similar roles in Gurugram, India, considering the experience level (5-10 years) and the "Manager" title within a large, established organization like BT Group. Benefits are standard for a large corporation in this sector and region.
🎯 Team & Company Context
🏢 Company Culture
Industry: Telecommunications & Technology. BT Group is a leading global telecommunications company, offering a wide range of services including mobile, broadband, TV, and enterprise solutions. This industry context means the role operates within a dynamic, technology-driven environment with a strong emphasis on customer service, network reliability, and innovation. Company Size: Large Enterprise (BT Group is a global company with over 100,000 employees). This size implies a structured environment with established processes, opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, and potential for career advancement. For operations professionals, this often means working with sophisticated systems and large datasets. Founded: 1984 (as a public company after nationalization). BT has a long history and a significant presence in the market, indicating stability and a deep understanding of the telecommunications landscape.
Team Structure:
- The Customer Solution Design team likely comprises technical experts, solution designers, and potentially architects responsible for crafting solutions for BT's enterprise and consumer clients.
- As a Manager, this role will report into a senior leadership position within the GTM, Solutions, or Engineering functions, with direct reports including solution designers.
- Cross-functional collaboration is expected with sales, account management, network engineering, product development, and service delivery teams to ensure comprehensive and effective solution design and implementation.
Methodology:
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Solutions are likely designed and validated based on data analysis of customer needs, technical capabilities, and market trends.
- Agile and Iterative Design: Embracing iterative approaches to solution design and development to adapt to evolving customer requirements and technological advancements.
- Customer-Centric Process: Prioritizing customer needs and feedback throughout the design and delivery lifecycle.
- Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Fostering an environment where best practices, lessons learned, and emerging trends are actively shared and integrated.
Company Website: https://www.bt.com/
📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding BT Group's scale and industry is crucial. A large enterprise implies complex stakeholder landscapes and the need for robust, scalable operational processes. The "Customer Solution Design" function is a critical component of the GTM strategy, directly influencing sales effectiveness and customer satisfaction.
📈 Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role represents a mid-to-senior level management position within the operations and GTM enablement functions. It requires a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, team leadership, and process management. The scope includes overseeing a critical part of the solution delivery lifecycle that directly impacts revenue and customer acquisition/retention.
Reporting Structure: The Customer Solution Design Manager will typically report to a Director or Senior Manager responsible for broader Solution Design, Pre-Sales Engineering, or GTM Operations. They will manage a team of Solution Designers, potentially with varying levels of experience.
Operations Impact: This role has a significant impact on revenue by ensuring that the solutions proposed and designed are technically sound, meet customer expectations, and can be delivered efficiently. Effective solution design directly supports sales efforts, reduces post-sale delivery issues, and enhances customer satisfaction, all of which contribute to top-line growth and profitability. The ability to influence customer strategy and operational decisions further amplifies this impact.
Growth Opportunities:
- Senior Leadership in Operations/GTM: Progression to roles like Head of Solution Design, Director of GTM Operations, or VP of Pre-Sales Engineering, overseeing larger teams and broader strategic initiatives.
- Specialization in Architecture: Moving into a Principal Solution Architect or Chief Architect role, focusing on the highest level of technical strategy and design across the organization.
- Product Management: Transitioning into product management roles, leveraging deep understanding of customer needs and technical capabilities to define future product roadmaps.
- Consulting Roles: Moving into external consulting roles, applying expertise in solution design and operations to various client challenges.
📝 Enhancement Note: The career path for a manager in this type of operational role within a large telco is typically towards broader leadership in GTM functions, deep technical specialization, or strategic product roles. Highlighting these paths shows candidates the long-term potential.
🌐 Work Environment
Office Type: The role is on-site, indicating a traditional office environment. This setting typically fosters strong team collaboration, spontaneous problem-solving, and direct mentorship opportunities. For operations roles, this can mean better access to IT support, physical resources, and face-to-face interaction with key stakeholders.
Office Location(s): Building No 14, Sector 24 & 25A, Gurugram, Haryana, India. This location is in a significant business and IT hub in India, suggesting a well-equipped office with modern amenities and good connectivity.
Workspace Context:
- Collaborative Environment: The office setting will likely facilitate direct collaboration with sales teams, engineering, and other GTM functions, crucial for effective solution design.
- Access to Resources: On-site presence ensures easy access to necessary IT infrastructure, testing environments, and internal subject matter experts.
- Team Cohesion: Working alongside team members in person can foster stronger team bonds, facilitate rapid knowledge transfer, and improve team dynamics for complex problem-solving.
Work Schedule: The standard 40-hour work week is expected, with the possibility of occasional extended hours during critical project phases or client escalations. The on-site nature requires adherence to office operating hours, which can provide a structured routine beneficial for managing daily operational tasks and team coordination.
📝 Enhancement Note: For an on-site role in a major Indian business hub, emphasizing the collaborative and resource-rich environment is key. This contrasts with remote roles and highlights the benefits of physical presence for team management and problem-solving in a technical operations context.
📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
- Initial Screening: A recruiter or HR representative will assess your resume for basic qualifications and fit with BT Group's culture.
- Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager to delve into your experience, leadership style, and technical expertise related to solution design and team management. Be prepared to discuss your approach to talent development and process improvement.
- Technical/Case Study Interview: This stage will likely involve a technical assessment or a case study. You might be asked to:
- Analyze a complex customer scenario and outline a potential solution design.
- Troubleshoot a hypothetical technical issue in a proposed solution.
- Present a past project demonstrating your process optimization skills.
- Discuss your approach to risk management and stakeholder engagement.
- Team/Peer Interviews: You may meet with potential team members or peers from related departments (e.g., sales engineering, delivery) to assess cultural fit and collaboration potential.
- Final Interview: A final discussion with senior leadership to confirm your suitability for the role and discuss overall strategy and expectations.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Quantify Impact: For each project or initiative in your portfolio, clearly state the quantifiable results. Use metrics like percentage improvement in efficiency, cost savings, revenue impact, or customer satisfaction scores.
- Structure Your Case Studies: Organize your case studies with a clear Problem, Solution, and Outcome (PSO) structure. For operations roles, emphasize the process and optimization aspects.
- Showcase Management Skills: Include examples of team leadership, talent development, and process improvement initiatives you've led.
- Tailor to BT: Research BT Group's current offerings and challenges. Frame your examples to align with their business objectives and industry.
- Prepare for Technical Depth: Be ready to discuss the technical details of your designs and the rationale behind your decisions.
Challenge Preparation:
- Understand BT's Business: Familiarize yourself with BT's services, target markets, and competitive landscape.
- Practice Solution Design Scenarios: Work through common telecommunications solution design challenges. Consider factors like scalability, security, reliability, and cost.
- Articulate Process Improvements: Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've improved operational processes, the methodologies you used (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma principles), and the outcomes achieved.
- Prepare for Leadership Questions: Anticipate questions about managing difficult conversations, motivating teams, and driving change.
📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a management role in a large organization like BT typically involves multiple stages to ensure thorough assessment. A strong portfolio that demonstrates both technical acumen and operational leadership is crucial for success.
🛠 Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
- CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce): While not explicitly mentioned, a CRM is vital for understanding customer interactions, sales pipelines, and service history, which informs solution design. Proficiency in CRM data analysis and utilization is often expected.
- Project Management Software (e.g., Jira, Asana, Microsoft Project): Essential for managing design tasks, tracking progress, and coordinating with delivery teams.
- Collaboration Suites (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack): For seamless team communication, file sharing, and virtual meetings.
- Documentation Tools (e.g., Confluence, SharePoint): For creating, storing, and sharing design documents, process guides, and meeting minutes.
Analytics & Reporting:
- Business Intelligence Tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI): To analyze performance metrics, identify trends in customer requirements, and report on solution design effectiveness.
- Spreadsheet Software (e.g., Microsoft Excel): For detailed data analysis, financial modeling of solutions, and creating custom reports.
CRM & Automation:
- Service Design/Architecture Tools: Potentially specialized tools for network design, service modeling, or workflow automation within the telecommunications domain.
- Ticketing Systems (e.g., ServiceNow): For understanding support issues and customer feedback that can influence future designs.
📝 Enhancement Note: While the job description doesn't list specific tools, a Customer Solution Design Manager in a telco environment would likely interact with a broad range of enterprise software. Highlighting common tools in this domain prepares candidates for potential technical discussions.
👥 Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
- Customer Focus: A deep commitment to understanding and meeting customer needs through effective and innovative solutions.
- Technical Excellence: Upholding high standards in solution design, architecture, and delivery, ensuring reliability and performance.
- Collaboration: Working effectively across teams (sales, engineering, delivery) to achieve common goals and deliver integrated solutions.
- Continuous Improvement: Actively seeking opportunities to enhance processes, technologies, and team capabilities to drive efficiency and effectiveness.
- Integrity and Accountability: Taking ownership of designs and outcomes, acting with honesty and transparency.
- Inclusivity: Fostering a diverse and inclusive team environment where all members feel valued and empowered.
Collaboration Style:
- Cross-Functional Integration: The role demands close collaboration with sales to understand client needs and capture requirements, with engineering for technical feasibility and implementation details, and with delivery teams to ensure smooth transitions.
- Process Review and Feedback: An open culture for reviewing designs and processes, providing constructive feedback, and collectively problem-solving.
- Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, lessons learned from past projects, and insights into new technologies or market trends.
📝 Enhancement Note: BT's leadership standards ("Looking in," "Looking out," "Looking to the future") provide a framework for understanding the company's values. These translate to an emphasis on self-awareness, customer delivery, commerciality, and future-proofing through innovation and talent development.
⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
- Balancing Technical Complexity with Business Needs: Ensuring solutions are technically robust while also being commercially viable and meeting evolving customer demands.
- Managing Diverse Stakeholder Expectations: Navigating the varied requirements and priorities of different internal teams and external clients.
- Keeping Pace with Technological Advancements: Continuously updating knowledge and skills to design solutions leveraging the latest telecommunications and IT technologies.
- Leading a High-Performing Team: Motivating and developing a team of technical experts, ensuring consistent delivery quality and fostering a culture of innovation.
- Integrating New Services/Technologies: Designing solutions that effectively incorporate new product offerings or technological shifts within BT's portfolio.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Access to BT's Training Programs: Opportunities for formal training in leadership, project management, new technologies, and BT-specific products/services.
- Industry Certifications: Support for obtaining relevant certifications in solution architecture, project management (e.g., PMP), or IT service management (e.g., ITIL).
- Mentorship Programs: Potential to be mentored by senior leaders or to mentor junior team members, fostering leadership growth.
- Exposure to Global Projects: Opportunities to work on international projects, broadening your understanding of diverse markets and operational challenges.
📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying potential challenges and clearly outlining growth opportunities helps candidates assess the role's strategic fit and long-term career potential within BT Group's operations framework.
💡 Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
- "How would you approach translating a complex set of business requirements into a detailed technical solution design for a key enterprise client?" (Focus on methodology, stakeholder engagement, and risk assessment).
- "Describe a time you had to manage conflicting priorities or requirements from different stakeholders. How did you resolve it and ensure successful solution delivery?" (Highlight decision-making, negotiation, and communication skills).
- "How do you ensure that your team's solution designs are not only technically sound but also commercially viable and aligned with the company's strategic goals?" (Emphasize commercial acumen and strategic alignment).
- "What is your philosophy on coaching and developing technical talent? Provide an example of how you've helped a team member grow their skills or career." (Focus on talent management and inclusive leadership).
Company & Culture Questions:
- "How do BT's leadership standards (Looking in, Looking out, Looking to the future) resonate with your own leadership style and approach to operations management?" (Research the standards and connect them to your experience).
- "How would you foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within your Customer Solution Design team?" (Discuss process optimization, knowledge sharing, and embracing new trends).
- "What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the telecommunications industry today, and how should solution design adapt to address them?" (Demonstrate industry awareness and strategic thinking).
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Structure for Impact: Clearly articulate the problem, your role, the solution designed, the processes involved, and the quantifiable outcomes for each case study.
- Highlight Operational Efficiency: For process improvement examples, detail the metrics and how you achieved them. Use terms like "streamlined," "optimized," "reduced cycle time," "increased accuracy."
- Demonstrate Leadership: When presenting team management examples, focus on your leadership actions and the positive impact on team performance and development.
- Engage Your Audience: Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your designs, methodologies, and decision-making processes. Use visuals where appropriate to explain complex solutions.
📝 Enhancement Note: Tailoring preparation to BT's specific values and the nature of solution design within a telecommunications context will be key. Demonstrating both technical depth and operational leadership is essential for this management role.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this operations position:
- Submit your application through the BT Group careers portal via the provided link.
- Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight experience in solution design, team management, technical requirements translation, and process improvement. Use keywords from the job description and incorporate quantifiable achievements.
- Portfolio Curation: Prepare a concise portfolio that showcases 2-3 key projects demonstrating your ability to design complex solutions, manage technical risks, lead teams, and optimize operational processes. Focus on quantifiable results and the "Solution, Process, Outcome" framework.
- Interview Practice: Rehearse answers to common interview questions, particularly those related to leadership, problem-solving, and technical strategy. Practice articulating your portfolio examples clearly and concisely.
- Company Research: Thoroughly research BT Group's current business initiatives, recent news, and their approach to customer solutions and technology innovation. Understand their leadership standards and how your experience aligns.
⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.
Application Requirements
The role requires strong skills in solution design, technology integration, and talent management. Additionally, decision-making and risk management capabilities are essential for success.