The Consulting Enterprise Strategist guides educational organizations through digital transformation by aligning IT strategies with institutional goals, engaging with executive leaders, and designing multi-practice solutions.
Description
At CDW, we make it happen, together. Trust, connection, and commitment are at the heart of how we work together to deliver for our customers. It's why we're coworkers, not just employees. Coworkers who genuinely believe in supporting our customers and one another. We collectively forge our path forward with a level of commitment that speaks to who we are and where we're headed. We're proud to share our story and Make Amazing Happen at CDW.
* Job Summary
* As a Consulting Enterprise Strategist (ES) supporting Education enterprise and majors accounts, you serve as the enterprise‑wide, multi‑practice strategic and architectural authority guiding complex education‑sector organizations through long‑range digital transformation. This role represents Security, Hybrid Infrastructure, Digital Experience, and Digital Infrastructure, aligning academic, operational, and public‑mission priorities to scalable IT strategies. The Enterprise Strategist engages with CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, Presidents/Chancellors, and Superintendents, operating within executive‑level, long‑cycle, multi‑practice sales motions. Acting as the technological strategist for large, institution‑wide pursuits, helping customers modernize safely while navigating governance, funding, regulatory, and stakeholder complexity. Your core objective is to align institutional mission and business outcomes with integrated IT strategy, translating educational objectives- such as student success, research enablement, digital equity, safety, resilience, and operational efficiency- into actionable IT roadmaps and multi‑year transformation programs. The Consulting Enterprise Strategist ensures Education customers receive cohesive, outcome‑driven architectures, not siloed point solutions. This role bridges strategy, architecture, governance, and execution, supporting institutions that operate under:
* Shared governance and decentralized decision‑making
* Multi‑year budget cycles and constrained funding models
* Regulatory, privacy, and compliance requirements
* Diverse stakeholder communities (academic, IT, finance, public leadership) The Enterprise Strategist partners closely with Client Executives (CEs), Solution Executives (SEs), and practice teams to co‑plan accounts, align engagement models, and deliver coordinated, enterprise‑scale outcomes.
* What you will do:
* Enterprise Strategy & Architecture (Education)
* Lead enterprise‑wide, multi‑practice strategy and architectural engagements across higher education systems, large universities, and K‑12 districts.
* Translate institutional goals- student success, research enablement, digital access, security, resilience, and operational efficiency- into integrated IT roadmaps and future‑state architectures.
* Design high‑level designs (HLDs) and scalable architectures supporting campus, district, or system‑wide modernization initiatives.
* Executive Engagement & Sales Motion
* Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, including CIOs, CISOs, academic and operational leaders, aligning technology strategy to mission outcomes.
* Operate within an executive‑level, long‑cycle, multi‑practice sales motion typical of Education.
* Act as the technical quarterback for complex, cross‑practice pursuits- driving clarity, alignment, and forward progress across long decision cycles.
* Account & Opportunity Leadership
* Co‑plan strategic Education enterprise and major accounts with CE and SE teams to ensure orchestrated engagement and sustained value delivery.
* Shape, qualify, and accelerate large, institution‑wide opportunities that span multiple practices and funding periods.
* Guide partner and ecosystem alignment, including OEMs, cloud providers, and software partners appropriate for public‑sector environments.
* Cross‑Practice Orchestration
* Own alignment across sales, presales, delivery, partners, and leadership for multi‑practice Education engagements.
* Standardize enterprise solution approaches while respecting institutional autonomy and governance models.
* Navigate internal processes, approvals, and public‑sector procurement dynamics to reduce friction and enable execution.
* Business Outcomes & Value Creation
* Build multi‑year roadmaps, business cases, and formal proposals (SOWs, LOEs, RFP responses) aligned to measurable education outcomes.
* Support financial impact and value modeling appropriate for grant‑funded, bond‑funded, or operating‑budget initiatives.
* Drive outcomes such as integrated architecture, modernization at scale, security posture improvement, digital equity enablement, and operational resilience.
* Thought Leadership & Enablement
* Act as a thought leader for the Education enterprise strategy, mentoring presales and delivery teams on large‑scale institutional engagement.
* Represent CDW in executive briefings, workshops, advisory councils, and industry forums relevant to higher education and K-12.
* Bridge insights between clients, presales, delivery, and corporate strategy to inform capability evolution and innovation.
* What we expect of you:
* Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering and 7+ years of experience in IT architecture and engineering, spanning at least 2 technology practice areas OR equivalent experience.
* 3+ years of experience designing multi-practice solutions for complex customer environments.
* Strong understanding of CDW's portfolio (Cloud, applications, data, security, modern infrastructure, DevOps, SaaS technologies, and AI).
* Proven ability to influence Key stakeholders at the executive level (CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, Presidents/Chancellors, and Superintendents, Superintendents, CTO, EdTech, Cybersecurity Coordinators and CBO)
* Demonstrated success building and delivering enterprise technology roadmaps and digital transformation strategies.
* Certifications across multiple disciplines (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Architect Expert), a plus.
* Background in vertical-specific architecture (e.g., Education HiEd and K-12), a plus.
* Strategic Mindset: Anticipates future trends and implications, translates vision into executable strategies, a plus.
* Executive Presence: Communicates with confidence and clarity to influence diverse executive audiences, a plus.
* Cross-Domain Expertise: Applies a systems-level view to architecting integrated technology solutions, a plus.
* Innovation & Agility: Thinks creatively to develop novel solutions and thrives in fast-paced environments, a plus.
* Collaborative Leadership: Works seamlessly across sales, engineering, delivery, and partner ecosystems, a plus.
* Outcome-Driven: Anchors all recommendations in measurable client value and business impact, a plus. Pay range: $121,450 - $170,010 depending on experience and skill set Annual bonus target of 25% subject to terms and conditions of plan Benefits overview: [https://cdw.benefit-info.com/](https://cdw.benefit-info.com/) Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials
* We make technology work so people can do great things.
* CDW is a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 Index, CDW helps its customers to navigate an increasingly complex IT market and maximize return on their technology investments. Together, we unite. Together, we win. Together, we thrive. CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law. CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, CDW's goal is to get to know you as an applicant and understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. While AI can help you present yourself more clearly and effectively, the essence of your application should be authentically yours. To learn more, please review [CDW's AI Applicant Notice](https://www.cdwjobs.com/pages/ai-applicant-notice).
At CDW, we make it happen, together. Trust, connection, and commitment are at the heart of how we work together to deliver for our customers. It's why we're coworkers, not just employees. Coworkers who genuinely believe in supporting our customers and one another. We collectively forge our path forward with a level of commitment that speaks to who we are and where we're headed. We're proud to share our story and Make Amazing Happen at CDW.
* Job Summary
* As a Consulting Enterprise Strategist (ES) supporting Education enterprise and majors accounts, you serve as the enterprise‑wide, multi‑practice strategic and architectural authority guiding complex education‑sector organizations through long‑range digital transformation. This role represents Security, Hybrid Infrastructure, Digital Experience, and Digital Infrastructure, aligning academic, operational, and public‑mission priorities to scalable IT strategies. The Enterprise Strategist engages with CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, Presidents/Chancellors, and Superintendents, operating within executive‑level, long‑cycle, multi‑practice sales motions. Acting as the technological strategist for large, institution‑wide pursuits, helping customers modernize safely while navigating governance, funding, regulatory, and stakeholder complexity. Your core objective is to align institutional mission and business outcomes with integrated IT strategy, translating educational objectives- such as student success, research enablement, digital equity, safety, resilience, and operational efficiency- into actionable IT roadmaps and multi‑year transformation programs. The Consulting Enterprise Strategist ensures Education customers receive cohesive, outcome‑driven architectures, not siloed point solutions. This role bridges strategy, architecture, governance, and execution, supporting institutions that operate under:
* Shared governance and decentralized decision‑making
* Multi‑year budget cycles and constrained funding models
* Regulatory, privacy, and compliance requirements
* Diverse stakeholder communities (academic, IT, finance, public leadership) The Enterprise Strategist partners closely with Client Executives (CEs), Solution Executives (SEs), and practice teams to co‑plan accounts, align engagement models, and deliver coordinated, enterprise‑scale outcomes.
* What you will do:
* Enterprise Strategy & Architecture (Education)
* Lead enterprise‑wide, multi‑practice strategy and architectural engagements across higher education systems, large universities, and K‑12 districts.
* Translate institutional goals- student success, research enablement, digital access, security, resilience, and operational efficiency- into integrated IT roadmaps and future‑state architectures.
* Design high‑level designs (HLDs) and scalable architectures supporting campus, district, or system‑wide modernization initiatives.
* Executive Engagement & Sales Motion
* Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, including CIOs, CISOs, academic and operational leaders, aligning technology strategy to mission outcomes.
* Operate within an executive‑level, long‑cycle, multi‑practice sales motion typical of Education.
* Act as the technical quarterback for complex, cross‑practice pursuits- driving clarity, alignment, and forward progress across long decision cycles.
* Account & Opportunity Leadership
* Co‑plan strategic Education enterprise and major accounts with CE and SE teams to ensure orchestrated engagement and sustained value delivery.
* Shape, qualify, and accelerate large, institution‑wide opportunities that span multiple practices and funding periods.
* Guide partner and ecosystem alignment, including OEMs, cloud providers, and software partners appropriate for public‑sector environments.
* Cross‑Practice Orchestration
* Own alignment across sales, presales, delivery, partners, and leadership for multi‑practice Education engagements.
* Standardize enterprise solution approaches while respecting institutional autonomy and governance models.
* Navigate internal processes, approvals, and public‑sector procurement dynamics to reduce friction and enable execution.
* Business Outcomes & Value Creation
* Build multi‑year roadmaps, business cases, and formal proposals (SOWs, LOEs, RFP responses) aligned to measurable education outcomes.
* Support financial impact and value modeling appropriate for grant‑funded, bond‑funded, or operating‑budget initiatives.
* Drive outcomes such as integrated architecture, modernization at scale, security posture improvement, digital equity enablement, and operational resilience.
* Thought Leadership & Enablement
* Act as a thought leader for the Education enterprise strategy, mentoring presales and delivery teams on large‑scale institutional engagement.
* Represent CDW in executive briefings, workshops, advisory councils, and industry forums relevant to higher education and K-12.
* Bridge insights between clients, presales, delivery, and corporate strategy to inform capability evolution and innovation.
* What we expect of you:
* Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering and 7+ years of experience in IT architecture and engineering, spanning at least 2 technology practice areas OR equivalent experience.
* 3+ years of experience designing multi-practice solutions for complex customer environments.
* Strong understanding of CDW's portfolio (Cloud, applications, data, security, modern infrastructure, DevOps, SaaS technologies, and AI).
* Proven ability to influence Key stakeholders at the executive level (CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, Presidents/Chancellors, and Superintendents, Superintendents, CTO, EdTech, Cybersecurity Coordinators and CBO)
* Demonstrated success building and delivering enterprise technology roadmaps and digital transformation strategies.
* Certifications across multiple disciplines (e.g., AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Architect Expert), a plus.
* Background in vertical-specific architecture (e.g., Education HiEd and K-12), a plus.
* Strategic Mindset: Anticipates future trends and implications, translates vision into executable strategies, a plus.
* Executive Presence: Communicates with confidence and clarity to influence diverse executive audiences, a plus.
* Cross-Domain Expertise: Applies a systems-level view to architecting integrated technology solutions, a plus.
* Innovation & Agility: Thinks creatively to develop novel solutions and thrives in fast-paced environments, a plus.
* Collaborative Leadership: Works seamlessly across sales, engineering, delivery, and partner ecosystems, a plus.
* Outcome-Driven: Anchors all recommendations in measurable client value and business impact, a plus. Pay range: $121,450 - $170,010 depending on experience and skill set Annual bonus target of 25% subject to terms and conditions of plan Benefits overview: [https://cdw.benefit-info.com/](https://cdw.benefit-info.com/) Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials
* We make technology work so people can do great things.
* CDW is a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 Index, CDW helps its customers to navigate an increasingly complex IT market and maximize return on their technology investments. Together, we unite. Together, we win. Together, we thrive. CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law. CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, CDW's goal is to get to know you as an applicant and understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. While AI can help you present yourself more clearly and effectively, the essence of your application should be authentically yours. To learn more, please review [CDW's AI Applicant Notice](https://www.cdwjobs.com/pages/ai-applicant-notice).
Top Skills
AI
Applications
Cloud
Data
DevOps
Modern Infrastructure
Saas Technologies
Security
CDW Chicago, Illinois, USA Office
625 W Adams St., Chicago, IL, United States, 60661
Similar Jobs at CDW
Information Technology
As a Campus Intern, you will liaise between CDW and the University, focusing on enhancing the student technology experience and building relationships.
Information Technology
As a CDW Campus Intern, you will connect IT departments and University Administration, enhance the technology experience on campus, and gain valuable customer-facing experience.
Information Technology
The Strategist at CDW drives technology solutions by collaborating with stakeholders and shaping strategic initiatives to accelerate growth and address industry challenges.
Top Skills:
CismCrisc)Incident ManagementIndustry Related Certifications (CisspIntegration TechnologiesTechnology ArchitectureTechnology Solutions
What you need to know about the Chicago Tech Scene
With vibrant neighborhoods, great food and more affordable housing than either coast, Chicago might be the most liveable major tech hub. It is the birthplace of modern commodities and futures trading, a national hub for logistics and commerce, and home to the American Medical Association and the American Bar Association. This diverse blend of industry influences has helped Chicago emerge as a major player in verticals like fintech, biotechnology, legal tech, e-commerce and logistics technology. It’s also a major hiring center for tech companies on both coasts.
Key Facts About Chicago Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 245,800; 5.2% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: McDonald’s, John Deere, Boeing, Morningstar
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, biotechnology, fintech, software, logistics technology
- Funding Landscape: $2.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Arch Venture Partners, MATH Venture Partners, Jump Capital, Hyde Park Venture Partners
- Research Centers and Universities: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois Institute of Technology, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
