GRZ - Zendesk Architect

Requirements

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Zendesk Architect to lead the design, implementation, and optimization of enterprise-grade Zendesk solutions. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise across the Zendesk Suite (Support, Guide, Chat, Talk, Sell, and Sunshine), strong solutioning skills, and the ability to translate complex business requirements into scalable, maintainable architectures. This role requires close collaboration with delivery teams, client stakeholders, and engineering teams to ensure best-in-class customer support platform implementations.

Key Responsibilities

Solution Architecture & Design

• Own end-to-end architecture for Zendesk implementations, including Support, Guide, Chat, Talk, Explore, and Sunshine Conversations.
  


• Design scalable, secure, and maintainable solutions aligned with client business processes and long-term roadmap needs.
  


• Define data models, ticket workflows, SLAs, business rules, triggers, automations, and macros.
  


• Architect integrations between Zendesk and third-party systems (Salesforce, Jira, Slack, ERP systems, custom applications) via native connectors, APIs, or middleware.
  


• Lead technical discovery sessions to translate business requirements into functional and technical specifications.
  

Implementation & Configuration

• Configure and customize Zendesk instances including custom fields, forms, views, macros, triggers, automations, and multi-brand setups.
  


• Develop custom apps and integrations using Zendesk Apps Framework (ZAF), Sunshine APIs, and REST APIs.
  


• Implement Zendesk Guide (knowledge base) architecture including content structuring, permissions, and multi-language support.
  


• Set up and optimize Zendesk Talk (voice) and Chat/Messaging workflows.
  


• Oversee data migration strategies from legacy systems into Zendesk (tickets, users, organizations, historical data).
  

Technical Leadership

• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to developers, consultants, and administrators on the delivery team.
  


• Conduct code reviews for custom Zendesk apps, integrations, and scripts (JavaScript, Node.js, Ruby).
  


• Establish best practices, coding standards, and governance frameworks for Zendesk implementations.
  


• Troubleshoot complex technical issues, performance bottlenecks, and integration failures.
  

Stakeholder & Project Engagement

• Act as the primary technical point of contact for client stakeholders during pre-sales, discovery, and delivery phases.
  


• Support pre-sales efforts including solution demos, effort estimation, and technical proposal writing.
  


• Collaborate with Project/Delivery Managers to define timelines, risks, and resourcing for Zendesk engagements.
  


• Conduct architecture reviews and health checks for existing Zendesk instances, recommending optimization strategies.
  

Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Define and enforce data security, compliance, and access control standards within Zendesk (roles, permissions, SSO/SAML).
  


• Monitor platform performance and recommend proactive improvements aligned with Zendesk release updates.
  


• Stay current with Zendesk product roadmap, new features, and industry best practices in customer service technology.
  

Required Skills & Experience

• 8+ years of overall CRM/customer support platform experience, with at least 4–5 years dedicated to Zendesk architecture and implementation.
  


• Proven experience architecting and delivering multiple end-to-end Zendesk implementations for mid-to-large enterprises.
  


• Strong hands-on expertise with Zendesk Support, Guide, Chat, Talk, Explore, and Sunshine Conversations.
  


• Hands-on expertise with Zendesk Apps Framework (ZAF), REST APIs, and Webhooks.
  


• Scripting/programming proficiency in JavaScript, Node.js, Ruby, or Python.
  


• Experience with integration tools/middleware (MuleSoft, Workato, Zapier, or custom middleware).
  


• Solid understanding of ITSM/customer support processes (ticket lifecycle, SLAs, escalation matrices, omnichannel support).
  


• Experience with data migration methodologies and tools for CRM/support platforms.
  


• Familiarity with SSO/SAML, OAuth, and enterprise security/compliance standards.
  


• Experience integrating Zendesk with CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot) and collaboration tools (Slack, Jira, MS Teams).
  


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for designing solutions across complex, multi-brand, multi-region support operations.
  


• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including presenting to senior client stakeholders.
  


• Zendesk certifications preferred: Support Administrator, Advanced Administrator, Sell Administrator (if applicable).
  

Good to Have

• Experience with AI-powered customer service tools (Zendesk AI, Answer Bot, Ultimate.ai, or similar).
  


• Exposure to other customer support/CRM platforms (Salesforce Service Cloud, Freshdesk, ServiceNow) for cross-platform migration projects.
  


• Experience working in an Agile/Scrum delivery environment.
  


• Prior experience in a consulting or systems integrator environment, managing multiple concurrent client engagements.
  


• Bachelor's/Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
  

Soft Skills

• Strong ownership mindset with the ability to work independently on ambiguous problems.
  


• Excellent documentation skills, including solution design documents, architecture diagrams, and technical specifications.
  


• Ability to balance technical depth with business pragmatism.
  


• Mentoring and team-building orientation for junior consultants/developers.
  


• Comfortable working with global, cross-functional, and cross-time-zone teams.