What do Salesforce Architects do? Roles and responsibilities

Salesforce continues to dominate the CRM software market, and as adoption grows, so does the demand for Salesforce Architects. These specialists bridge the gap between business goals and technical execution, ensuring Salesforce solutions are scalable, efficient, and future-proof.

More businesses are relying on Salesforce to improve operations and customer engagement, but many struggle to build systems that truly work for them. A Salesforce Architect ensures everything runs smoothly, from integrating new tools to keeping data secure and optimising performance. Without the right expertise, companies risk inefficiencies, security issues, and expensive fixes down the line.

In this blog, we explore what Salesforce Architects do, the value they bring to organisations, and why hiring the right talent is essential for maximising Salesforce investments.

Understanding Salesforce recruitment 

Salesforce is a key driver of digital transformation across industries. With businesses relying on CRM software to manage customer relationships, automate processes, and drive revenue, demand for Salesforce expertise is growing. 

Businesses in finance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, government, and technology depend on Salesforce for AI-driven analytics, automation, compliance, and customer engagement. The platform powers predictive sales forecasting, personalised marketing, automated service workflows, and data security solutions. Its role in business strategy continues to grow, making it an essential system for companies looking to scale.

For many businesses, out-of-the-box Salesforce solutions are not enough. The platform needs to be customised, integrated, and optimised to ensure long-term performance. As demand for high-functioning, business-focused Salesforce environments rises, so does the need for Salesforce Architects.

What is a Salesforce Architect?

Salesforce is built to adapt. Businesses use it for automation, AI-driven insights, customer engagement, and data security, but no two implementations are the same. The platform’s strength lies in its flexibility - designed to be tailored, expanded, and integrated to meet unique business needs.

Different Salesforce roles support this flexibility in distinct ways:

• Developers customise Salesforce with code, workflows, and applications to extend functionality.
• Administrators manage day-to-day operations, user access, and reporting to keep systems running smoothly.
• Architects take a broader view, designing the entire Salesforce ecosystem to ensure scalability, security, and seamless integration.

Salesforce Architects work across Salesforce’s most advanced solutions, including:

• Einstein AI – Predictive analytics and automation for data-driven decision-making.
• Marketing Cloud – Customised customer journeys and targeted engagement strategies.
• MuleSoft – Enterprise-wide data integration to connect Salesforce with other business-critical systems.

With more companies relying on Salesforce, demand for experienced Architects is growing. Over 150,000 companies use Salesforce globally, and hiring for high-level technical roles continues to rise. In the US, Salesforce Architects earn an average salary of $156,025, reflecting the strategic importance of their role.

The following section explores what businesses should expect from a Salesforce Architect.

Core responsibilities of Salesforce Architects

Salesforce Architects ensure businesses get the most from their Salesforce investment. They design, implement, and maintain systems that drive efficiency, automation, and long-term scalability.

1. Solution design

A well-structured Salesforce CRM must align with business goals and support growth. A Salesforce Solution Architect maps out how different departments interact with the platform, ensuring the system is scalable, efficient, and future-proof.

Architects focus on:

• Creating data models that structure and streamline information across the organisation.
• Building automation frameworks to reduce manual tasks and improve productivity. 
• Developing integration strategies so Salesforce works seamlessly with other business applications.

Without the right architecture, businesses risk inefficiencies, low adoption rates, and costly redevelopment in the future.

2. Technical leadership

Architects provide strategic oversight to ensure Salesforce is implemented effectively. They lead decision-making, ensuring the platform meets business needs while maintaining technical stability.

They work with:

• Salesforce Developers to ensure best practices and maintainable customisations.
• Stakeholders to align Salesforce capabilities with operational goals.
• Admins and end users to support training, adoption, and usability.

Without an architect’s leadership, businesses often experience fragmented implementations that fail to scale.

3. System integration

Salesforce rarely operates as a standalone platform. Businesses rely on it to connect with ERP systems, marketing automation tools, financial software, and data analytics platforms.

A Salesforce Solution Architect ensures seamless data exchange, secure API management, and reliable system connections. Without this expertise, businesses face challenges such as duplicate records, integration failures, and security vulnerabilities. Middleware solutions, such as MuleSoft, often play a key role in managing complex integrations, particularly when connecting legacy systems to Salesforce.

When integrations are poorly handled, businesses experience operational inefficiencies and inconsistent data, making it difficult to generate accurate reports, automate workflows, or maintain a seamless customer experience. An architect’s role is to ensure these systems function as a unified, high-performing ecosystem.

4. Security and compliance

Data security is a priority for any business using CRM software. Companies risk data breaches, compliance failures, and financial penalties without the right protections in place. A Salesforce Architect ensures security is built into the system from the ground up.

They define user access levels, preventing unauthorised data exposure. Encryption policies are implemented to safeguard sensitive information, and audit logs track system activity to detect potential risks. Businesses in finance, healthcare, and government rely on these measures to meet strict regulatory requirements. Without them, security gaps can lead to operational and reputational damage that is difficult to recover from.

5. Performance optimisation

Salesforce must operate efficiently as business needs evolve. Without regular monitoring and refinement, systems become slow, unresponsive, and difficult to scale. Architects focus on:

• Optimising automation workflows to keep processes running smoothly without delays.
• Managing data storage and retrieval to ensure reports generate quickly and accurately.
• Ensuring system scalability so Salesforce can support increasing users and transaction volumes.
• Identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks before they impact daily operations.
• Improving system configurations to reduce inefficiencies and unnecessary complexity.

Without a structured approach to performance management, businesses risk an underperforming system that slows down operations rather than supporting them.

Key skills and qualifications

Salesforce Architects design and manage complex Salesforce systems. Their role goes beyond development or administration, requiring a broader understanding of system architecture, business processes, and scalability.

The skills needed for this role differ from those of a Salesforce Developer or Administrator. Developers focus on coding and customisation. Administrators handle daily system management. Architects take a strategic view, ensuring Salesforce is integrated, secure, and able to support business growth.

Businesses hiring for Salesforce Jobs look for candidates with:

• Proven experience in enterprise-level Salesforce CRM implementations.
• Strong knowledge of Salesforce tools, Apex, Visualforce, and cloud technologies.
• Expertise in system integration, API management, and middleware solutions like MuleSoft.
• Experience leading technical teams and working with stakeholders.
• A clear understanding of security, compliance, and regulatory requirements.

High demand and competitive salaries make this a strong career path. In the UK, the average salary for a Salesforce Architect is around £95,000 per year, reflecting the level of expertise required.

Certifications help businesses assess technical ability. The most relevant include:

• Salesforce Certified Technical Architect (CTA) – The highest-level certification, proving expertise in complex system design.
• Salesforce Certified Application Architect – Focuses on security, data modelling, and automation.
• Salesforce Certified System Architect – Covers integration, identity management, and governance.

A Salesforce Solution Architect needs a mix of technical knowledge and strategic thinking to ensure businesses get the most from their Salesforce CRM.

Why businesses need Salesforce Architects

Salesforce is a powerful platform, but out of the box, it’s not tailored to any specific business. Architects ensure it works the way a company needs it to, integrating systems, automating processes, and making Salesforce a fully optimised tool.

Businesses invest in Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud, Sales Cloud, and Service Cloud to improve efficiency, but buying the software isn’t enough. A Salesforce Solution Architect ensures these systems are set up correctly, preventing inefficiencies that slow teams down. Poor implementation leads to data silos, manual workarounds, and automation that doesn’t function properly.

Every Salesforce product serves a different purpose, and an Architect ensures the right setup for each one.

• Sales Cloud is designed to help sales teams track leads, manage pipelines, and automate reporting. Without an Architect, businesses rely on generic workflows that don’t reflect their sales process.
• Marketing Cloud connects marketing and CRM data, improving customer engagement. A poorly configured system leads to inaccurate targeting and ineffective campaigns.
• Service Cloud helps customer service teams manage cases, automate responses, and improve resolution times. Without a structured setup, businesses risk slow service and inconsistent communication.
• Integrated Salesforce systems require Architects to connect Salesforce with finance, ERP, and external platforms, ensuring real-time data flow and a seamless user experience.

Salesforce is a major investment. Without the right setup, businesses do not get full value from it. A Salesforce Architect ensures every feature, automation, and integration is designed to fit the business and its long-term goals.

Final thoughts: Hiring the right Salesforce Architect

A Salesforce Architect makes Salesforce work for the business. Whether using Salesforce CRM, Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, or Service Cloud, the right setup is essential to get full value from the platform.

Without the right expertise, businesses risk inefficient workflows, poor automation, and disconnected systems. A Salesforce Solution Architect ensures seamless integration, optimised automation, and a scalable setup that supports long-term business goals.

With the demand for Salesforce Jobs growing, hiring the right talent is more important than ever. A well-structured Salesforce Recruitment strategy should focus on professionals with the skills and experience to design, implement, and maintain a high-performing CRM system. Investing in a Salesforce Architect means investing in efficiency, scalability, and long-term success. Businesses using Salesforce need the right people in place to ensure the system delivers real results.

Salesforce recruitment done right

Finding the right Salesforce Architect can be the difference between a system that works and one that holds your business back.

At Sellick Partnership, we connect businesses with Salesforce Solution Architects, Developers, and CRM specialists who know how to build, optimise, and scale Salesforce systems. Our team understands the challenges of hiring in this space and knows what it takes to find the right people.

Connect with our team today to discuss your Salesforce recruitment needs.