Microsoft 365 Architect

JOB DESCRIPTION

Microsoft 365 Architect

Enterprise Collaboration, Messaging, Security and Modern Workplace

Experience15-18 years overall IT experience, with significant hands-on M365 architecture, engineering and migration deliveryRole Level M365 Architect / Solution ArchitectPrimary FocusM365 architecture, Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Entra ID, Intune, security, compliance and migrationsEducationBachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science or a related discipline

Role Purpose

The Microsoft 365 Architect will define, design and lead secure, scalable and cost-effective Microsoft 365 solutions for large and complex enterprises. The role combines strategic architecture ownership with strong hands-on capability across messaging, collaboration, identity, endpoint management, security, compliance, automation and migration. The architect will translate business requirements into target architectures, lead technical delivery from assessment through stabilization, and build reusable practices, reference architectures and delivery standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end architecture for Microsoft 365, covering Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Viva, Entra ID, Intune, Enterprise Mobility + Security and relevant Azure services.
• Translate business, security, compliance and operational requirements into solution options, high-level and low-level designs, roadmaps, migration strategies and operating models.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership for assessment, design, proof of concept, build, migration, coexistence, testing, cutover, stabilization and transition to operations.
• Design on-premises, cloud and hybrid messaging architectures, including multi-forest Active Directory and multi-organization Exchange coexistence.
• Lead tenant-to-tenant, merger, divestiture and platform migrations from on-premises Exchange, Google Workspace, Lotus Notes, GroupWise and other collaboration platforms.
• Define governance, security and compliance architectures using Conditional Access, Microsoft Defender, Information Protection, DLP, retention, legal hold, eDiscovery, encryption and data immutability controls.
• Design email protection and authentication controls including Exchange Online Protection, Defender for Office 365, secure email gateways, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and ARC.
• Design M365 endpoint and mobile integration using Intune and compatible UEM/MAM platforms, including secure access to Exchange Online and collaboration services.
• Create automation for assessment, migration, administration, validation and reporting using PowerShell and relevant APIs or workflow tools.
• Drive M365 licensing optimization, service rationalization, user personas, adoption planning and measurable cost optimization.
• Collaborate with security, network, identity, endpoint, application, voice and service-management teams to ensure solutions are engineered, tested, deployed and supported effectively.
• Lead architecture governance, design reviews, technical risk management and resolution of complex escalations.
• Support customer workshops, consulting engagements, proposals, solution presentations and presales discussions; explain and defend architecture decisions to executive and technical stakeholders.
• Build organizational capability through reference architectures, best practices, reusable methods, white papers, points of view, mentoring and competency development.

Required Technical Expertise

Microsoft 365 and Collaboration

• Deep architecture and hands-on administration experience across Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business and core M365 services.
• Strong knowledge of unified communications, meetings, collaboration governance, service configuration and enterprise adoption considerations.

Messaging and Hybrid Exchange

• Expertise in Exchange Server and Exchange Online architecture, mailbox migration, mail flow, transport rules, EOP, hybrid configuration and coexistence.
• Experience with complex enterprise topologies, multi-forest Active Directory, multiple Exchange organizations, multi-geo deployments and data-sovereignty requirements.
• Understanding of third-party archiving and journaling platforms, including migration of legally held data while preserving retention and immutability.

Identity, Security and Compliance

• Strong experience with Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID, identity synchronization, federation concepts, Conditional Access and privileged access design.
• Hands-on design and implementation of Microsoft Defender, DLP, Information Protection, sensitivity labels, sensitive information types, RMS/IRM, message encryption, retention, legal hold and eDiscovery-related controls.
• Knowledge of endpoint, gateway and messaging security, including anti-malware, threat protection, content protection and secure email gateways.

Migrations and Tooling

• Proven delivery experience using migration products such as Quest, BitTitan, ShareGate and AvePoint, selected according to workload and scenario.
• Experience with tenant mergers, tenant-to-tenant migration, on-premises-to-cloud migration, Google Workspace migration and SharePoint/OneDrive content migration.

Endpoint, Cloud and Automation

• Architecture and integration experience with Intune, endpoint security, mobile application management and UEM platforms such as Workspace ONE/AirWatch.
• Working knowledge of Azure services, networking dependencies, DNS, proxy, storage, security and enterprise integration patterns.
• Strong PowerShell scripting and automation capability for M365 administration, migration, reporting and operational efficiency.

Experience and Delivery Expectations

• 15-18 years of overall IT infrastructure and cloud experience, including substantial experience in M365 architecture and enterprise solution design.
• Demonstrated hands-on contribution in large M365 or Exchange programs, not limited to advisory or governance responsibilities.
• Proven experience leading enterprise programs through assessment, architecture, proof of concept, deployment, migration, testing, cutover and stabilization.
• Experience designing and delivering solutions for large, geographically distributed and multi-country organizations.
• Ability to lead and mentor architects, consultants and engineers while maintaining direct technical ownership of critical design and delivery activities.
• Experience in complex multi-supplier environments and in collaborating with globally distributed stakeholders and partners.
• Strong customer-facing consulting, documentation, presentation, troubleshooting and technical decision-making skills.

Leadership and Behavioural Competencies

• Enterprise architecture thinking with the ability to balance business value, security, user experience, cost, scalability and operability.
• Clear, concise and assertive communication across executive, business and deep technical audiences.
• Strong analytical capability, structured problem solving and ownership of complex technical outcomes.
• Ability to influence stakeholders, facilitate architecture decisions and manage relationships in a complex environment.
• Collaborative leadership, mentoring mindset and ability to build high-performing technical capability.

Preferred Certifications

• Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert or equivalent current expert-level Microsoft certification.
• Relevant Microsoft certifications in messaging, security, identity, endpoint management, Teams or Azure architecture.
• Architecture certification such as TOGAF is desirable.

Success Measures

• Architecture quality, security, scalability and alignment with business requirements.
• Successful delivery of complex M365 migrations and transformations with controlled risk and stable transition.
• Reusable assets, automation, standards and reference architectures that improve delivery quality and efficiency.
• Stakeholder confidence, strong customer outcomes and effective technical leadership across programs.
• Optimization of M365 licensing, operational cost, governance and platform adoption.

Key Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end architecture for Microsoft 365, covering Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, Viva, Entra ID, Intune, Enterprise Mobility + Security and relevant Azure services.
• Translate business, security, compliance and operational requirements into solution options, high-level and low-level designs, roadmaps, migration strategies and operating models.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership for assessment, design, proof of concept, build, migration, coexistence, testing, cutover, stabilization and transition to operations.
• Design on-premises, cloud and hybrid messaging architectures, including multi-forest Active Directory and multi-organization Exchange coexistence.
• Lead tenant-to-tenant, merger, divestiture and platform migrations from on-premises Exchange, Google Workspace, Lotus Notes, GroupWise and other collaboration platforms.
• Define governance, security and compliance architectures using Conditional Access, Microsoft Defender, Information Protection, DLP, retention, legal hold, eDiscovery, encryption and data immutability controls.
• Design email protection and authentication controls including Exchange Online Protection, Defender for Office 365, secure email gateways, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and ARC.
• Design M365 endpoint and mobile integration using Intune and compatible UEM/MAM platforms, including secure access to Exchange Online and collaboration services.
• Create automation for assessment, migration, administration, validation and reporting using PowerShell and relevant APIs or workflow tools.
• Drive M365 licensing optimization, service rationalization, user personas, adoption planning and measurable cost optimization.
• Collaborate with security, network, identity, endpoint, application, voice and service-management teams to ensure solutions are engineered, tested, deployed and supported effectively.
• Lead architecture governance, design reviews, technical risk management and resolution of complex escalations.
• Support customer workshops, consulting engagements, proposals, solution presentations and presales discussions; explain and defend architecture decisions to executive and technical stakeholders.
• Build organizational capability through reference architectures, best practices, reusable methods, white papers, points of view, mentoring and competency development.

Experience and Delivery Expectations

• 15-18 years of overall IT infrastructure and cloud experience, including substantial experience in M365 architecture and enterprise solution design.
• Demonstrated hands-on contribution in large M365 or Exchange programs, not limited to advisory or governance responsibilities.
• Proven experience leading enterprise programs through assessment, architecture, proof of concept, deployment, migration, testing, cutover and stabilization.
• Experience designing and delivering solutions for large, geographically distributed and multi-country organizations.
• Ability to lead and mentor architects, consultants and engineers while maintaining direct technical ownership of critical design and delivery activities.
• Experience in complex multi-supplier environments and in collaborating with globally distributed stakeholders and partners.
• Strong customer-facing consulting, documentation, presentation, troubleshooting and technical decision-making skills.