We are seeking a Solutions Architect – Microsoft Technologies to serve as a senior technical authority across the Microsoft ecosystem, bridging solution design, client advisory, pre-sales engineering, and advanced troubleshooting for AHEAD’s Intelligent Support clients. This role is central to how we deliver value — you will design scalable, secure Microsoft-based solutions, guide clients through complex technical decisions, and act as the escalation point for the most challenging incidents across Azure, Microsoft 365, and on-premises infrastructure.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on technologist who can whiteboard an enterprise architecture in the morning, lead a client through a critical incident in the afternoon, and refine a go-to-market proposal by end of day. You thrive at the intersection of deep technical knowledge and client-facing communication, and you are energized by solving problems others have given up on.
Key Responsibilities
Architect enterprise-grade Microsoft solutions spanning Azure (networking, compute, storage, identity, security), Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and hybrid/on-premises infrastructure tailored to client business objectives.
Lead cloud migration and modernization assessments, including workload evaluation, Azure landing zone design, migration planning, and post-migration optimization.
Design and enforce security architectures using Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access, Defender for Cloud, Defender for Endpoint/Identity/Office 365, Microsoft Sentinel, and Purview compliance capabilities.
Develop and present architectural roadmaps, reference designs, and technical solution documentation for client engineering teams and senior leadership.
Serve as a trusted technical advisor to enterprise clients, translating complex technology capabilities into clear business outcomes — cost savings, risk reduction, operational efficiency, and competitive advantage.
Lead discovery workshops, whiteboard sessions, and visioning engagements that align Microsoft platform capabilities with client strategic goals.
Partner with Client Success Managers and Technical Account Managers to deliver monthly operational reviews, quarterly business reviews, and proactive supportability assessments for major migrations or deployments.
Build long-term client relationships by demonstrating consistent technical depth, responsiveness, and a genuine commitment to client success.
Collaborate with sales, solutions engineering, and partner teams to scope, design, and present Microsoft-focused solutions in a consultative, outcome-driven manner.
Develop statements of work, proposals, technical response documents, and bills of materials for Intelligent Support, Managed Services, and Professional Services engagements.
Support go-to-market strategy by evaluating emerging Microsoft services, building demonstrations, and enabling internal sales teams on new solution offerings.
Leverage AHEAD’s Microsoft partnership programs — including ECIF, Azure Migrate & Modernize (AMM), and Azure Marketplace — to position solutions with maximum client value.
Act as the senior escalation point for complex, cross-platform incidents spanning Azure, Microsoft 365, and hybrid infrastructure — diagnosing root causes, coordinating remediation, and driving resolution where standard support processes fall short.
Troubleshoot intricate interoperability problems across Microsoft and adjacent technologies, coordinating with multiple vendor support teams when necessary to deliver end-to-end resolution.
Perform root cause analysis on critical and high-severity incidents, documenting findings and implementing preventive measures to reduce future occurrence.
Contribute to operational excellence by developing knowledge base articles, troubleshooting guides, runbooks, and standard operating procedures that uplift the broader engineering team.
Mentor and coach engineers across the Intelligent Support and Managed Services teams, raising the technical bar through knowledge sharing, peer reviews, and structured development.
Stay current with Microsoft product roadmaps, feature releases, and architectural best practices; evaluate new capabilities and recommend innovations that enhance AHEAD’s service offerings.
Contribute to AHEAD’s internal communities of practice, participating in cross-practice development efforts as a subject matter expert for Microsoft technologies.
Solution Design & Architecture
Client Engagement & Advisory
Technical Pre-Sales Support
Complex Issue Resolution & Escalation
Mentorship & Continuous Improvement
Required Qualifications
10+ years of progressive IT infrastructure and engineering experience, with 5+ years focused on Microsoft technologies in enterprise environments.
3+ years in a client-facing architect, consultant, or senior engineering role designing and delivering Microsoft solutions.
Proven track record designing and implementing solutions across Azure core services — networking, compute, storage, identity (Entra ID), monitoring, and governance.
Demonstrated experience with Microsoft 365 administration and architecture — Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams, OneDrive, Intune/Endpoint Manager — including tenant configuration, governance, and service health management.
Hands-on experience with cloud security controls: Conditional Access, MFA, RBAC, Microsoft Defender suite, and compliance frameworks (Purview, DLP, retention policies).
Strong background in incident response, root cause analysis, and production troubleshooting across Azure and Microsoft 365 workloads.
Experience
Technical Skills
Domain
Core Competencies
Microsoft Azure
Virtual Networks, VMs, Storage, Azure Monitor/Log Analytics, Key Vault, Azure Policy, Management Groups, VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, Private Link, NSGs, Azure Firewall, Application Gateway/WAF, DNS, Microsoft Entra ID, PIM, Conditional Access, Defender for Cloud
Microsoft 365
Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Teams, Intune; governance and lifecycle administration; security and compliance (Purview, Defender for Office 365, Secure Score)
Identity & Security
Microsoft Entra ID, Entra Connect/Cloud Sync, ADFS, hybrid identity, SSO integration, Conditional Access, Defender for Endpoint/Identity, Microsoft Sentinel
On-Premises & Hybrid
Windows Server, Active Directory, SQL Server, System Center, Exchange Server, SharePoint Server, hybrid cloud integration
Automation & Tooling
PowerShell (advanced), Azure CLI, Terraform and/or Bicep/ARM templates; familiarity with CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions)
Certifications (Required — one or more)
Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert
Preferred Qualifications
Advanced Microsoft certifications: Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500), Azure DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400), Cybersecurity Architect Expert (SC-100), or Security Operations Analyst (SC-200).
Experience with Dynamics 365 and Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI).
Deep Azure networking design experience — hub-and-spoke topologies, Azure Firewall, ExpressRoute, private endpoints, DNS architecture.
Hands-on experience with Microsoft Sentinel for SIEM/SOAR implementation and security monitoring workflows.
Experience designing Azure governance at scale — landing zones, management groups, policy/initiative structures, standardized subscription models.
Familiarity with ITSM/ITIL-aligned environments, particularly ServiceNow, and experience driving measurable operational improvements.
Experience in a managed services, professional services, or technology consulting environment with multiple concurrent client engagements.
Background in Microsoft licensing models — CSP, EA, NCE, SPLA — and the ability to advise clients on optimization strategies.
Skills Required
- Overall 13+ years of IT infrastructure/engineering experience
- 4+ years of hands-on experience in Azure and/or Microsoft 365
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or equivalent
- One or more current Microsoft certifications such as Azure Administrator Associate or equivalent
- Proven Azure engineering experience across core services
- Microsoft 365 administration experience
- Strong identity and access management skills with Microsoft Entra ID
- Demonstrated ability to implement cloud security controls
- Proficiency in PowerShell and at least one Infrastructure as Code approach
- Strong operational background in incident response
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
AHEAD Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about AHEAD and has not been reviewed or approved by AHEAD.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) contributions are matched dollar-for-dollar on the first $5,000 each year, with matching made each pay period and immediate 100% vesting. This structure signals above-standard employer support for retirement savings.
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Affordable Benefits — Medical options include low employee premiums for PPO and HDHP plans, and the HDHP adds employer HSA funding plus a dollar-for-dollar HSA match up to stated amounts. Dental and vision plans list very low per-paycheck costs, helping keep overall healthcare spend manageable.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — No-cost telemedicine (including virtual mental health when enrolled), free Calm access for the employee and dependents, and an EAP with counseling are included. Company-paid life and disability plus voluntary protections (legal/ID, pet insurance) and other extras round out a comprehensive set of supports.
AHEAD Insights
What We Do
AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together cloud infrastructure, intelligent operations, and modern applications, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.
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