Microsoft 365 Platform Administrator

Vanguard•Wayne, PA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role focuses on designing, maintaining, and modernizing the enterprise architecture for Microsoft 365 and unified communications services, including Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Office365, and other MSFT platforms. It also involves adjacent tools like PowerBI, PowerPlatform, and Viva. The position requires leading modernization initiatives, defining future-state roadmaps, and implementing advanced security configurations and governance policies. A key aspect is developing and maintaining runbooks, creating scripting and automation, and spearheading end-to-end implementation projects. The role involves troubleshooting complex issues, collaborating with various IT teams, managing licensing and costs, and overseeing Azure AD and identity components. Monitoring service health, defining SLAs/KPIs, and serving as a final escalation point are also crucial. Additionally, the role involves mentoring junior engineers, evaluating vendor capabilities, and participating in risk assessment and change management processes.

Requirements

Minimum of eight years related work experience.
Undergraduate degree in a related field or the equivalent combination of training and experience.
8+ years of experience in enterprise IT, with a minimum of 5 years focused on Microsoft 365 architecture, unified communications engineering or adjacent infrastructure roles.
Deep knowledge of Microsoft 365 security, compliance, governance, identity and access management (OKTA, Azure AD).
Hands-on experience administering and troubleshooting Microsoft 365 suite (Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Office365) and related services and integrations.
Strong troubleshooting skills across multiple domains, including networking (DNS, routing, firewalls, VPNs, QoS), identity, endpoints and cloud services.
Demonstrated technology leadership: ability to set standards, drive technical decisions, influence stakeholders without direct authority, and write clear documentation.
Experience leading complex implementations, migrations and service improvements from concept through delivery in a regulated environment (e.g. finance, healthcare, government).
Excellent communication, collaboration and stakeholder engagement skills.

Nice To Haves

Microsoft certifications (MS-101, MS-500, AZ-305, SC-300) preferred.
Strategic thinker with passion for innovation, continuous improvement and digital transformation.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence diverse teams.
Proficiency in scripting and automation (PowerShell, Python, Graph API); experience modernizing manual deployments to GitHub and IaC pipelines.
Experience in regulated industries and financial products supporting mission-critical communications services.
Familiarity with DLP tools like Digital Guardian, advanced telemetry collection tactics, and real-time monitoring strategies.
Experience with zero trust architectures, conditional access policies and Identity governance best practices.

Responsibilities

Design and maintain enterprise architecture for Microsoft 365 and unified communications services (Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Office365, and other MSFT platforms) and adjacent tools such as PowerBI, PowerPlatform, and Viva.
Lead modernization initiatives and define future-state roadmaps aligned with business goals.
Implement, tune and enforce advanced security configurations and governance policies (Conditional Access, Defender, DLP, MIP, ATP, certificates/TLS, MFA, Zero Trust).
Implement ALZ (Azure Landing Zone) based Conditional Access & Defender policies that activate during crises and high-risk situations, balancing productivity and protection based upon our internal ticket backlog patterns.
Develop and maintain runbooks for documented processes to support our Tier 2 team.
Create scripting (PowerShell, Python, Graph API, etc.) and automation processes to streamline repetitive tasks.
Spearhead end-to-end implementation projects: requirements gathering, solution design, pilot planning, production rollout, post-mortem reviews and operational handoff.
Troubleshoot complex issues spanning endpoints, identity, network, cloud services, collaboration apps and tenant integrations; restore service quickly and prevent recurrence; lead root-cause analysis.
Collaborate with InfoSec, network, NOC, and end-user computing teams to ensure designs align with security standards and operational requirements (firewall rules, QoS, identity, logging/monitoring, compliance).
Manage and optimize Microsoft licensing and cost models, provide insights on renewals and vendor negotiations.
Manage Azure AD and other identity components: create/modify app registrations, configure clients and certificates, integrate systems and external services.
Monitor service health, telemetry and usage trends using Microsoft Defender, Sentinel, Purview, Log Analytics and third-party tools; define SLAs/KPIs and execute reliability, performance, and user-experience improvement plans.
Serve as a final escalation point for complex issues.
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to knowledge base.
Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders during outages and change windows.
Evaluate vendor capabilities, emerging Microsoft technologies and roadmaps, proof-of-concepts, and recommend features for adoption; represent platform in architecture boards and steering committees.
Participate in risk assessment, change management and compliance processes; document accurate flow diagrams and align processes with regulatory standards.