Senior Modern Desktop Application Engineer

Ropes & Gray•New York, NY

13h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Modern Desktop Application Engineer is the firm’s highest-level technical authority for the design, integration, and lifecycle management of the Microsoft productivity ecosystem, including the full Microsoft 365 stack (Office, Teams, Outlook—including Outlook New and plugins—OneDrive, and related web and desktop apps), Litera solutions, and all Microsoft-integrated products except SharePoint. This position is responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously optimizing the firm’s desktop and web-based productivity environment, ensuring seamless interoperability, security, and user experience across all platforms. This role requires advanced and continuously updated expertise in the entire Microsoft stack, with deep knowledge of how Teams, Outlook (including Outlook New and plugins), OneDrive, and the Microsoft Office web apps interact and integrate. The Engineer must proactively evaluate new features, releases, and integrations, leading the adoption and configuration of technologies that maximize attorney productivity, workflow efficiency, and security. The Senior Modern Desktop Application Engineer will partner closely with Desktop Engineering, Security, Application Support, and the Training team, providing technical leadership, strategic guidance, and comprehensive documentation. This role communicates complex technical concepts in clear, actionable terms to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, supporting the training team and other groups in developing effective user enablement strategies. The Senior Modern Desktop Application Engineer is expected to lead continuous improvement initiatives, drive the adoption of modern workplace technologies, and ensure the firm’s productivity environment remains at the forefront of industry best practices. The individual must demonstrate strong leadership, collaboration, and customer service skills, operating independently and as part of cross-functional teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field; advanced degree or relevant certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert, Teams Administrator, Messaging Administrator) preferred.
5+ years of hands-on experience designing, engineering, and supporting the full Microsoft 365 stack (Office, Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, web apps, and plugins) in an enterprise or legal environment.
Deep technical expertise in Microsoft Teams (including governance, integration, and advanced features), Outlook (including Outlook New, plugin management, and workflow optimization), OneDrive, and Office web applications.
Demonstrated experience designing and managing complex integrations between Microsoft 365, Litera, and other third-party solutions.
Advanced knowledge of legal document workflows, formatting standards, version comparison, and document management best practices.
Proficiency in scripting, automation, and configuration management (e.g., PowerShell, Group Policy, Intune, Azure AD).
Experience with application packaging, deployment, and lifecycle management in a distributed enterprise environment.
Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to resolve complex cross-platform issues.
Business Analyst–level skills, including requirements gathering, process documentation, and stakeholder communication.
Manual testing and UAT experience, with the ability to lead pilot programs and user feedback initiatives.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, multi-office, global environment.
Strong project management, time management, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliverables.
Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and professional development in Microsoft and legal technology.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or relevant certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert, Teams Administrator, Messaging Administrator) preferred.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and maintain the firm’s Microsoft 365 environment, including Office (desktop and web), Teams, Outlook (including Outlook New and plugins), OneDrive, and related applications.
Serve as the subject matter expert on the integration and interoperability of Microsoft 365 applications (excluding SharePoint), Litera solutions, and other Microsoft-integrated products.
Lead the evaluation, adoption, and configuration of new Microsoft features, updates, and integrations, with a focus on maximizing productivity, security, and workflow efficiency.
Develop and enforce standards for configuration, deployment, and lifecycle management of Microsoft and Litera products across the firm’s desktop and web environments.
Oversee the creation, maintenance, and version control of configuration and settings files for all Microsoft 365 and integrated applications.
Lead technical planning, testing, and execution of major upgrades, migrations, and feature rollouts, including impact analysis, rollback planning, and user acceptance testing (UAT).
Advise on and implement best practices for Teams collaboration, Outlook workflows (including Outlook New and plugin management), document management, and cross-platform integration.
Act as the escalation point for complex technical issues related to the Microsoft stack, Litera, and integrated products, providing expert troubleshooting and remediation.
Collaborate with Security, Infrastructure, and Application teams to ensure compliance, data protection, and optimal performance across all Microsoft platforms (excluding SharePoint).
Produce clear, comprehensive technical and business documentation to support training, support, and ongoing operations.
Communicate configuration changes, impacts, and best practices to User Support, IT Training, and other IS stakeholders.
Support the training team by providing technical expertise, documentation, and guidance on new features, integrations, and configuration changes.
Participate in Desktop Engineering ticket queues and on-call rotation, addressing escalated incidents and service requests.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives, staying current with emerging trends and technologies in the Microsoft ecosystem and legal technology.