AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.
At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived.
We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD.
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
Solution Design & Architecture
- 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.
Client Engagement & Advisory
- 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.
Technical Pre-Sales Support
- 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.
Complex Issue Resolution & Escalation
- 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.
Mentorship & Continuous Improvement
- 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.
Experience
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.
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.
Why AHEAD
Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between.
We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning.
India Employment Benefits Include
Comprehensive health insurance coverage for employees, with options to extend coverage to dependents
Paid time off and company holidays, along with additional leave benefits as per policy
Flexible work arrangements, supporting work-life balance
Learning and development opportunities to support continuous growth and upskilling
Employee wellness initiatives and programs focused on physical and mental well-being
Retirement and statutory benefits in line with India regulations
Inclusive and people-first culture, with a strong focus on collaboration and ownership
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
