M365 Solution Architect

CPS has successfully built one of the UK’s largest Microsoft M365, Power Platform, UC and AI solutions practice. We are a long established and highly respected Microsoft Gold Partner with an extensive portfolio of high-profile clients that is continuing to grow.

Due to our continued growth, we are looking for a Solutions Architect in the Microsoft 365 space who is experienced in ensuring successful definition and delivery of solutions based on Microsoft 365 to our client base ensuring time, cost and quality expectations are successfully achieved.

Further to this CPS and Microsoft are driving sustainment within businesses we work with and therefore business change management is another key aspect of our delivery.

Requirements

A self-starter, keen to further develop both their personal and the company’s knowledge and skillset, with a ‘make it happen’ attitude.

Deliver a range of solutions based on Microsoft 365 and the wider Microsoft Cloud to a broad client base, ensuring that the solutions take into consideration technical strategy, successful adoption, long-term sustainability, and commercial awareness.

Ensure that clients are delighted by their experience when engaging with CPS. Someone who is a thought lead and can take the customer on a journey of transformation.

Ensure that solutions are designed to the highest level and meet the expectations of clients in every respect.

Broad knowledge of solution delivery patterns and practices, application lifecycle management approaches, with experience gained through all phases from design, development, test and release cycle to delivery and maintenance.

Someone keen to create innovative new propositions for clients that help make work simpler for employees.

CPS have clients across the UK and travel is required at times, with occasional overseas assignments. Our focus is on working from home and creating a sustainable travel plan with clients.

• Pre-Sales, Delivery and Evangelism
• Proven ability to design, build and demonstrate the Microsoft 365 capabilities to prospective clients
• Ability to contribute to sales activities such as assisting in writing compelling propositions and completing tenders
• Proven ability to estimate at a high level, the effort required to deliver an engagement
• Undertake requirements gathering activities
• Proven ability to facilitate requirements gathering workshops with C-level stakeholders downwards
• Proven ability to manage the expectations of clients involved in workshops
• Proven ability to document the findings of workshops in the form of current state assessments, vision and strategy recommendations
• Proven ability to write a solution design that can be handed over to a delivery team to implement
• Deliver a professional, customer focused, and high performing solution based on the Microsoft 365 architecture
• Ensure that all content provided to customers is on the highest quality and has been through the internal quality assurance checks before being published
• Promote CPS as an expert source of knowledge regarding the latest developments in Microsoft 365 and related technologies through blogs, user groups, conferences, etc.
• Contribute to the internal processes and standards to ensure that the outcome of engagements is always improving
• As part of our Microsoft competencies, we are required to have individuals who have passed specific exams. All employees are required to pass specific Microsoft exams aligned to their areas of expertise

• Expert understanding of business practices and the ability to key business challenges
• Ability to identify and map the technical landscape of an organisation
• Ability to identify and map the business processes of an organisation
• Experience of mapping Microsoft technologies to resolve business challenges
• Ability to build a vision of the application of Microsoft technologies to an organisation
• Ability to work with an organisation to build a strategy for delivering a technical vision
• Ability to manage senior stakeholders
• Attending and participating in project boards
• Escalation management and resolution
• Programme management
• Change management
• Expert understanding of Microsoft 365 and related technologies
• Demonstrate an expert understanding in the Microsoft 365 workloads, including
• Microsoft Teams
• SharePoint
• OneDrive
• Microsoft Viva
• Planner
• Power Platform
• Copilot
• Experience of on-premises solutions built on SharePoint 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019
• Experience of Google to Microsoft Migrations
• Demonstrate an understanding of the benefits of hybrid scenarios
• Demonstrate a good understanding of development patterns and best practices for working with Microsoft 365 and Azure
• Identity and access management
• Demonstrate an expertise of the components used to implement identity access management
• Demonstrate an expertise of the security considerations of the Microsoft cloud
• Demonstrate an understanding of device and application management
• Demonstrate an understanding of infrastructure and networking considerations for working with the Microsoft cloud
• Application Lifecycle deployment Management
• Experience in designing and developing complex software applications and planning, deploying, and supporting large scale implementations
• Experience of estimating effort required to deliver solutions
• Demonstrated experience in testing procedure and QA and QC protocols
• Understanding of enterprise application architecture
• Experience in technical architectural topology

• Confidence in own abilities
• Expert knowledge within this subject area
• Fast assimilator of information
• Imaginative problem solver
• Structured organiser, with an eye for detail
• Appreciation of a quality approach
• Strong relationship building skills
• Strong analytical and numeracy skills
• Ability to use initiative and work under pressure, prioritising to meet deadlines
• Drive, leading on initiatives, being committed to the role, and delivering on objectives and deadlines
• Effective communication (written and verbal) and negotiation skills with a wide variety of stakeholders
• Service orientation, demonstrable commitment to customer service
• Able to demonstrate a passion for technology!

Candidates will be able to demonstrate the breadth and depth of their suitability for this role with the following proof points:

• Demonstrable background in solution definition and delivery for services being delivered to external customers
• Experience of managing customers when there are issues, acting with credibility and professionalism as well as giving confidence to customers on progression of the delivery
• The ability and drive to strive for effective changes and continuous improvement in all aspects of client engagement
• Experience of working with in-house development teams or offshore developers would be ideal
• Expert knowledge of Office 365 and Azure
• Expert knowledge of current and previous Microsoft SharePoint platforms
• Expertise with user experience design
• Experience of change management and adoption
• Experience with Agile or Scrum methodology

Benefits

• Hybrid working (work from where you choose to, whether home, the Green Park, Reading office, a regional Landmark location, or a coffee shop!)
• Initial onboarding will take place in the office, and you should be prepared to travel to the office/agreed location for team meetings approximately once per month.
• 9 Day Fortnight
• PMI with Vitality Health
• Medical Cash Plan with Medicash
• Income Protection with YuLife
• Death in Service with YuLife
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 25 days holiday – increasing to 26 days after 1 year, to 27 days after 2 years and to 28 days after 5 years
• Your birthday day off
• Access to Costco Membership
• Salary Sacrifice Scheme, applicable to:
• Workplace Pension [...] Employer contribution is currently 5.5% of qualifying salary (above legislated minimum and will increase if we achieve certain business targets) . Employee contribution is 4% of qualifying salary (legislated minimum but you can elect to increase)
• EV Car Scheme
• Discounted Gym Membership
• Cycle Scheme
• Holiday Exchange Scheme: buy up to 10 additional day per year and sell up to 5.

• Quarterly and annual star performer awards – voted for by your peers and colleagues
• Spot Awards of £25 and up, to instantly recognise excellence in you and your colleagues
• Annual professional and personal training budget to support your PDP
• Career Development Framework
• Reward schemes that are designed to thank you for your hard work and make life a little more affordable.
• Monthly employee experience/engagement survey
• Quarterly company meetings
• Social/team building events, organised by our incredible Employee Forum
• Regular meaningful 1 to 1s.
• Long service recognition at 5, 10, 15, 20 years and onwards
• Award winning culture Great Place to Work™ Nov 23 to Nov 24; Best Workplaces for Development™ 2024,Best Workplaces for Wellbeing™ 2024, Best Workplaces for Women™ 2024, Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Service™ 2024