Following a period of significant investment in our technology and infrastructure, Osborne Clarke is expanding its IT Strategy & Architecture function. As part of this evolution, we are creating a dedicated Microsoft 365 Architect role to shape, mature and maximise the value of our Microsoft 365 estate across the firm.
This architecture role will be central to defining and delivering our Microsoft 365 strategy, with a particular focus on Power Platform, SharePoint Online, collaboration architecture, AI enablement, data-driven productivity and licensing value realisation. You will help ensure that our Microsoft technologies are secure, well-governed, highly adopted and aligned to the firm’s strategic focus on AI, data and digital productivity.
This is a permanent position offering hybrid working from our Bristol office.
The role
The Microsoft 365 Architect will sit within our IT Strategy & Architecture team in the Information Technology department, reporting to the Senior Lead Architect of ITS Strategy & Architecture. You will act as a key technical authority for our Microsoft 365 estate, working closely with Cyber Security, Operations & Applications, the Change & Transformation team and key business stakeholders including OC Solutions (legal tech), Finance, HR and Risk & Compliance.
In line with the firm’s strategic focus on AI and data, the Microsoft 365 Architect will play a key role in maximising the value of our M365 licensing. This includes optimising the use of existing capabilities, identifying underutilised tools and features already available within our licensing estate, and driving adoption where these can improve productivity, automation, reporting and business outcomes.
You will be responsible for architecting end-to-end Microsoft 365 solutions, setting standards and reference architectures, and ensuring that our collaboration, productivity and related endpoint services are secure, compliant, cost-effective and aligned to our business strategy.
Key responsibilities
Architecture & Solution Design
- Architect end-to-end solutions across the Microsoft 365 suite, with a particular focus on SharePoint Online, Teams, OneDrive, Power Platform, Copilot Studio and Microsoft 365 collaboration services.
- Lead the architecture, design and ongoing evolution of the SharePoint Online tenant, including information architecture, hub sites, site structures, metadata, permissions models, content lifecycle and global navigation.
- Develop and maintain governance blueprints, reference architectures, standards and best-practice patterns for Microsoft 365 services.
- Act as the Technical Design Authority for Microsoft 365 and Power Platform initiatives, providing clear architectural guidance and oversight.
- Work with Cyber Security and Operations teams to ensure Microsoft 365 solutions are secure, compliant, scalable and supportable.
- Support modern workplace architecture where required (e.g. Teams, Intune, Windows 365 and endpoint-related services), ensuring these remain aligned to the wider Microsoft 365 platform strategy.
Power Platform, Automation & AI Enablement
- Define and mature the firm’s architecture and governance approach for the Power Platform, including Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio and Power Pages.
- Establish standards for solution design, environment strategy, data connections, application lifecycle management, security, ownership and support.
- Champion automation, workflow optimisation and productivity improvements through Power Automate and related Microsoft 365 capabilities.
- Support the development of scalable, secure and governed low-code/no-code solutions that improve business efficiency and reduce manual effort.
- Support the safe adoption of Copilot Studio and AI-driven automation, ensuring appropriate governance, controls and alignment to business value.
AI, Data & Value Realisation
- Align Microsoft 365 architecture with the firm’s strategic focus on AI and data, enabling secure, governed and effective adoption of Microsoft AI capabilities.
- Identify opportunities to make better use of existing Microsoft 365 licensing, including underutilised features, automation capabilities and productivity tools.
- Develop roadmaps that maximise return on investment from Microsoft 365, Power Platform and Copilot-related capabilities.
- Use adoption, usage and platform insights to drive continuous improvement and prioritise areas where Microsoft 365 can deliver greater value.
Security, Compliance & Governance
- Work with Cyber Security to ensure Microsoft 365, SharePoint Online and Power Platform services align with security policies, compliance requirements and governance standards.
- Support the adoption and configuration of Microsoft Purview for data governance, retention, DLP, records management and compliance reporting.
- Define governance models for Microsoft 365 services, including ownership, access control, lifecycle management, naming standards and service accountability.
- Contribute to cloud security and governance frameworks, ensuring alignment with ISO 27001 and internal Information Security policies, and maintain a strong awareness of risks associated with elevated access permissions.
Adoption, Operations & Partnering
- Work closely with the Change & Transformation team to ensure Microsoft 365 initiatives are supported by effective adoption, communication and change management.
- Help drive consistent and effective use of Microsoft 365 tools across the firm, reducing fragmentation and improving productivity.
- Support business engagement to identify pain points, productivity gaps and opportunities for automation or improved collaboration.
- Maintain and evolve the Microsoft 365 architectural backlog, ensuring priorities are aligned to business strategy, platform maturity and value realisation.
- Collaborate with Operations & Applications teams to ensure service continuity, incident response and robust root cause analysis for Microsoft 365 services.
- Define and hand over operational runbooks, support models, monitoring requirements and standard operating procedures.
- Work closely with third parties and internal project teams to ensure a common technical understanding across planning, delivery and service acceptance.
Licensing, Cost Optimisation & Commercial Support
- Optimise Microsoft 365 licensing models and cost structures to ensure value for money.
- Identify underused or duplicated capabilities within the Microsoft licensing estate and recommend opportunities for rationalisation or increased adoption.
- Provide licensing guidance and technical input into commercial decisions relating to Microsoft 365, Power Platform and Copilot-related services.
- Support scoping, solution design, estimates and proposals for Microsoft 365-related initiatives, and present architectural options, trade-offs and value cases clearly to internal stakeholders and senior decision-makers.
We are looking for
- Strong experience designing and delivering Microsoft 365 solutions in a complex, preferably global, professional services environment.
- Deep understanding of SharePoint Online architecture, including tenant design, hub sites, information architecture, permissions, metadata, search, governance and global navigation.
- Strong experience with the Power Platform, including Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio and Power Pages, and a proven ability to define governance models for Microsoft 365 and Power Platform services.
- Good understanding of Microsoft 365 security, compliance and data governance capabilities, including Microsoft Purview.
- Good understanding of Microsoft AI capabilities and how these can be safely and effectively embedded into workplace solutions.
- Proven ability to engage stakeholders, build consensus and align solution designs with organisational priorities, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to influence senior leaders and explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
- Ability to demonstrate and articulate the business impact and return on investment of technology solutions.
- Familiarity with enterprise architecture tools and methods (such as TOGAF), and a broad understanding of current Microsoft technology trends and vendor roadmaps.
- Experience identifying technology risks, proposing mitigating recommendations and supporting the management of those risks.
- Demonstrable experience acting as a Technical Design Authority within projects and programmes.
- Highly organised, with strong analytical skills and the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple initiatives.
- A collaborative, professional service mindset and a commitment to continuous improvement in how technology supports our clients and our people.
We offer competitive salaries and generous benefits. We value the health and wellbeing of our people and our wide range of initiatives and benefits support this.
Our recruitment process
Please note that although we include closing dates for our roles as a guide, we review and progress applications on a rolling basis. At Osborne Clarke we do not make any recruitment decisions using automated decision-making.
We are committed to providing an environment where you can perform to the best of your abilities at every stage of your recruitment experience and beyond. If you require any adjustments to be made during the application stage, interview process, or when working with us, please let us know in confidence.
