Senior Microsoft Cloud Services Engineer in Hyderabad at AHEAD
Explore Related Opportunities
Job Description
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.
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
-
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.
|
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) |
-
Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)
-
Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
-
Microsoft 365 Certified: Enterprise Administrator Expert
-
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.