Job Description – M365 Services Lead (Exchange / Identity / Collaboration Tower Lead) 

Role Overview 

The M365 Services Lead is responsible for end-to-end ownership of Microsoft 365 services delivery, including: 

• Exchange Online & Exchange On-Prem (Hybrid) 

• Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive 

• Azure AD / Entra ID (Identity & Access) 

• M365 Security & Compliance (Defender, Conditional Access, DLP) 

This role combines technical leadership, client engagement, escalation management, and service governance to ensure a secure, stable, and high-performing M365 environment. 

Key Responsibilities 

End-to-End M365 Tower Ownership 

• Own delivery of all M365 services: 

• Email and mail flow 

• Identity and access 

• Collaboration platforms 

• Ensure: 

• SLA / KPI adherence 

• Security and compliance standards 

• Drive service stability and continuous improvement 

Technical Leadership (Hands-On Authority) 

• Act as technical escalation point (L3/L4) for critical issues 

• Provide guidance on: 

• Exchange hybrid architecture and mail flow 

• Identity design (Entra ID, MFA, Conditional Access) 

• Teams / SharePoint governance 

• Review and approve: 

• Complex changes 

• Architecture decisions 

• Migration and transformation plans 

Client & Stakeholder Management 

• Act as primary technical interface for client stakeholders 

• Lead: 

• Weekly/Monthly service reviews 

• Technical discussions and escalations 

• Present: 

• Service health 

• Security posture 

• Improvement roadmap 

• Translate technical issues into business impact language 

Escalation & Major Incident Management 

• Own P1/P2 incidents across M365 services 

• Lead bridge calls during: 

• Mail flow outages 

• Identity/authentication failures 

• Teams service disruptions 

• Ensure: 

• Structured communication 

• Fast resolution 

• Drive RCA and preventive measures 

Security & Governance Leadership (Critical) 

• Ensure implementation and enforcement of: 

• Conditional Access and MFA policies 

• Defender for Office 365 (email security) 

• DLP and retention policies 

• Align M365 environment with: 

• Security frameworks 

• Audit requirements 

• Proactively identify risks and drive remediation 

Service Improvement & Transformation 

• Drive initiatives such as: 

• Exchange on-prem → cloud migration 

• Intune + M365 integration (modern workplace) 

• Identity modernization (passwordless, Zero Trust) 

• Reduce: 

• Repeat incidents 

• Manual effort 

• Improve overall user experience 

Automation & Standardization 

• Promote automation using: 

• PowerShell 

• Graph API (where applicable) 

• Standardize: 

• Mailbox provisioning 

• Access management 

• Reporting and compliance checks 

Team Leadership & Capability Building 

• Lead L1, L2, and L3 teams 

• Mentor and upskill team members 

• Conduct technical reviews and quality checks 

• Build strong ownership mindset across team 

Governance, Reporting & Compliance 

• Define and track KPIs: 

• Mail flow performance 

• Identity security posture 

• Service availability 

• Ensure audit readiness 

• Provide structured reporting to stakeholders 

Required Skills & Qualifications 

Technical Expertise (Must-Have Breadth + Depth) 

• Strong hands-on experience in: 

• Exchange Online & Hybrid Exchange 

• Azure AD / Entra ID (identity & access management) 

• Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, OneDrive 

• Strong understanding of: 

• Mail flow design and troubleshooting 

• Identity security (MFA, Conditional Access) 

Security & Governance 

• Experience with: 

• Microsoft Defender for Office 365 

• DLP, retention, and compliance policies 

• Strong understanding of Zero Trust principles 

Automation & Tools 

• PowerShell (mandatory) 

• Exposure to Graph API (preferred) 

Process & Governance 

• Strong ITIL knowledge: 

• Incident, Problem, Change Management 

• Experience in: 

• CAB 

• RCA 

• SLA governance 

Leadership & Soft Skills (Critical) 

• Strong client-facing communication (US stakeholders) 

• Decision-making under pressure (critical incidents) 

• Ability to challenge and improve existing setups 

• Strong ownership and accountability mindset 

Experience & Education 

• 10–15+ years of experience in M365 / Exchange / Identity 

• 5+ years in Lead / Architect role 

• Bachelor’s degree in IT or related field 

• Certifications (strong advantage): 

• Microsoft 365 Administrator (MS-102) 

• Azure Administrator (AZ-104) 

• Security certifications (SC-200 / SC-300)