Microsoft 365 Security Engineer

Sandwell Council is seeking a highly skilled Microsoft 365 Security Engineer to join our IT team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a critical role in ensuring the security and integrity of our Microsoft 365 environment. The successful candidate will have a deep understanding of, and be responsible for, implementing & managing Microsoft 365 applications & security features, best practices, and regulatory requirements. The role will involve working alongside project stakeholders, project managers and ICT engineering staff, providing advice, guidance and technical leadership.,

• Threat Detection and Response: Monitor security events, identify vulnerabilities, and respond to incidents promptly.
• Design: Implement and manage security solutions for Microsoft 365, including Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Teams, and other related services.
• Security Management: Design, implement, and manage security policies and procedures for Microsoft 365 to protect data and systems.
• Security: Develop and enforce security policies, procedures, and best practices for Microsoft 365. Manage and configure security settings in Microsoft Defender for Office 365, including ATP (Advanced Threat Protection).
• Identity Governance: Provide expertise in identity and access management (IAM) within the Microsoft 365 platform, including MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) and Conditional Access policies.
• Compliance and Audit: Ensure compliance with industry regulations, including GDPR, HIPAA, and other relevant standards.
• Collaboration: Work closely with other IT staff to integrate security best practices & measures with other systems and applications.
• Continuous Improvement: Stay up to date with the latest security threats and trends and recommend improvements to enhance the overall security posture.
• Support and Guidance: You will provide guidance on any user and/or system administration training needed to operate and support your solutions effectively.
This is an excellent opportunity to work on cutting-edge products that will be part of transforming ways of working at Sandwell Council. We are looking for someone with commitment to staying up to date with new-to-market technologies to deliver industry best practice service offerings. You will be expected to suggest improvements to achieve efficiency and be the 'go-to' person for Modern Workplace implementation & integration.


• You will have at least 3 years of experience in Microsoft 365 security, ideally in a local government or other public sector setting.
• You will be proficient in Microsoft 365 security tools and technologies, including Microsoft Defender for endpoint / Office365, Purview, Identity management, Entra, Azure Active Directory, Single Sign-on and Conditional Access policies.
• You will have a business-focused, systematic, problem-solving approach to solution design and an ability to quickly adapt to working with previously unfamiliar technologies/techniques, etc.
• You will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex security concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• You will have strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to assess security risks and develop effective solutions.
• You will be able to evidence your experience of low-level scoping of Microsoft 365 solutions, establishing stakeholder requirements and be responsible for high and low-level design within the Modern Workspace Technology space.
• You should be aware of ITIL service delivery and operational processes to ensure projects are transitioned carefully into the production environment., The council operates hybrid working, involving working from an agreed workplace location in the borough at least 2 days a week (subject to change). The post-holder must be willing to travel to different Council offices within the borough to meet with project stakeholders and team members as required. (A flexible approach will be needed; own transport preferred.)
  
  Joining Sandwell Council means becoming part of a supportive and forward-thinking organisation. We offer:
• Generous annual leave entitlement, with additional entitlement granted to employees who complete 5 years continuous service with Sandwell or other local authorities.
• Access to our Employee Benefits portal which includes discounts on a number of retail locations, gym membership, cinemas and more.
• Salary sacrifice schemes for cars and bikes.
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme.