Azure Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Position Summary

Responsible for service delivery across public and private cloud environments, with primary emphasis on Microsoft Azure infrastructure services (compute, storage, networking, identity, and security) and secondary support within Amazon Web Services as needed. This role serves on the Subject Matter Expert (SME) team—driving standards, onboarding/offboarding, tool optimization, escalations, and proactive improvements that enhance reliability, security, and performance of customer environments. The Senior Technical Consultant on the SME team architects and implements IT infrastructure solutions while acting as a high-level escalation resource. Success in this role requires strong ownership, disciplined adherence to Centre standards, fact-based root cause analysis, and clear communication with internal teams and customer stakeholders to consistently demonstrate "proof of value."

Responsibilities

• Maintain and optimize Azure cloud infrastructure to meet availability, performance, and uptime SLAs
• Provide proactive recommendations and continuous improvement for customer Azure environments across tenant organizations
• Own monitoring, alerting, reporting, troubleshooting, and performance tuning (including actionable alert hygiene and meaningful operational dashboards)
• Maintain required Microsoft Azure certifications and continuously develop expertise aligned to Centre's SME certification matrix
• Lead high-severity incident response and serve as an escalation point; drive timely resolution, customer communication, and post-incident follow-up
• Implement Azure solutions using repeatable standards (naming, configuration baselines, security controls, and documentation) to ensure long-term supportability
• Conduct post-sales technical follow-ups, support onboarding/offboarding activities, and provide remote customer support as needed
• Prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment, set expectations early, and meet committed deadlines for deliverables
• Communicate clearly and professionally (written and verbal) with internal teams and external customers, including during escalations
• Build trusting partnerships by collaborating respectfully, showing ownership, and providing high-quality customer service
• Submit timesheets, expense reports, and required documentation accurately and on time
• Stay current on Azure platform changes, security advisories, and industry best practices; recommend and implement improvements
• Provide status updates and progress reports to leadership and/or Project Managers; surface risks early with recommended options
• Manage multiple projects and customer priorities while maintaining quality, consistency, and professional judgment
• Translate business requirements into secure, scalable Azure technical solutions aligned to Centre standards and customer outcomes
• Participate in on-call schedules and act as a high-level escalation point for cloud, network, and security issues

Education & Experience

• Education: Associate's Degree required (Bachelor's Degree preferred)
• Experience: 10+ years general IT experience with 2+ years hands-on Microsoft Azure experience (5+ years Azure preferred for senior-level SME scope)

Required Certifications

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)

Desired Certifications

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700)

Additional Preferred Certifications

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty (AZ-140)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Engineer Associate (AI-102)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Engineer Associate (DP-203)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate (DP-300)

Technical Skills

• Azure Infrastructure: Practical operational and design expertise with Azure services, architecture, and best practices
• Windows Server & Identity: Working knowledge of Windows Server, Domain Services 2019+, and Microsoft Entra for identity and access management
• Windows Systems: Intermediate to advanced knowledge and experience with Windows desktop and server environments, including troubleshooting and performance optimization
• Linux Systems: Basic knowledge and experience with Linux-based operating systems (RedHat, Ubuntu, Fedora, Gentoo, SUSE)
• Networking: Understanding of TCP/IP including layer 2/3 VLANs, protocols, and network troubleshooting
• Automation: Advanced knowledge and experience in automation, including scripting (PowerShell/Python), workflow design, and mass deployment of software
• Security: Understanding of security topics and practices, including least privilege access, GDAP, Microsoft Purview, and Microsoft Entra
• Data Protection: Basic to advanced knowledge of data loss prevention strategies and technologies

Work Environment

• Some travel may be necessary to various datacenters
• Work primarily in a climate controlled environment with minimal safety/health hazard potential
• Occasional lifting (up to 50 pounds) may be required
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions
• The noise level in the work environment is moderate