Microsoft 365 Messaging Architect

Cognizant is seeking a Microsoft 365 Messaging Architect for a full-time remote opportunity. Applicants must be located and authorized to work in the US; Cognizant will not offer visa sponsorship now or in the future. This hybrid role is for a senior cloud architect with deep expertise in Microsoft 365 security and enterprise messaging solutions.

Responsibilities

• Architect secure and scalable Microsoft 365 messaging solutions that align with enterprise business goals and compliance requirements while optimizing performance and cost efficiency for global users.
• Design detailed end-to-end architectures for Microsoft 365 security capabilities that reduce cyber risk, enhance data protection, and support sustainable governance models for large, complex environments.
• Lead complex Microsoft 365 messaging migration initiatives from legacy on-premises or third-party platforms, ensuring minimal downtime, robust validation, and smooth change management for business stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with security operations, identity management, and networking teams to define integrated controls and policies that strengthen the overall cloud security posture for messaging workloads.
• Develop reference architectures, technical standards, and configuration baselines for Microsoft 365 security and messaging that can be reused across multiple programs and client engagements.
• Guide project teams in resolving deep technical issues related to mail flow, hybrid connectivity, federation, authentication, threat protection, and compliance within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
• Perform rigorous assessments of existing messaging and collaboration landscapes to identify technical debt, security gaps, and opportunities for modernization using Microsoft 365 capabilities.
• Create detailed technical documentation, including solution designs, configuration runbooks, migration strategies, and operational guidelines to enable consistent implementation and support.
• Engage with business and product owners to translate functional needs—such as collaboration patterns, retention, and legal hold—into secure and resilient Microsoft 365 messaging designs.
• Optimize security configurations for areas such as identity protection, information protection, threat management, and device access to balance risk mitigation with user productivity.
• Provide advanced technical guidance during incidents or major changes within the Microsoft 365 messaging and security stack, ensuring swift root cause analysis and durable remediation.
• Mentor engineering and operations staff on Microsoft 365 messaging security concepts, patterns, and best practices to build long-term organizational capability and reduce dependency on external expertise.
• Align cloud messaging and security solutions with the company’s sustainability and social impact goals by promoting secure digital collaboration, reduced physical resource usage, and improved accessibility.

Qualifications

• Extensive hands-on experience designing and implementing Microsoft 365 security controls, including identity protection, data loss prevention, encryption, threat management, and compliance features in large enterprises.
• Strong background in Microsoft 365 messaging, including Exchange Online hybrid configurations, mail routing, public folders, shared mailboxes, and integration with collaboration tools such as Teams.
• Proven experience planning and executing complex Microsoft 365 messaging migration programs from legacy environments using industry-standard tools, with emphasis on coexistence, user experience, and data integrity.
• Deep understanding of authentication and authorization concepts such as modern authentication, conditional access, multifactor mechanisms, and role-based access models as applied to Microsoft 365.
• Solid knowledge of enterprise networking and DNS concepts that influence Microsoft 365 messaging delivery, mail hygiene, high availability, and disaster recovery strategies.
• Familiarity with scripting and automation using PowerShell or similar tools to streamline administrative tasks, reporting, security enforcement, and migration operations within Microsoft 365 (nice to have).
• Experience working in hybrid work models with distributed teams using agile practices to deliver incremental value while maintaining high levels of operational stability and security (nice to have).
• Background in collaborating with risk, legal, and compliance stakeholders to interpret regulatory requirements and translate them into practical Microsoft 365 policies and configurations (nice to have).
• Exposure to integration between Microsoft 365 and third-party security solutions such as secure email gateways, cloud access security brokers, or security information and event management tools (nice to have).
• Experience presenting complex Microsoft 365 architectures and risk tradeoffs in clear, nontechnical language to senior stakeholders to support informed decision-making and long-term planning (nice to have).

Pay

The salary range for this role is between $131,000 and $161,000, depending on skills and qualifications.