Cyber - Data Protection Microsoft Architect - Manager - Consulting

Location: Anywhere in Country

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The opportunity

In a rapidly changing technology, data, privacy, and cybersecurity landscape, clients across industries look to us for trusted guidance on designing secure, resilient, and well-governed Microsoft environments. As a Manager within the Data Protection and Privacy team, you will serve as a Microsoft Security Architect and engagement leader with broad expertise across the Microsoft security, compliance, identity, endpoint, cloud, data, and analytics ecosystem. Microsoft Purview experience is required and will be an important component of the role, but the position is intended for an overall architect who can connect Purview with the wider Microsoft platform and relevant third-party technologies.

This role is a level above the Senior Microsoft Junior Architect position. The Manager is expected to own end-to-end solution architecture for defined engagements, establish cross-platform design direction, manage multidisciplinary delivery teams, oversee quality and financial performance, develop trusted client relationships, and contribute to business development. You will help clients translate business, security, privacy, legal, regulatory, and technology requirements into integrated strategies, target-state architectures, roadmaps, governance models, and implementation programs.

Your key responsibilities

As a Manager on the Data Protection and Privacy team, your key responsibilities would include:

• Lead Microsoft security and data protection engagements from discovery and solution shaping through architecture, implementation oversight, testing, deployment, operational transition, and benefits realization.
• Own end-to-end solution architecture across Microsoft Purview, Defender, Intune, Sentinel, Entra, Azure security services, Microsoft 365, Fabric, and related cloud, data, endpoint, identity, analytics, and AI capabilities.
• Ensure Microsoft Purview is appropriately incorporated into broader security architectures, including Information Protection, sensitivity labeling, Data Loss Prevention, Data Lifecycle Management, Records Management, Insider Risk Management, eDiscovery, Audit, Data Map, Data Catalog, and Data Security Posture Management.
• Develop integrated security, data protection, identity, endpoint, cloud, data governance, privacy, and AI governance strategies aligned with business objectives and regulatory obligations.
• Lead enterprise security assessments, architecture reviews, maturity assessments, control gap analyses, roadmaps, target operating models, governance frameworks, and transformation programs.
• Facilitate executive and working-level workshops across security, privacy, legal, compliance, records, data governance, infrastructure, cloud, identity, endpoint, application, analytics, audit, and business stakeholders.
• Translate business and control requirements into target-state architectures, cross-platform design decisions, reference patterns, integration requirements, implementation plans, delivery backlogs, testing approaches, and measurable outcomes.
• Establish architecture principles, security patterns, configuration standards, decision records, integration requirements, and quality criteria for Microsoft-based enterprise solutions.
• Design and oversee integrations across Microsoft platforms and relevant third-party security, data governance, privacy, cloud, ticketing, and analytics technologies.
• Lead security architecture for Microsoft 365 Copilot, generative AI solutions, agents, Fabric and analytics platforms, and enterprise applications, including identity, data protection, access, monitoring, and governance considerations.
• Manage engagement scope, workplans, staffing, budgets, risks, dependencies, quality reviews, executive reporting, and coordination with client and firm leadership.
• Provide architecture direction and coaching to Senior and junior resources, review technical deliverables, resolve cross-platform design issues, and escalate material risks when appropriate.
• Build trusted client relationships, identify opportunities to extend value, support proposals and statements of work, contribute to solution pricing and estimation, and participate in account development.
• Develop reusable architecture methods, reference designs, accelerators, points of view, and thought leadership while maintaining awareness of Microsoft product developments and emerging security, privacy, data, and AI risks.

Skills and attributes for success

• Strong client leadership and executive communication skills, with the ability to explain complex Microsoft architecture, security, privacy, identity, endpoint, cloud, data, and AI topics in business and technical terms.
• Demonstrated architecture judgment across the Microsoft ecosystem, including the ability to define boundaries, dependencies, integration patterns, and control responsibilities across multiple platforms.
• Strong Microsoft Purview knowledge and the ability to position Purview controls within broader enterprise security and data architectures.
• Ability to lead ambiguous and complex engagements, establish a structured architecture approach, make design decisions, document tradeoffs, and drive issues to resolution.
• Ability to align Microsoft platform capabilities with business, legal, privacy, regulatory, security, data governance, and operational requirements.
• Ability to manage the creation, review, and delivery of high-quality strategies, roadmaps, architectures, operating models, reports, presentations, and implementation guidance.
• Strong project and program management discipline, including scope, staffing, financial management, quality, risks, dependencies, and stakeholder expectations.
• Ability to lead culturally diverse, cross-functional, and geographically dispersed teams and mentor professionals at multiple levels.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to support opportunity qualification, solution shaping, estimation, proposal development, and client presentations.
• Commitment to service quality, professional integrity, collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

To qualify for the role, you must have:

• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Data Science, Privacy, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Approximately 6 or more years of relevant experience in cybersecurity, data protection, identity, endpoint, cloud security, privacy, compliance, information governance, or related technology consulting, including experience leading teams or workstreams.
• Demonstrated experience architecting integrated Microsoft solutions across multiple security, compliance, identity, endpoint, cloud, data, or analytics capabilities.
• Required hands-on architecture or delivery experience with Microsoft Purview, including depth across multiple capabilities such as Information Protection, Data Loss Prevention, Data Lifecycle Management, Records Management, Insider Risk Management, eDiscovery, Audit, Data Map, Data Catalog, or Data Security Posture Management.
• Working knowledge across several additional Microsoft technologies, such as Microsoft Defender, Intune, Sentinel, Entra, Azure security services, Fabric, Microsoft 365, or Microsoft 365 Copilot.
• Experience leading requirements, architecture, design, integration, configuration oversight, testing, deployment, and operating model activities for enterprise Microsoft solutions.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing and mentoring consulting or technical teams and coordinating work across client and third-party stakeholders.
• Experience managing engagement scope, plans, risks, issues, quality, resources, budgets, and executive communications in a professional services or similarly client-driven environment.
• Experience supporting business development activities, including solution shaping, estimation, proposal development, statements of work, and client presentations.
• Understanding of architecture, security, and privacy frameworks or regulations such as Zero Trust, NIST, ISO 27001, CIS Controls, GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, or other applicable requirements.
• Ability to travel as required by client and engagement needs.

Ideally, you’ll also have

• Microsoft certifications such as SC-100, SC-400, SC-401, SC-200, AZ-500, MS-102, or other role-relevant security, compliance, identity, cloud, or data certifications.
• Experience with Microsoft Defender XDR, Defender for Cloud, Defender for Cloud Apps, Defender for Endpoint, Intune, Sentinel, Entra ID, Azure Policy, Azure security services, Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft 365 Copilot, or Security Copilot.
• Experience developing enterprise security, data protection, privacy, AI governance, Zero Trust, cloud security, identity, endpoint, or data architecture strategies and operating models.
• Experience integrating Microsoft technologies with third-party security, data governance, catalog, privacy, analytics, cloud, ticketing, or legal platforms.
• Experience with architecture methods and deliverables such as capability models, current- and target-state diagrams, reference architectures, control mappings, design decision records, roadmaps, and transition architectures.
• Strong PowerPoint and architecture diagramming skills, including the ability to communicate complex cross-platform concepts to executive, business, and technical audiences.
• Experience developing team capabilities, reusable assets, market offerings, points of view, or thought leadership.
• Experience contributing to account planning, pipeline development, pursuit leadership, or expansion of client relationships.

What we look for

We are looking for collaborative and commercially aware leaders who can serve as overall Microsoft architects while bringing required depth in Microsoft Purview. Ideal candidates understand how security, compliance, identity, endpoint, cloud, data, analytics, and AI capabilities work together; can own cross-platform architecture and engagement outcomes; build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders; and lead and develop teams. Success in this role requires sound judgment, executive presence, broad technical credibility, meaningful Purview experience, attention to quality, and a commitment to helping clients design secure and responsible Microsoft environments.

What we offer you
At EY, we harness our collective strength to empower you to shape your future with confidence through professional growth, personal fulfillment and an inclusive culture. Learn more at ey.com/us/careers.

• The salary range for this job is:
  • New York City, Boston, and Washington DC Metro Areas, Washington State, and Southern California offices – $173,900 to $290,100
  • Bay Area California offices – $181,200 to $302,100
  • All other offices locations in the US, including Sacramento – $144,900 to $265,800
• Individual salaries within these ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography.  In addition, our Total Rewards package includes medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and a wide range of paid time off options.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.                                          

• To make the most of your application experience, please limit yourself to two applications within a six-month period.
• EY accepts applications for this position on an on-going basis.
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