Lead Consultant

Seniority:
Senior / Architect-level (Design Authority)

Experience:

Minimum 15 years specialising in enterprise identity, with broader Microsoft cloud experience.

The Lead Identity Consultant provides strategic and technical leadership across enterprise identity architecture, spanning hybrid identity, identity governance, and cross-tenant and M&A scenarios. The role bridges deep technical design and delivery with client and stakeholder advisory, ensuring identity solutions are secure, resilient, and aligned to broader enterprise cloud and security strategy.

“a great place to work, a great place to be a customer”

• Lead design and delivery of Entra , including hybrid identity (Entra Connect Sync, Cloud Sync), identity governance, and lifecycle workflows.
• Lead design and delivery of large-scale M&A consolidation projects.
• Proficient with modern protocols such as Kerberos, SCIM, OIDC, SAML and in-depth knowledge of token assurance and authorisation mechanics
• Architect cross-tenant and multi-tenant designs (MTO/CTS) for M&A, divestiture, and organisational restructuring scenarios.
• Define and implement Privileged Identity Management (PIM), Conditional Access, and least-privilege access models.
• Design governance frameworks for non-human and agentic identities, extending identity security practices beyond traditional user/device scope.
• Lead migration and cutover of complex identity transitions (e.g. MIM, Entra Connect to Cloud Sync) including multiple forests/tenants.
• Produce client-ready design authority documentation: architecture decisions, risk assessments, and runbooks.
• Lead and design configuration-as-code solutions for Entra/M365.
• Advise on identity aspects of security and compliance frameworks (CAF, Well-Architected Framework, Zero Trust).
• Collaborate with security, infrastructure, and application teams to align identity architecture with wider platform design.
• Mentor consultants and review technical documentation and design artefacts.

• 15+ years in enterprise-scale identity architecture, ideally across multi-forest, multi-tenant, or regulated environments.

Deep understanding of:

• Entra  and hybrid identity (Entra Connect Sync, Cloud Sync, AD).
• Identity governance and lifecycle management (PIM, entitlement management, access reviews.)
• Cross-tenant and multi-tenant design for M&A and organisational change.
• Complex Active Directory designs and remediation scoping and actioning via structured planning methodology
• General Active Directory health, hardening, and remediation for enterprise-level clients.
• Non-human and agentic identity security and governance design and implementation.
• Microsoft 365 identity integration.
• Project management experience, including waterfall /Agile delivery methodologies and project delivery governance.
• Automation experience (Power Shell, Microsoft Graph) for identity operations, configuration-as-code, and migration tooling.
• Experience leading identity work streams within larger cloud transformation or migration programmes.
• Strong documentation, stakeholder communication, and design authority experience.
• Okta, Ping or other identity management solutions desirable.
• Familiarity of enterprise PKI design and deployment.

Chess is one of the UK's leading independent and trusted technology service providers, employing over 280 skilled people across the UK, supporting over 18,000 UK businesses.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion is at the heart of our Chess culture, and we are passionate about our One Team spirit.

We’re extremely proud that our people voted us No.1 in 'The 100 Best Companies to Work for' list 2018, and we continue to celebrate more than 17 years in the top 100.

Our continued focus on growth creates opportunity for everyone to progress their career, to develop knowledge and skills, to gain reward and recognition and to maximise their potential. The growth and success of our people ensures the growth and success of our business.

We believe that “if you’re not growing, we’re not growing”.

Competitive salary based on experience plus bonus based on chargeability.