Active Directory Migration Technical Lead

Location: Remote

An established organization is seeking a specialist to drive an enterprise-wide consolidation of two existing directory environments into a single, unified target. This six-month initiative runs from January 1, 2027, through June 30, 2027, under a flexible work arrangement. The role serves as the central subject matter authority coordinating technical strategy across internal IT personnel, application owners, and external vendor teams.

• Direct overall technical planning, trial testing, implementation cutovers, and post-cutover operational stabilization.
• Evaluate and verify the architectural design, cutover schedules, deployment techniques, and migration toolsets.
• Assess application dependencies regarding service accounts, authentication methods, authorization rules, and directory synchronization.
• Collaborate with internal infrastructure specialists, software owners, and implementation vendors to align migration milestones.
• Review and mitigate impacts on identity platforms such as Cyber Ark and Okta, focusing on provisioning and privileged accounts.
• Audit security group structures, permissions, account mappings, and user profiles to uphold least-privilege standards and prevent duplication.
• Establish robust operational cutover checklists, technical sign-off criteria, and documented rollback strategies.
• Deliver direct technical troubleshooting and system configuration support during all transition phases.
• Identify project vulnerabilities and operational bottlenecks, communicating clear risk mitigations to technical management.
• Produce comprehensive technical documentation and guide operational handoffs to ensure knowledge transfer to internal staff.

• Demonstrated history acting as the primary technical guide for a complex enterprise domain or forest consolidation project.
• Extensive background in configuring, designing, troubleshooting, and transitioning Microsoft directory environments.
• In-depth understanding of domain hierarchy, established trusts, Domain Name System records, GPO configurations, and directory services.
• Proven experience unifying separate directories into an existing or newly architected target platform.
• Prior success managing transitions involving intricate authentication models and extensive integrated software dependencies.
• Advanced grasp of directory protocols including Kerberos, LDAP, NTLM, Windows Integrated Authentication, and service account interactions.
• Experience building detailed cutover playbooks, technical test scenarios, and recovery processes.
  
  Demonstrated capability to resolve intricate directory failures and direct collaborative efforts between internal and partner teams.
• Excellent communication skills to present architectural dependencies and critical recommendations to technology leaders.
• Strong capacity to exercise independent judgment and question technical assumptions when needed.

• Experience executing transitions that incorporate hundreds of integrated line-of-business applications, including ERP systems.
• Hands-on familiarity with native Microsoft utilities alongside third-party platforms like Quest Migration Manager or comparable tools.
• Practical experience with environments utilizing Okta identity management.
• Exposure to Cyber Ark platforms, particularly regarding service account security and privileged access management.
• Direct involvement in directory integrations driven by organizational mergers or corporate restructuring.
• Familiarity with hybrid cloud architectures incorporating Microsoft Entra .
• Solid background in cybersecurity standards, identity governance, access restrictions, and regulatory compliance.

Pay: $80 to $90 per hour

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