M365 Architect

The Senior Microsoft 365 Architect is responsible for designing,implementing, and optimizing the institution's Microsoft 365ecosystem. This role provides the architectural framework for M365services, ensures alignment with business and security requirements, and leads the strategic evolution of collaboration,identity, security, analytics, and AI capabilities across the environment.

This position requires deep expertise in Microsoft 365administration, Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Defender, Entra , and M365 reporting/analytics. The architect will serve as the subject matter expert for M365 services,governance, and security, operating with significant autonomy and technical authority.

Note:

This role will not administer SharePoint but must understand

SharePoint Online architecture and its integration points withinthe broader M365 ecosystem.

University Information Technology(UIT), the central IT service provider for the University of Utah, reports to the U's Chief Information Officer and is responsible for many of the U's sharedIT services including the wired and wireless network;
Campus Information Services (CIS) portal; UMail, telephone, and online collaboration; digital learning technologies; information security;software licensing; and a host of other IT systems and services.

Located in Salt Lake City, the U is the flagship institution of the State of Utah'ssystem of higher education, home to arts and museum venues and a member of the BIG-12 Conference. Skiing and snowboarding opportunities are a short distance from campus, and opportunities to pursue activities from biking to hiking to fishing abound. Salt Lake City ishome to the Utah Symphony and Opera, Ballet West, professional sports teams, and a wide range ofother cultural and recreational activities.

• Develop and maintain the enterprise M365 architecture roadmapaligned with institutional strategy.
• Evaluate and recommend new M365 capabilities, including AI and automation features.
• Architect complex M365 solutions, integrations, and service enhancements.
• Define and enforce governance policies for M365, Copilot,Purview, and Defender.
• Apply enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF, Zachman) to M365 planning.

• Oversee deployment, configuration, and lifecycle management ofM
  365 services.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex M365, identity, and security issues.
• Maintain architectural documentation, diagrams, and operational standards.
• Partner with engineering teams to ensure reliable, scalableservice delivery.

• Lead implementation and administration of Microsoft 365 Copilot and related agent capabilities.
• Define access, data boundaries, and governance for AI features.
• Ensure alignment with institutional policies, compliance requirements, and risk controls.

• Architect and maintain security controls across Purview,Defender, and Entra .
• Implement best practices for DLP, threat protection, conditional access, and identity governance.
• Coordinate regular audits, assessments, and compliance reviews.
• Evaluate the impact of new features or changes across interconnected systems.

• Build and maintain Power BI dashboards for M365 usage, adoption,licensing, and security posture.
• Leverage M365 Admin Center, Entra , Purview, and Defender reporting to produce actionable insights.
• Develop automated reporting pipelines where appropriate (e.g.,Graph API, Power Shell, Power Automate).
• Provide executive level reporting on service health, risk,compliance, and user behavior trends.

• Partner with IT operations, security, and…