Microsoft 365 Cloud Applications Specialist

ACARA Solutions and our large defense client has a REMOTE contract-to-hire position available

• Consults and collaborates with business leaders, end users, IT staff, vendors, and other third parties and is involved in every phase of an application throughout its lifecycle.
• Their responsibilities include job automation, running batch jobs, running SQL scripts, reviewing logs, system and application monitoring, maintenance, patch management, software upgrades, file transfers, backups, incident/problem troubleshooting, and support.
• Performs operational support responsibilities, including application maintenance, application configuration and performance tuning, account management, installation of software upgrades, user support, and systems monitoring.
• Ensures the application layer is optimally configured for seamless integration and operability with OS, database, middleware, network, Web services, and other interrelated technological components.
• Engages with the various teams to - perform application health checks to ascertain application accessibility, server availability, capacity planning, monitor scheduled jobs, batch jobs, systems alerts, and upstream/downstream feed status.
• Responds to incident tickets, user inquiries, and service requests.
• Analyzes and triages defects/issues and plans and manages releases and migrations in different environments.
• Monitors system alerts, system utilization thresholds, and server capacity utilization.
• Mentors, consults, and otherwise support the adoption of the application, including responding to inquiries from various sources to provide technical assistance, advice and support, training, and assisting in the proper, efficient, and effective use of the application.
• Understands a broad range of customers' requirements, expectations, and operational imperatives for their mission success and translates those business drivers and needs into requirements and actions to continuously enrich the user's experience.
• Monitors and enforces compliance with regulatory requirements like Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and corporate information security policies.
• Ensures appropriate documentation for system configuration, change control, access control, and system logs.
• Works with application vendors to obtain in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of their planned changes, existing problems, known errors, corrective action, workaround alternatives, and technical support capabilities.
• Maintains current knowledge of vendor's plans and strategic directions for the application, including patch releases, minor version releases, major version releases, end-of-life support, new capability enhancements, and upgrade support capabilities.
• Follows industry trends, evaluates vendor products, and pursues technology innovation to ensure business services are cost-competitive and aligned to industry best practices.
• Leads, plans, and executes small projects and small initiatives.
• Shows significant contribution within diverse teams across multiple projects or small initiatives to achieve deliverables successfully
• A track record of high-level personal performance.
• Concise reporting to management/peers.

• Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology or Systems Administration.
• Minimum of 8 years experience in supporting critical application software (local, network installed, and SaaS) to include medium to complex troubleshooting and research.
• Minimum of 8 years experience in administrating Microsoft 365 applications, including OneDrive, Exchange, Teams, SharePoint, PowerApps, PowerAutomate, and PowerBI.
• Minimum of 8 years experience in administering Azure AD, ADFS, Group Policy, and Okta.
• Minimum of 8 years experience in developing solutions to various challenging problems of broader scope and complexity using established procedures.
• Minimum of 8 years experience in batch automation and automation tools.

• Master's Degree.
• Ability to read and comprehend technical manuals and maintain procedural documentation.
• Solid knowledge of server architecture and understanding of virtualization technologies, storage systems, enterprise security practices, and replication technologies.
• Solid understanding of the Internet and its crucial configuration components (DNS, HTTP, IP addressing, Subnetting) and different file transfer methods (FTP, SFTP, FTPS, NDM).
• Solid understanding of solutions development methodologies (DevOps, Agile, Software Development Lifecycle).
• Advanced skills with MS Exchange 2016/2019 and Exchange Online
• Advanced skill with MS PowerShell
• Advanced skill with MS Teams
• Fully proficient knowledge of server architecture and understanding of virtualization technologies, storage systems, enterprise security practices, and replication technologies.
• Evidence of ability to act highly independently on significant and unique tasks and wide-ranging initiatives using subject matter expertise of the Application or System Admin discipline.
• Fully proficient in understanding the Internet and its crucial configuration components (DNS, HTTP, IP addressing, Subnetting) and different file transfer methods (FTP, SFTP, FTPS, NDM).
• Current application administrator or other related technical certification indicating a degree of appropriate foundational knowledge.
• Fully proficient knowledge of development languages, platforms, and tools.
• Fully proficient understanding of SQL scripts and other scripting languages.
• Solid presentation skills.
• Clear & concise oral & written communication skills.
• A history that illustrates flexibility and adaptability to changing business needs and shows exposure to overcoming fundamental change obstacles.
• Fully proficient understanding of Atlassian Jira.
• Fully proficient in solutions development methodologies (DevOps, Agile, Software Development Lifecycle).
• Lean-Agile mindset proficient in understanding and becoming familiar with the Lean-Agile mindset.
• Lean-Agile principles and practices (includes DevSecOps, Scrum, SAFe, and Kanban)
• Proficient knowledge of the Lean-Agile principles and practices (including DevSecOps, Scrum, SAFe, and Kanban).

Additional Information:

• Upon offer of employment, the individual will be subject to a background check and a drug screen.
• Moderate business travel is needed.
• In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
• Under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), all employees assigned to this client must provide documentation verifying their status as a 'U.S. Person,' as defined in ITAR clause 120.15. A U.S. Person is a protected individual under the anti-discrimination provisions of U.S. immigration laws.