Job Description : M365 Storage & Compliance Architect

Role Overview :

The M365 Storage & Compliance Architect is responsible for defining, governing, and continuously improving Orbias global Microsoft 365 storage architecture across SharePoint Online, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams. This role ensures the Microsoft 365 environment remains secure, compliant, cost-efficient, and aligned with business, legal, regulatory, and information security requirements. As the domain Subject Matter Expert (SME), the Architect will lead enterprise-wide storage governance, retention, backup, and data lifecycle management strategies while providing Level 3 (L3) expertise for complex storage and compliance-related challenges. The role requires close collaboration with Legal, Compliance, Security, and Business stakeholders to establish and maintain effective data protection and governance frameworks.

Key Responsibilities :

Architecture & Design :

- Define, maintain, and govern the global Microsoft 365 storage architecture across SharePoint Online, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.

- Develop and enforce enterprise storage policies, standards, and best practices.

- Design and implement retention, archiving, and data lifecycle management strategies across the M365 ecosystem.

- Evaluate Microsoft 365 roadmap enhancements and assess their impact on the organizations storage, governance, and compliance landscape.

- Provide architectural guidance and technical leadership for storage-related initiatives and projects.

Compliance, Security & Data Protection :

- Design, implement, and manage data protection and compliance solutions utilizing Microsoft Purview, including :

1. Data Retention

2. Information Protection

3. Data Classification

4. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

5. eDiscovery and Legal Hold

- Ensure compliance with internal policies, legal obligations, regulatory requirements, and data privacy frameworks.

- Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Security teams to establish governance controls and defensible data management practices.

- Support audits, investigations, and legal discovery processes as required.

Storage Optimization & Cost Management :

- Lead enterprise-wide initiatives to optimize Microsoft 365 storage utilization and control data growth.

- Drive the M365 Retention & Backup Program as the technical lead and subject matter expert.

- Develop and execute strategies to reduce unnecessary storage consumption and avoid long-term storage cost increases.

- Lead data cleanup and governance initiatives focused on eliminating redundant, obsolete, and trivial (ROT) data.

- Monitor storage trends, capacity utilization, and compliance metrics, providing recommendations for continuous improvement.

Operational Excellence & Support :

- Serve as the highest-level escalation point (L3) for complex Microsoft 365 storage, retention, and compliance issues.

- Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and knowledge sharing across IT teams.

- Develop and maintain architecture documentation, standards, procedures, and operational runbooks.

- Partner with infrastructure, security, and business teams to ensure effective adoption of governance and compliance practices.

Required Qualifications & Experience :

- Deep expertise in Microsoft 365 storage technologies, including SharePoint Online, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.

- Strong hands-on experience with Microsoft Purview compliance and governance solutions.

- Extensive knowledge of Microsoft 365 retention policies, records management, data lifecycle management, and governance frameworks.

- Proven experience designing and architecting enterprise-scale Microsoft 365 environments.

- Demonstrated success leading data retention, governance, compliance, and information management initiatives.

- Strong understanding of eDiscovery processes, legal hold requirements, and regulatory compliance obligations.

- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

- Strong attention to detail with the ability to balance strategic planning and operational execution.

Preferred Qualifications :

- Experience implementing and managing Microsoft 365 backup and recovery solutions.

- Familiarity with AvePoint Governance or similar data lifecycle and governance platforms.

- Experience working within large-scale, global, or multi-tenant Microsoft 365 environments.

- Relevant Microsoft certifications in Microsoft 365, Security, Compliance, or Azure technologies are highly desirable.

Success Metrics :

- Compliance adherence across Microsoft 365 data repositories.

- Effective implementation of retention and governance policies.

- Reduction in storage growth and optimization of storage costs.

- Successful execution of backup, retention, and data lifecycle initiatives.

- Timely resolution of complex storage and compliance-related issues.