Estates MS 365 Assurance Manager

Government Recruitment Service; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A government public service department is looking for a Solution Designer specializing in Microsoft 365. This role focuses on solution design and assurance, engaging stakeholders, and supporting strategic initiatives. Candidates should be adept at collaborating across teams and influencing decision-making, while championing innovation within DWP Estates. The opportunity arises within a leading public service department that emphasizes a sustainable and effective working environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in Microsoft 365 architecture and compliance.
• Strong ability to engage with multiple stakeholders.
• Proven track record in managing technical projects.

Responsibilities

• Review and align SharePoint usage with compliance standards.
• Build strong relationships to understand business needs.
• Support digital and data strategies effectively.
• Monitor and assess emerging technologies for relevance.

Skills

SharePoint utilization

Microsoft 365 compliance

Data governance

Stakeholder engagement

Technical leadership

Tools

Microsoft 365

SharePoint

Job description

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the government’s largest public service departments with a sizeable annual budget, serving over 20 million citizens.

The estate spans 1.4 million square metres across 800+ sites and supports around 78,000 colleagues.

Our vision includes DWP colleagues, supply chain, partners and, most fundamentally, the customers the Department exists to serve. They are the reason for our existence.

We are responsible for the day-to-day operation of our vast Estate by managing a private sector supply chain that delivers essential services such as Security Guarding, Maintenance, Property and Leasehold Management, Construction, Cleaning and Facilities Management.

DWP Estates is not just about maintaining buildings - it’s about transformation. Our strategic goals include:

• Transitioning to a smaller, more affordable, and adaptable estate to meet future needs
• Investing in infrastructure through planned replacement works
• Embedding sustainability in line with Government Greening Commitments (GGCs)
• Delivering cost-effective services while maintaining high standards
• Creating a professional, best-in-class working culture across the Government Property profession

Our Estates strategy ambitions have been refreshed to take us through to 2030:

• OPTIMISE: Continue to transition to a more affordable and adaptable DWP estate that creates productive environments
• INVEST: Investment in an improved environment that better meets the needs of customers and colleagues and minimises service disruption
• SUPPORT the drive for sustainability throughout DWP
• DELIVER: Expertly deliver improving, cost-effective services for DWP
• THRIVE: Continue to develop a working culture for DWP Estates that is best in class across government

There is no better time to join the award winning DWP Estates team.

Key accountabilities

Solution Design & Assurance

• Review and align SharePoint usage across Estates and align with DWP Digital data governance and compliance standards.
• Develop and maintain architectural documentation, patterns, and governance frameworks.
• Conduct assurance reviews on Microsoft 365 solutions to ensure compliance with organisational and regulatory requirements.
• Define and enforce standards for site architecture, permissions, and lifecycle management.
• Collaborate with Digital security and compliance teams to ensure solutions meet data protection and retention policies.
• Provide technical leadership on integration of Microsoft 365 with other enterprise systems.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships across business and technical teams to understand needs and constraints.
• Stand up a regular cadence with functional SharePoint leads to foster best practice adoption and adherence to DWP Digital central policies & procedures
• Act as a trusted advisor to Estates on Microsoft 365 capabilities, governance, and emerging technologies.
• Facilitate workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions to promote best practice.
• Influence decision-making by presenting clear, evidence-based recommendations.
• Manage stakeholder expectations and communicate risks and trade-offs effectively.

Strategic Support

• Support the Transformation Lead in delivering strategic initiatives.
• Contribute to the development of long-term digital and data strategies for Estates.
• Identify opportunities to improve collaboration and information management through automation and modern workplace tools.
• Align Microsoft 365 architecture with organisational objectives and DDaT standards.
• Provide input into investment decisions for any potential solutions.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor emerging Microsoft 365 and or other technologies and assess their relevance to DWP Estates.
• Recommend improvements to existing processes and solutions to enhance efficiency and compliance.
• Champion innovation by piloting new features and approaches in controlled environments.
• Develop and maintain a roadmap for Microsoft 365 optimisation.
• Share lessons learned and contribute to continuous improvement of governance frameworks.