Senior AVD Consultant

Doherty Associates, Inc.; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Doherty Associates is seeking a senior Azure Virtual Desktop specialist to design, deliver and optimise enterprise AVD environments for global clients. You will translate requirements into secure, scalable cloud solutions and drive the full project lifecycle from discovery through handover.

The role demands hands-on expertise, strong stakeholder communication and collaboration with cloud, security and operations teams. London-based with 3 days in office.

Qualifications

• Must have hands-on Azure Virtual Desktop design and delivery experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy and optimise enterprise Azure Virtual Desktop environments.

Skills

Azure Virtual Desktop

Client-facing consulting

Entra ID

Conditional Access

Azure DevOps

GitHub

Azure networking

FSLogix

PowerShell

Documentation

Communication

Tools

Azure DevOps

GitHub

Job description

Doherty Associates (DA) has delivered IT solutions for over 30 years to world-renowned, international clients. We deliver a broad range of consulting and managed services to a highly loyal and expanding client base. We specialise in risk-focused sectors, including capital markets and legal, where security capability and service quality are highly valued.

We are a highly accredited Microsoft partner with four Solutions Partner Designations, ISO27001, ISO9001 and Cyber Essentials Plus and operate a multi-geographic 24/7 support service.

Our customers rely on us to bring specialist expertise and innovation across cloud solutions, hybrid working, modern workplace, data and BI, cyber security, governance and compliance. We have built a reputation as a company that keeps its promises and delivers quality.

About the role

Agreement type

Contract, inside IR35

Location

3 days in London (Holborn) office

This is a technically advanced, hands-on senior consulting role that will best suit a technical professional, with experience of designing and delivering enterprise-grade Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) solutions.

The role requires consultative approach and the ability to translate customer objectives into secure, scalable and operationally supportable cloud solutions.

You will work across the full project lifecycle, from discovery, assessment and design through to implementation, testing, transition and operational handover.

Responsibilities

Technical Delivery

• Design, deploy and optimise enterprise Azure Virtual Desktop environments, including host pools, session hosts, application delivery, profiles, image management and operational handover.
• Translate customer requirements into secure, scalable and supportable AVD designs aligned to Microsoft best practice, customer governance and operational requirements.
• Implement and integrate core supporting services, including Entra ID, Conditional Access, identity integration, Azure networking, routing, DNS, private connectivity and security controls.
• Configure and troubleshoot FSLogix profile solutions, storage dependencies, access controls and performance considerations for multi-user virtual desktop environments.
• Deliver Azure infrastructure components using IaaS services, including virtual machines, storage, backup, monitoring, logging and enterprise landing-zone principles where applicable.
• Use PowerShell and automation to improve repeatability, reduce manual configuration and support consistent deployment and operational standards.
• Contribute to DevOps and infrastructure-as-code approaches using tools such as Bicep, Terraform, Azure DevOps or GitHub, where appropriate to customer requirements.
• Plan, test and execute deployments, migrations and service transitions, ensuring risks, dependencies and change impacts are clearly managed.

Client Engagement and Presales

• Engage directly with enterprise customers to understand business drivers, user personas, security requirements, operational constraints and success measures.
• Lead or contribute to discovery workshops, assessments and design sessions focused on AVD and related Azure infrastructure services.
• Provide clear technical guidance to both technical and non-technical customer stakeholders, including options, recommendations, risks and trade-offs.
• Support presales activity through technical input, solution shaping, estimates, assumptions, design reviews and customer-facing conversations.
• Work collaboratively with Project Managers, Enterprise Architects, Technical Leads and operational teams to ensure a smooth end-to-end customer experience.

Governance, Documentation and Handover

• Produce clear and professional technical documentation, including high-level designs, low-level designs, migration plans, test plans, implementation plans and handover materials.
• Ensure delivered solutions meet security, compliance, resilience and operational acceptance requirements.
• Identify delivery risks early and communicate impacts, options and mitigations clearly to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Support knowledge transfer into managed services and service desk teams to ensure the solution can be operated effectively after project closure.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

Must have

• Strong hands-on experience designing and delivering Azure Virtual Desktop solutions for enterprise or complex customer environments.
• Proven experience delivering client-facing consulting engagements in a B2B environment, including workshops, technical discovery, design playback and stakeholder management.
• Strong understanding of Entra ID, identity integration, Conditional Access and authentication considerations for cloud and hybrid environments.
• Experience using Azure DevOps, GitHub or similar tooling for source control, pipelines and repeatable deployment practices.
• Solid Azure networking capability, including virtual networks, routing, firewall considerations, private connectivity, DNS and hub-spoke or landing-zone patterns.
• Practical FSLogix experience, including profile containers, cloud cache considerations, storage dependencies and troubleshooting.
• Strong Azure infrastructure knowledge across IaaS, storage, monitoring, backup, governance and security controls.
• Proficiency with PowerShell for deployment, configuration, troubleshooting and operational automation.
• Ability to produce professional, accurate and customer-ready technical documentation.
• Excellent communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.

Nice to have

• Experience with infrastructure as code using Bicep, Terraform, ARM templates or equivalent tooling.
• Exposure to Microsoft Intune, endpoint management, application packaging or Windows 365.
• Experience with migrating from traditional VDI, RDS or on-premises desktop environments into AVD.
• Experience working in regulated, security-conscious or professional services customer environments.

Preferred certifications

• Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305).
• Identity and Access Administrator Associate (SC-300).
• DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400) or relevant infrastructure-as-code certification would be advantageous.

About you

• Professional and consultative, with the credibility to engage enterprise customers confidently.
• Analytical and detail-oriented, with a passion for solving complex technical challenges.
• Clear communicator who can simplify complexity without losing technical accuracy.
• Collaborative and supportive, with a commitment to knowledge sharing and high delivery standards.
• Curious and proactive in staying ahead of Azure, AVD and automation best practice.
• Empathy: able to listen, understand and support customer and colleague needs.
• Adaptable: able to adjust to changing workloads, priorities and customer environments.
• Positive can-do attitude with a strong sense of urgency and accountability.
• Proactive, self-motivated and comfortable taking ownership.
• Team player who fosters an inclusive and collaborative working environment.
• Keen to learn, share knowledge and lead by example.