Identity & Access Management (IAM) Senior Manager/Director

Avanade UK Security is scaling fast, requiring a Director‑level Identity & Access Management (IAM) Lead to build a Microsoft‑first IAM growth engine across advisory, implementation, and managed services, with a strong bias toward repeatable offers, accelerated conversion, and delivery excellence. This role is also accountable for positioning Identity as the control plane for AI‑era security, including Microsoft Agent365, Copilot‑driven workflows, and emerging agent‑based architectures, ensuring UK Security is future‑proofed for the next generation of identity‑centric security demand. This role reports to the UK Security Practice Lead and leads presales/solutioning with a technical Solution Architect and Presales Lead. Furthermore, this role owns IAM GTM, delivery quality, capability/IP build while feeding into the Identity MSS module as part of the broader MSS portfolio. Travel expected for key clients, Microsoft, and Practice leadership commitments.

Commercial expectations

This role influences revenue and will carry a soft target aligned to the UK Security all‑up plan:

• Year 1: $1–2m influenced growth.
• Year 2: $2–3m influenced growth.

Success is measured through supporting the sales team to generate pipeline, conversion of pipeline, expansion/attach of existing accounts, and repeatable delivery.

Reporting line & operating model

Reports to: UK Security Practice Lead

Key peers: UK MSS Lead, UK Security Presales Lead, UK Security Solution Architects (x2 from other practices – Infrastructure, Software Engineering, Modern Workplace, Data & AI, Business Applications)

People leadership: No formal line management initially; expected to act as Career Advisor/People Lead for a small number of individuals (mentorship, development, high‑performance standards).

Matrix influence: Identity Solution Architect soft‑reports into the IAM Lead for practice‑level IAM direction, consistency, and capability build while security leadership team members continue to report to the Practice Lead.

Success criteria

• First 6 months – A clear IAM “spine” for the practice: what we sell, how we sell it, how we deliver it, and what becomes service delivered across UK onshore, nearshore delivery centres, and offshore delivery centres.
• 12 months – A scaled, Microsoft‑first IAM pipeline with a predictable conversion pattern.
• 24 months – UK recognised as a credible IAM leader in regulated industries, with external presence (clients/Microsoft/events) supporting sustained growth.

Key responsibilities

• IAM GTM & seller enablement (primary) – Own the UK IAM narrative and differentiation: Microsoft Entra‑first (Entra ID, Entra Suite/E7 positioning, Identity Protection, governance and lifecycle foundations etc.).
• Presales leadership & solutioning – Lead solutioning for complex IAM pursuits with UK IAM Solution Architect: scope, approach, commercials, delivery model, risks, and dependencies.
• Delivery quality, escalation & governance (shared accountability) – Own IAM delivery quality and programme health: QA gates, architecture assurance, delivery risk management, and escalation resolution.
• Capability, assets & IP – Build reusable assets across assessment/diagnostics, reference architectures and design patterns, migration patterns, automation, runbooks and onboarding templates.
• Identity MSS interlock – Define the “handshake” from projects into Identity MSS: what must be true at handover, onboarding artefacts, operational KPIs/reporting, continuous improvement backlog and ownership boundaries.
• Partner leverage – Build and support the Partner Ecosystem team to manage relevant partner alliances when needed.
• Culture, leadership & people development (mentorship) – Act as a high‑trust, high‑autonomy, high‑standards leader who raises quality, pace, and ambition.

Essential Experience

• Proven track record building and scaling IAM capability in a consulting environment.
• Deep Microsoft Entra leadership across Entra ID security and configuration.
• Demonstrated ability to translate emerging Microsoft platform shifts into credible client narratives.
• Strong understanding of workforce IAM and hybrid/legacy identity modernisation.
• Senior stakeholder presence: able to operate credibly with CISOs/CIOs.

Desirable experience

• Security operations awareness.
• Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM)/B2C experience.

Non‑negotiable behaviours

• Microsoft‑first mindset as an exclusive stance.
• “Start‑up mentality” – hungry, creative, ambitious, pace‑driven, ownership‑led.
• Comfortable operating in a high‑ambition peer group with shared standards and high autonomy.

Measures of success

• Influenced revenue against soft target.
• Win rate and cycle‑time improvement for IAM pursuits.
• Delivery health: reduced escalations, stronger QA, predictable outcomes.
• Reuse rate and adoption of IAM assets/standard approaches.
• Successful, measurable conversion path from IAM projects into Identity MSS.