At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead M365 projects, drive customer success, and shape innovative solutions.
- Company: Join Chess, a top tech service provider with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, private healthcare, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team that values growth and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in digital transformation while growing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in M365 consultancy and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Location: UK-wide | Business Area: Digital | Salary Details: Competitive basic salary plus additional benefits
Reporting to the Digital Transformation Director, you will lead early stage customer engagements as a subject matter expert, shaping commercial conversations and uncovering client needs. You will drive pre-sales activities by articulating solution value, demonstrating Microsoft 365 capabilities, and guiding customers toward clear, outcomes-focused proposals. In addition, you will play a key role in customer success by supporting the deployment, governance, and optimisation of Microsoft 365 solutions. This role blends technical credibility with commercial insight—helping clients understand the business impact of their technology choices, strengthening user adoption, and positioning Microsoft 365 as a strategic enabler across the full digital workplace ecosystem.
Key Responsibilities:
- Drive adoption of Microsoft 365 features and capabilities across customer organisations.
- Provide strategic advice to senior organisation stakeholders to align Microsoft 365 capabilities to business goals, initiatives and regulatory requirements.
- Proactively identify emerging trends and new features across Microsoft 365, including AI driven productivity, security, governance, automation and the modern workplace experience.
- Lead design and discovery workshops with customers to understand requirements and agree technical solutions.
- Deliver end to end project engagements including design, implementation, testing, handover, documentation, and support, either independently or alongside a project manager.
- Act as an escalation point for complex or high priority support issues, providing expert guidance and hands on assistance to ensure timely and effective resolution.
- Conduct environment assessments, maturity evaluations and roadmap development.
- Lead the development of reusable solution accelerators and best practice solutions.
- Design and deliver interactive demos, training sessions and small-group workshops for customers and internal teams, working closely with the Head of Sales to support specific opportunities.
- Deliver high impact webinars and seminars showcasing current and future Microsoft 365 capabilities to generate new business and engage wider audiences.
- Develop material to highlight new features, capabilities and trends across Microsoft 365.
- Contribute to high quality proposals, providing clear solution design, understanding of requirements, scope definition, required activities and accurate effort estimates.
- Keep up-to date with the Microsoft 365 roadmap and market trends to understand new features, assess their impact and provide strategic guidance.
- Demonstrate a commitment to personal development by proactively seeking opportunities to enhance your knowledge and skills.
- Provide guidance and mentor colleagues, to promote knowledge sharing and enhance delivery quality.
Key Skills & Experience:
- Proven experience in a senior M365 or Modern Workplace consultancy or architecture role.
- Strong leadership background with demonstrable experience guiding and developing technical teams.
- Expertise in Microsoft Copilot, SharePoint Online, Teams, OneDrive, Exchange Online, and the wider Microsoft 365 stack.
- Deep understanding of governance, security, and compliance features within Microsoft Purview.
- Proven delivery of multiple modern SharePoint Online intranet solutions, covering hub site strategy, information architecture, and adoption planning.
- Delivery of advanced SharePoint solutions, including document management solutions, automation and AI.
- Experience of planning and enabling SharePoint migration initiatives.
- Ability to define and implement governance frameworks across Microsoft 365, including document workflows, lifecycle, security and secure collaboration.
- Strong presentation and communication skills, with confidence presenting to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and user-centric solutions.
- High standard of written documentation and solution design.
More about you:
- Excellent communication skills, including being able to communicate technical ideas to non-technical audiences.
- Proven ability to engage with senior business stakeholders.
- Track record of being able to produce clear and concise design documentation and reports.
- Confidence in creating and delivering presentations to both remote and in-person audiences.
Preferred Qualifications:
- One or more of the following Microsoft certifications is considered advantageous:
- MS-102 (Microsoft 365 Administrator)
- MS-700 (Managing Microsoft Teams)
- SC-401 (Administering Information Security in Microsoft 365)
- PL-900 (Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals)
What's in it for you?
Competitive basic salary plus additional benefits and growth opportunities.
Your Benefits at Chess:
- Private healthcare (free after 1 year)
- Eye tests, flu jabs, and on-site health checks
- Mental health support from trained First Aiders
- A Wellbeing Day after 1 year
- Half-Day Fridays—start your weekend early!
- Hybrid working support with a home office allowance
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Buy or sell up to 5 holidays twice a year
- Perkbox discounts on shopping, travel, fitness, and more
- Points-based rewards from year 2
- Charity donation matching (up to £100)
- Recognition platform to celebrate your wins
- EE SIM offers for you and your family
- £1000 referral bonus
- Learn 2 Earn scheme to boost your salary
- Team socials and celebrations
- Bespoke onboarding and leadership training
- Dedicated Culture Team to support you
Working Hours & Location:
A standard week is 37½ Monday to Friday. Flexible, hybrid position with a home-first working policy. Allowing you to enjoy the flexibility of working from home whilst also having the option to work from one of our many local hubs spread throughout the UK. Ad-hoc travel to offices within the group and other locations may be required on occasion.
Why Join Chess?
Chess is one of the UK's leading independent and trusted technology service providers, employing over 280 skilled people across the UK, supporting over 18,000 UK businesses. Diversity, equality, and inclusion is at the heart of our Chess culture, and we are passionate about our One Team spirit. We're extremely proud that our people voted us No.1 in 'The 100 Best Companies to Work for' list 2018, and we continue to celebrate more than 17 years in the top 100. Our continued focus on growth creates opportunity for everyone to progress their career, to develop knowledge and skills, to gain reward and recognition and to maximise their potential. The growth and success of our people ensures the growth and success of our business.
Equal Opportunities Statement:
At Chess ICT, we value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workforce. We want to make sure everyone has a fair chance and opportunity throughout the application process. If you require any adjustments during your application or interview, please feel comfortable reaching out to our recruitment team so we can support you. We believe that 'if you're not growing, we're not growing.'
Lead Consultant in England employer: Chess
At Chess, located in the vibrant Alderley Park, we pride ourselves on being a fantastic employer that fosters a supportive and inclusive work culture. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we offer comprehensive benefits including private healthcare, mental health support, and opportunities for professional development, ensuring that our team members thrive both personally and professionally. Join us to be part of a dynamic environment where your contributions are valued and celebrated, making every day at work meaningful and rewarding.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Consultant in England
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn and let them know you're on the hunt for a Lead Consultant role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on an opportunity or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to Microsoft 365. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable articulating your expertise and how it aligns with the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills through real-life examples! When discussing your experience, focus on specific projects where you drove adoption of Microsoft 365 features or led successful workshops. This will help potential employers see the value you bring.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Consultant in England
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Lead M365 Consultant role. Highlight your experience with Microsoft 365 and how it aligns with the responsibilities mentioned in the job description. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Showcase Your Expertise:Don’t hold back on showcasing your technical skills and leadership experience. Mention specific projects where you've driven adoption of Microsoft 365 features or led successful implementations. This is your chance to shine, so let us know what you’ve achieved!
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, clarity is key! Use straightforward language and avoid jargon where possible. We appreciate well-structured documents that are easy to read, so make sure your ideas flow logically and are easy to follow.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to the right people. Plus, you’ll find all the details about the role and our company culture there, which can help you tailor your application even further!
How to prepare for a job interview at Chess
✨Know Your Microsoft 365 Inside Out
As a Lead M365 Consultant, you need to be well-versed in the latest features and capabilities of Microsoft 365. Brush up on your knowledge of tools like SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive, and be ready to discuss how these can drive business value for clients.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect to face scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and technical expertise. Think about past experiences where you've successfully led projects or resolved complex issues, and be ready to share these examples during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
You'll need to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms, and prepare to demonstrate your presentation skills, as you'll likely need to deliver demos or workshops.
✨Align Your Experience with Business Goals
Make sure to highlight how your previous roles have aligned technology solutions with business objectives. Be prepared to discuss how you've driven user adoption and improved client outcomes, as this will resonate well with the interviewers.
