Defender Administrator in Gloucester

Job Title: Defender Administrator (Contract)

Make sure to read the full description below, and please apply immediately if you are confident you meet all the requirements.
Location: Gloucester or Warrington (Hybrid on-site)
Rate: £370/Day Inside IR35
Clearance: Must hold or be eligible for Security Clearance (minimum 5 years UK residency)

About the Role

We are recruiting an experienced Defender Administrator to support a large-scale migration programme, transitioning Windows and Linux servers from legacy antivirus solutions (Symantec/McAfee) to Microsoft Defender (ATP). You will play a key role in designing and implementing migration approaches within a complex and sensitive environment.

Key Responsibilities

* Migrate Windows and Linux servers to Microsoft Defender (ATP).

* Validate existing antivirus exclusion policies across the estate.

* Implement MDE policies and create AAD device groups.

* Develop migration approaches suitable for complex and sensitive infrastructures.

* Perform network connectivity testing and ensure readiness for deployment.

* Create and distribute Defender installation packages.

* Lead discussions with the image management team regarding MDE images for auto-scaling.

* Remove legacy AV solutions from servers.

* Provide end-to-end support for Microsoft Defender.

Required Skills & Experience

* 4+ years’ experience onboarding Windows and Linux servers to Microsoft Defender.

* Strong experience migrating from Symantec and McAfee.

* Expertise in AV exclusion management.

* Solid knowledge of Microsoft Defender for Server, O365, Identity, and Microsoft 365 Defender.

* Understanding of EDR, TVM, ASR, AIR and threat remediation.

* Proficiency with Windows OS (Client & Server) and Linux (RHEL).

* Experience deploying ATP packages via GPO, SCCM or Intune.

* Strong investigative and analytical problem-solving skills.

* Ability to document policies, deployment approaches and processes.

* Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.

Additional Requirements

* Willingness to work shifts, out-of-hours, and participate in an on-call rota when required.

* Strong relationship-building skills with both onsite and offshore teams. xiskglj

* Ability to learn quickly and adapt to evolving technical environments.

If you have the required technical expertise and enjoy working in secure, complex environments, we’d love to hear from you