At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and improve Microsoft 365 applications while supporting users daily.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company focused on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Flexible freelance role with competitive pay and opportunities for growth.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with potential for career advancement.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of tech, shaping how teams collaborate and communicate.
- Qualifications: Experience in Microsoft 365 administration and application development is essential.
The M365 Applications Specialist is responsible for the design, configuration, support and continuous improvement of the Microsoft 365 application estate that the customer's staff and partners use every day. This includes Exchange Online, Microsoft Teams (including Teams Phone where applicable), OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online (in collaboration with the SharePoint Specialist), Microsoft Loop, Planner, Forms, Stream, Viva, and the integration layer between these workloads and Power Platform, Dataverse, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft Fabric.
The role sits at the intersection of operations and solutioning. On a typical day the post-holder will close P3 service requests in the morning (mailbox provisioning, Teams policy changes, sharing rule adjustments), spend the afternoon designing a Power Automate flow tied to a SharePoint list for a business unit, and finish by reviewing release notes for the next M365 monthly update and authoring a change request for CAB.
Key Technical Responsibilities
- Microsoft 365 Tenant Administration: Administer Microsoft 365 tenants across all in-scope programme areas via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, Exchange Admin Center, Teams Admin Center, SharePoint Admin Center, and corresponding PowerShell modules.
- Manage tenant-level configuration: domains, DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, autodiscover), licence assignment (group-based licensing), service plans, organisation-wide settings, and cross-tenant access for B2B.
- Operate Exchange Online including mailbox lifecycle, shared/resource/room mailboxes, transport rules, connectors, anti-spam/anti-phishing policies (Defender for Office 365 Plan 1/2), eDiscovery (standard and premium), retention policies and labels, journaling, and hybrid mail flow where applicable.
- Administer Microsoft Teams: messaging policies, meeting policies, app permission policies, Teams templates, channels, private channels, shared channels (Teams Connect), live events, voice (calling plans/Direct Routing if in scope), Teams Rooms devices, and Teams telemetry via Call Quality Dashboard.
- Administer OneDrive for Business including storage quotas, sharing controls, retention, restore, OneDrive sync issues (ODSyncReport), and Known Folder Move.
Application Solution Delivery
- Design and deliver business solutions using a fit-first approach across the M365 stack: SharePoint lists/libraries, Lists, Planner, Forms, Power Automate flows, and Power Apps where appropriate, before recommending custom development.
- Build Power Automate cloud flows (automated, instant, scheduled, business process flows) including approval flows, integration with Dataverse, SharePoint, Outlook, Teams adaptive cards, and HTTP/custom connectors.
- Develop and maintain Power Apps canvas and model-driven apps, including Dataverse table design, business rules, security roles, and ALM through Power Platform Solutions.
- Integrate solutions with Dataverse, Dynamics 365 (existing CRM estate), legacy and current SQL Server versions, and Azure resources via on-premises data gateway, dataflows, and APIs.
- Author SharePoint Framework (SPFx) web parts and extensions, custom Teams apps, Microsoft Graph–integrated solutions, and Office Add-ins where requirements exceed low-code capability.
Microsoft Fabric and Power BI Integration
- Support Microsoft Fabric workspaces including OneLake, Lakehouse/Warehouse models, semantic models, and Power BI report distribution; coordinate with the Azure Specialist on capacity sizing.
- Operate Power BI Pro/Premium tenant settings, gateways, dataset refresh schedules, RLS/OLS, deployment pipelines, and workspace governance.
Application Lifecycle Management and Governance
- Apply the Microsoft Power Platform Center of Excellence (CoE) Starter Kit to enforce environment strategy, DLP policies, connector governance, maker auditing, and orphaned-app management.
- Use Power Platform pipelines (or Azure DevOps with Power Platform Build Tools) for solution deployment between development, test, and production environments.
- Maintain solution documentation, technical design documents (TDDs), and operational runbooks for every application in production.
- Operate change management for application changes through CAB; deliver pre-change validation, rollback plan, and post-change verification.
Service Operations
- Resolve M365 application incidents and service requests at L2/L3 within the contractual SLAs (P1 1h/4h; P2 4h/1WD; P3 1WD/3WD), liaising with Microsoft Support (Premier/Unified) for vendor-driven analysis at Level 4.
- Author and execute service requests including conditional access policy adjustments for application access, new Power Platform non-Production environment provisioning, Teams policy changes, mailbox provisioning, and DLP policy refinements.
- Support adoption and change management, including delivery of training collateral, champion programmes, and Microsoft Adoption Score interpretation.
- Contribute to monthly service reports with application KPIs (Teams call quality, Exchange Online availability, mailbox size trends, Power Platform consumption, app inventory).
Mandatory Technical Skills
- Microsoft 365 service administration across Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive, Teams, and Defender for Office 365.
- Power Platform development with Power Automate (cloud flows, business process flows, AI Builder familiarity), Power Apps (canvas and model-driven), Dataverse modelling, and Power BI.
- PowerShell across ExchangeOnlineManagement, MicrosoftTeams, PnP.PowerShell, Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK, and the Power Apps for Makers/Admins modules.
- SharePoint Online deep configuration including modern site collections, hub sites, site designs/scripts, search architecture, content types, term store, and permissions.
- REST and Microsoft Graph API integration; OAuth 2.0 application registrations, delegated vs application permissions, certificate-based auth, and rate-limit handling.
- ALM for Power Platform: solutions, environment strategy, pipelines, source control with Git, and managed vs unmanaged solution discipline.
- ITIL v4 incident, problem and change management on a Microsoft estate.
Desirable Technical Skills
- SharePoint Framework (SPFx), TypeScript, React; experience packaging and deploying SPFx web parts and extensions.
- Microsoft Copilot Studio (formerly Power Virtual Agents) and Copilot for Microsoft 365 readiness.
- Microsoft Loop, Viva Engage/Insights/Topics.
- Dynamics 365 (Customer Service, Sales) configuration.
- Microsoft Fabric capacity, OneLake, Lakehouse, and Direct Lake mode.
- Azure Logic Apps and Azure Functions (.NET/Node) for advanced integrations beyond Power Platform connector limits.
- Robotic Process Automation using Power Automate Desktop.
Required Certifications
- Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert (MS-102) — mandatory.
- Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate (PL-200) — mandatory.
- Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Developer Associate (PL-400) — preferred.
- Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate (MS-700) — preferred.
- Microsoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate (PL-300) — desirable.
- ITIL 4 Foundation — preferred.
M365 Applications Specialist (Freelance/Contract) in Maidenhead employer: VE3
Contact Detail:
VE3 Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land M365 Applications Specialist (Freelance/Contract) in Maidenhead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections on LinkedIn or other platforms. Let them know you're on the hunt for an M365 Applications Specialist role. You never know who might have a lead or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio showcasing your M365 projects, especially those involving Power Automate and SharePoint. This will give potential employers a taste of what you can do and set you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on common M365 scenarios. Think about how you've solved problems in the past using Microsoft Teams or Exchange Online. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your expertise.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who take the initiative. Plus, it gives you a better chance of being noticed by our hiring team. So, get your application in and let’s get you that freelance gig!
We think you need these skills to ace M365 Applications Specialist (Freelance/Contract) in Maidenhead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the M365 Applications Specialist role. Highlight your experience with Microsoft 365, especially in areas like Exchange Online and Teams, to show us you're the perfect fit!
Show Off Your Skills: Don’t hold back on showcasing your technical skills! Mention your expertise in Power Platform, Power Automate, and any relevant certifications. We love seeing how you can bring value to our team.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to see your qualifications at a glance. We appreciate straightforward communication!
Apply Through Our Website: Remember to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at VE3
✨Know Your M365 Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in all aspects of Microsoft 365, especially the applications mentioned in the job description. Brush up on Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, and Power Platform. Being able to discuss specific features and your experience with them will show that you're not just familiar but truly knowledgeable.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss real-world scenarios where you've designed or improved M365 solutions. Think about challenges you've faced and how you resolved them, particularly in areas like Power Automate flows or Teams configurations. This will demonstrate your practical experience and ability to think critically.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Governance and Compliance
Understand the importance of application lifecycle management and governance within M365. Be ready to talk about how you’ve applied DLP policies or managed change requests in previous roles. This knowledge is crucial for ensuring that the organisation's M365 environment remains secure and compliant.
✨Prepare Questions That Matter
Have a few insightful questions ready to ask at the end of your interview. Inquire about the team’s current projects, challenges they face with M365, or how they measure success in this role. This shows your genuine interest in the position and helps you gauge if it’s the right fit for you.