Azure AD / Microsoft Entra ID Consultant

The Azure AD / Entra ID professional is responsible for assessing the current identity environment, performing gap analysis against Microsoft best practices and security frameworks, gathering business and technical requirements, and designing, implementing, and optimizing Microsoft Entra ID solutions. The role ensures secure, scalable, and compliant identity and access management across cloud, hybrid, and enterprise applications. Key Responsibilities 1. Existing Environment Assessment • Perform a comprehensive assessment of the current Azure AD / Entra ID tenant(s) • Review and document: o Tenant configuration and identity architecture o User, group, and role structures o Authentication and authorization mechanisms o Hybrid identity setup (Azure AD Connect / Cloud Sync) • Assess existing configurations for: o Conditional Access policies o MFA and authentication methods o Identity Protection and risk policies o Privileged roles and access delegation • Analyze: o Application registrations and Enterprise Applications o OAuth permissions, API access, and consent models o B2B / guest access usage • Identify legacy authentication usage and insecure configurations • Assess integrations with: o On - prem Active Directory o Microsoft 365 o Azure workloads o Third - party and SaaS applications 2. Gap Analysis • Perform gap analysis against: o Microsoft Entra ID best practices o Zero Trust architecture o Security frameworks (ISO 27001, NIST, CIS Benchmarks) • Identify gaps related to: o Excessive or unmanaged admin roles o Weak or inconsistent MFA enforcement o Lack of Conditional Access coverage o Over - privileged applications and service principals o Insufficient monitoring, logging, and alerting • Assess identity risks including: o Identity sprawl o Legacy protocols o Guest and external user exposure • Document: o Risks and business impact o Severity and prioritization o Remediation recommendations • Deliver executive - ready and technical gap analysis reports 3. Requirement Gathering • Engage with stakeholders including: o IT Infrastructure and Cloud teams o Security and SOC teams o Application owners and business units o Compliance and Risk Management teams • Gather and document: o Business requirements for access control and user experience o Security and compliance requirements o Identity lifecycle management requirements (Joiner - Mover - Leaver) o Application onboarding and access needs • Define requirements for: o Conditional Access policies o MFA strategy and authentication methods o Role - based access control (RBAC) o Privileged access and PIM usage o External identity and B2B collaboration • Produce: o Business Requirement Documents (BRD) o Functional Requirement Specifications (FRS) o Technical Design Requirements (TDR) 4. Solution Design • Design Azure AD / Entra ID architecture aligned with enterprise security and cloud strategy • Design identity solutions for: o Cloud - only and hybrid identity models o Single Sign - On (SSO) for SaaS and custom applications o Conditional Access and Zero Trust enforcement o Privileged Identity Management (PIM) • Define: o Authentication and access policies o Admin and identity governance models o Application and API access standards • Ensure scalability, resiliency, and high availability 5. Solution Implementation • Implement and configure: o Conditional Access policies o MFA enforcement and authentication methods o Azure AD roles and delegated administration o Privileged Identity Management (PIM) o Identity Protection policies • Configure and secure: o Enterprise Applications and App Registrations o OAuth permissions, secrets, and certificates • Implement: o Hybrid identity solutions (Azure AD Connect / Cloud Sync) o Identity governance features (Access Reviews, Entitlement Management) • Integrate Entra ID with: o Microsoft 365 o Azure subscriptions o SaaS apps (SAML, OIDC, OAuth) o Security monitoring tools (SIEM/SOC) 6. Testing, Validation & Go - Live Support • Perform: o Functional testing o Security and access validation o User Acceptance Testing (UAT) • Validate: o Identity flows and access scenarios o Policy enforcement o Logging and audit trails • Support production deployment and hypercare phase • Troubleshoot and resolve identity - related issues 7. Documentation & Knowledge Transfer • Create and maintain: o Architecture and design documents o Configuration and implementation guides o Standard operating procedures (SOPs) • Deliver: o Knowledge transfer workshops o Administrator and operations handover sessions 8. Governance, Compliance & Continuous Improvement • Support audits by providing: o Access reviews o Logs and compliance evidence • Ensure Entra ID configurations align with: o Internal security policies o Regulatory requirements • Recommend identity maturity improvements and automation opportunities • Keep environment aligned with Microsoft roadmap and evolving threats Required Skills & Experience Technical Skills • Strong expertise in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) • Hands - on experience with: o Conditional Access o MFA and authentication methods o PIM and Identity Governance o SSO and application integrations • Knowledge of: o Active Directory o Federation (SAML, OAuth, OpenID Connect) o Cloud security and Zero Trust architecture • Experience with Microsoft 365 and Azure security services Soft Skills • Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills • Ability to translate business requirements into technical solutions • Excellent documentation and presentation skills • Analytical and structured problem - solving mindset Experience & Certifications • 8-10+ years in Identity & Access Management or Cloud Security • 3+ years hands - on experience with Azure AD / Entra ID • Preferred certifications: o Microsoft SC - 300 (Identity and Access Administrator) o Azure Security Engineer (AZ - 500)