M365 Messaging Lead

About the role As an M365 Messaging Lead, you will make an impact by ensuring the reliability, security, and governance of our enterprise messaging environment. You will oversee the secure and uninterrupted flow of millions of emails each day, enhance collaboration through Microsoft Teams, and strengthen the organizationu2019s overall compliance and security posture. This role blends hands-on technical expertise with leadership, giving you the opportunity to shape messaging architecture, drive operational excellence, and mentor junior engineers. You will be a valued member of the Cloud Infrastructure and Security team and work collaboratively with the Senior Manager. In this role, you will: u2022 Oversee daily operations of Exchange Online and hybrid messaging services, ensuring secure mail flow, high availability, and optimal performance. u2022 Manage mail flow, transport rules, connectors, mailbox policies, shared mailboxes, distribution groups, and permissions. u2022 Monitor message traces, queues, and service health, leading incident response and root cause analysis (RCA) for messaging issues. u2022 Administer and optimize Proofpoint (POD/TRAP/TAP/EOP) for anti-spam/anti-phishing protections, URL defense, and attachment sandboxing. u2022 Maintain and enhance DMARC/DKIM/SPF configurations, manage quarantines and sender lists, and lead campaign-level threat investigations. u2022 Administer M365 Security & Compliance features including DLP, retention policies, litigation hold, eDiscovery, Safe Links, and Safe Attachments. u2022 Enforce RBAC, least privilege, configuration baselines, and change control procedures across messaging and collaboration platforms. u2022 Maintain Active Directory / Entra ID hygiene, including service accounts, groups, policies affecting Outlook/Teams, and directory sync/health. u2022 Support identity lifecycle processes, Conditional Access, and app registrations related to messaging services. u2022 Manage Microsoft Teams policies, guest access, channels, and collaboration governance. u2022 Partner with infrastructure, security, and business teams to align messaging services with organizational goals. u2022 Develop and maintain technical documentation, runbooks, and operational standards. u2022 Identify and implement opportunities for improved reliability, scalability, and user experience through automation and continuous improvement. u2022 Mentor junior engineers and champion best practices for secure and compliant messaging operations. Work model We strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on this roleu2019s business requirements, this is a remote position open to qualified applicants in San Francisco, CA. Regardless of your working arrangement, we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs. The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project youu2019re engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations. What you need to have to be considered: u2022 Extensive experience administering Exchange Online and enterprise messaging environments. u2022 Strong background supporting Hybrid Exchange (mail flow, connectors, transport rules). u2022 Proven expertise with M365 messaging migrations. u2022 Hands-on experience with Proofpoint administration and tuning. u2022 Knowledge of M365 Security & Compliance features (DLP, retention, eDiscovery, litigation hold). u2022 Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to lead incidents, conduct RCA, and implement durable fixes. u2022 Experience supporting hybrid work models and rotational shift schedules. u2022 Proficiency maintaining Active Directory and Entra ID and supporting identity lifecycle/Conditional Access. u2022 Experience administering Microsoft Teams policies and governance. u2022 Excellent communication skills and cross-functional collaboration capabilities. u2022 Bacheloru2019s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience. These will help you stand out: u2022 PowerShell scripting and automation for Exchange/M365 operations. u2022 Experience with Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and advanced email threat protection. u2022 Familiarity with Teams Voice/telephony administration. u2022 Experience developing runbooks, monitoring dashboards, and configuration baselines. u2022 Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert u2022 Microsoft 365 Certified: Messaging Administrator Associate We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role. Salary and Other Compensation: Applications will be accepted until February 11, 2026 The annual salary for this position is between $99,000 - $116,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cognizantu2019s discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizantu2019s applicable plans. Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: u00b7Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance u00b7 Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off u00b7 401(k) plan and contributions u00b7 Long-term/Short-term Disability u00b7 Paid Parental Leave u00b7 Employee Stock Purchase Plan Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law. Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future.Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Created: 2026-02-06