IT Consultant jobs in Manchester

Here at Hoist Finance our Workplace Services team provides a full range of End User Computing services within the Group IT function. We are looking to expand the team with a new position for an experienced candidate to enhance our capabilities. The ideal applicant should have significant experience working in Senior EUC & Infrastructure roles, be able to evidence a focus on project delivery, have a passion for delivering quality within core competencies such as identity and access management and display a mature and professional approach to stakeholder management.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Work with the Workplace Services Manager, evidencing a high level of experience and knowledge to help shape the strategy of the team with fresh ideas.
• Oversee the design, configuration, and support of Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Intune, Windows Server, Active Directory and secure file transfer (SFTP) services.
• Own, manage and prioritise projects, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with business goals, whether self-managed or working with the Business Change teams.
• Use previous experience and industry knowledge to promote best practices for security, configuration management, and documentation across Microsoft 365, Entra ID, and other applications.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships within the Group IT function, with local IT Managers and across the wider business.
• Provide technical expertise to resolve complex infrastructure and identity-related issues, ensuring optimal performance and security of core systems.
• Foster a collaborative and positive team culture, providing a point of escalation when needed.
• Stay on top of breaking changes, risks and standards especially in the world of M365, Security and Identity management to protect Hoist Finance and reduce risk.
• Work closely with local IT teams to integrate services into different markets with existing infrastructure and varying regulatory challenges whilst meeting Group standards.
• Collaborate with other IT teams to enhance existing infrastructure and lead delivery of new solutions, including M365 security and identity initiatives.
• Ensure the daily delivery of business-as-usual (BAU) is completed to meet SLA and provide enhancements to improve quality, cost or efficiency of service delivery.

Skills and Experience

• Proven experience in an Infrastructure Engineer or similar technical role, operating at 3rd line or consultant level, preferably gained in a Financial Services, regulated or business-critical internal facing environment.
• Strong knowledge and experience of Service Management (incidents, requests, problems, and change management) within the ITIL framework.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain technical risks, decisions and trade-offs clearly.
• Ability to coach, guide and support less experienced team members.
• Possess the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver work to agreed timescales.
• Confident to own technical design and delivery for infrastructure changes or projects.
• Strong understanding of dependencies between technologies, licensing, applications, networks, identity, security and operational processes.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues and support timely incident and problem resolution.
• Experience producing technical documentation, implementation plans, support handover material and standards documentation.
• Experience managing suppliers and third-party support providers where required, including contracts, sourcing and due diligence processes.

Ways of Working

• Engages others effectively through clear communication, constructive challenge, useful feedback and knowledge sharing.
• Works as part of a team to drive improvements, reduce operational risk and support long-term changes
• Displays a confident and proactive approach in meetings and is able to influence the outcome of conversations with stakeholders, often under pressure.
• Demonstrates good judgement, ownership and self-awareness when balancing business need, risk, security and operational impact.
• Able to work under pressure, to meet deadlines knowing when to balance quality and cost.

Knowledge

• Microsoft 365 Design and Administration including Exchange Online, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Power Platform.
• Email security either 3rd party or Defender for Office including DMARC, DKIM, SPF.
• Application deployment, support and management covering both SaaS and on-prem such as D365, Tableau Server and line of business applications.
• Endpoint security using Defender for Endpoint on Client and Server OS.
• M365 Security hardening, design and best practice to standards such as CIS.
• M365 Compliance within Purview such as DLP, DLM, Retention and Sensitivity labels.
• Microsoft Entra design and configuration covering Conditional Access, Application Registrations, PIM.
• Identity and Access Management across Microsoft Entra ID and Active Directory, covering SSO, access reviews, Privileged Authentication Management and joiner, mover, leaver (JML) lifecycle processes.
• Windows Server and Active Directory management and configuration including Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, AD CS PKI
• Understanding of PowerShell or similar scripting to aid in automation and simplifying complex tasks.
• Experience with Intune covering Autopilot, Apple Business Manager, App Protection, endpoint configuration & hardening and W365 \ Cloud PCs.
• File Sharing and storage technologies including DFS, SMB, SFTP, Azure Files & Storage Accounts and 3rd party solutions.
• Azure Platform knowledge including Virtual Machines, Azure Updates, Storage Accounts, AVD.

Desirable

• Previous background in other infrastructure technologies such as Networking (firewalls, proxies, routing and switching), Virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V) and Telephony.
• Certification in Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Entra ID (e.g., MS-102, SC-300).
• ITILv4 Service Management Foundation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

About Hoist Finance

Hoist Finance is an asset manager specialised in non-performing loans (NPLs). For more than 25 years, we have focused on investing in and managing debt portfolios and have become one of the leading debt restructuring companies in Europe. We purchase NPLs from our partners, international banks and financial institutions. After purchasing a portfolio, we aim to come to amicable arrangements with our customers by setting up sustainable repayment plans. Apart from helping people to get back on track financially, this also contributes to upholding a sustainable, fair and stable credit market since we help banks to offload their balance sheet, free up resources for their respective core business and meet their regulatory requirements. Hoist Finance's overall purpose is to contribute to a healthy and inclusive financial ecosystem.

What Hoist Finance can offer you

An opportunity to take ownership of the technology and identity services our people depend on, help shape the direction of the Workplace Services team alongside the Workplace Services Manager, and lead projects that strengthen our Microsoft 365 and security position across our European markets. Trust is at the heart of how the team works. Colleagues are empowered to take ownership, trusted to deliver, and supported to succeed. In return, you'll have the opportunity to keep growing through experience, make a meaningful contribution, and work alongside colleagues from across our international businesses in a collaborative and rewarding environment.

Salary & Benefits

Our benefits package is designed to support your wellbeing, lifestyle and long-term growth, including:

• Hybrid working with flexibility to work from home (2 days per week in our MediaCityUK office)
• Competitive salary
• Annual bonus scheme
• Car cash allowance
• Company Pension and life cover
• Private Medical cover
• Health cash plan
• Salary sacrifice EV scheme
• Free parking
• Buy/sell holiday options
• Regular social events and team activities

Location & Working Hours

The position is a full-time, permanent role based at our Media City office in Manchester. We offer hybrid working, with two days a week in the office and the flexibility to work from home for the rest of the week. Occasional travel to our other offices across Europe may be required.

Pay: £45,000.00-£55,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Manchester