Lead Application Operations Engineer - Microsoft SharePoint

We’re looking for an exceptional Lead Application Operations Engineer - Microsoft SharePoint to help us make a difference to our planet.

As our Lead Application Operations Engineer - Microsoft SharePoint, the job may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in the office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and the location advertised will be your contractual place of work.

Our opportunity is full time, but will also try our best to consider those intending to work a job share. Our people are at the heart of what we do and we'll do our best to agree a working pattern that works for everyone.

World changing work

From science to technology, from meteorology to management, and from planning to communication, our expertise helps us stand out as the authority on weather accuracy and climate prediction. We help individuals, industries and government to make better decisions to stay safe and thrive. This is the Met Office. This is who we are.

• We’re a force for good - focusing on our environmental and social impact

• We’re experts by nature - always learning and developing to do things better

• We live and breathe it - putting our purpose at the heart of decision-making

• We’re better together - understanding partnerships and inclusivity make us greater

• We keep evolving - pushing boundaries to make tomorrow better for our customers

Your world of expertise

We are seeking a Microsoft Expert to take on technical ownership and develop application strategy for SharePoint and Teams. This role is focused on delivering guidance and expertise into the effective use of Microsoft products and services, rather than solely focusing on technical incident resolution. It emphasises knowledge transfer empowering users to maximise the value of Microsoft technologies in their day-to-day work.

Key responsibilities include leading and defining approaches for use of Microsoft SharePoint and Teams to ensure the service is resilient and sustainable. This involves defining best practices, advising on ways of working for specific business scenarios and conducting service metrics and usage reviews. The role also involves signposting users to relevant training resources and fostering a culture of continuous learning and digital enablement.

By helping the Met Office fully leverage its Microsoft investment, this role plays a vital part in driving simplification, productivity, efficiency, and innovation across the organisation.

While a strong technical background is essential, this role is highly collaborative, requiring excellent relationship management skills and the ability to build and nurture alliances with key stakeholders, policy owners, and technical teams to ensure alignment on strategy, design, and best practices.

The role also requires a Power Platform and Microsoft 365 skill set to assist in the management of our Microsoft investment.

This role will provide expertise in SharePoint, Teams and Power Platform and will work closely with other teams and colleagues:

• Representing the needs of end users and supporting their use and adoption of the tools.
• Knowledge and Information Management team to help drive the implementation and enforcement of governance policies and best practices.
• Digital Workplace colleagues for support and technical delivery of Microsoft features and products, collaborating on improving functionality and user experience
• Microsoft 365 Product Manager for collaboration on roadmap and changes.
• Senior Business Relationship Manager for tapping into end-user communities, communications, change and to develop and provide access to training.
• Generative AI Team – working with Site Owners and Users in re-organising information, exploring the use of metadata and labelling to make it more available to searches and AI.

Your key duties:

Technical Ownership

• Lead the technical strategy and road-map for SharePoint and Teams, ensuring seamless implementation and continuous improvement.
• Expert knowledge on the configuration and customisation of SharePoint and Teams to meet business needs, including architecture, designing and guiding on implementation.
• Identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance, and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions
• Knowledge of how to integrate SharePoint and Teams with other enterprise systems and applications.
• Stay updated on SharePoint features, updates, and best practices and share them with the SharePoint and other Microsoft user communities.
• Create and maintain SharePoint and Teams documentation, guides, FAQs, and best practices. Maintaining detailed documentation of configurations, processes, and procedures.

Working with Users

• Focus on and represent all users, priorities and define approaches to understand their requirements
• Offer recommendation on the best tools and methods to use.
• Define and communicate best practice
• Evaluate the effectiveness of SharePoint and Teams training, providing recommendations and assistance in delivering agreed training in collaboration with any other teams/parties.
• Ability to explain technical concepts in simple and clear terms.

Collaboration

• Collaborate with colleagues on how applications are performing and changes that need to be put in place.
• Build relationships with Microsoft consultants and specialists.
• Support the Microsoft Product Manager with Microsoft technical expertise.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.

Knowledge & Skills

• Demonstrate KIM based experience, in particular ISO 27001 and GDPR.
• Working knowledge of Power Platform, including PowerBI, PowerApps and Automate
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.

Why join us

Our work is life-changing, often life-saving and always life-enhancing. The Met Office is Great Place to Work UK certified. We are also featured on their ‘Best Workplaces in Tech’ 2023 and 2024 lists, as well as their ’54 Best Workplaces for Women’ 2023 list.

As our Lead Application Operations Engineer - Microsoft SharePoint, your total reward package will be up to £63,719 annually, which includes:

• £41,725 base pay

• An outstanding Civil Service pension, with an average employer contribution of 28.97%

• Recruitment Retention Allowance (RRA) you will be paid £5,300 per annum as a market supplement to reflect the demand for your skills. Whilst in post, you will be paid this market driven allowance from April 2024 until March 2026 in your monthly pay

• Annual Leave starting at 27.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising to 32.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) after 5 years and option to buy or sell up to 5 days per year of annual leave

Essential Criteria, skills and experience:

1. Proven experience in a similar role that demonstrates technical ownership, management and support of SharePoint and related Microsoft 365 tools, demonstrating strong knowledge of architecture, design and best practice. (Expert by nature)

2. Demonstrate excellent relationship management; the ability to build and develop key relationships with stakeholders and technical teams, working collaboratively on strategy and design. (Better together)

3. Proven experience of collaborating, advising and training end-users on the use of Microsoft SharePoint, Teams and Power Platform. (Force for good)

4. Demonstrate excellent knowledge of Knowledge Information Management, ISO 27001, GDPR and proven experience in guiding users on how to apply these policies and processes to their work. (Live and breathe it)

5. Proven qualification or extensive experience in SharePoint, Teams and Power Platform. Have Microsoft Certified, Compliance and Identity Fundamentals (SC-900) qualification or similar. Evidence certification (or working toward) in Microsoft 365 and Power Platform. Possess ITIL qualification – level 3+ or similar experience.

How to apply

If you share our values, we’d love to hear from you! Click apply to begin your application. Please complete your career history and provide evidence against each of the essential criteria in the supporting statement questionnaire. We recommend candidates use the CARL method (Context, Action, Result and Learning) for presenting evidence of experience and skills.

Closing date 20/07/2025 at 23:59 with first stage interviews commencing from 28/07/2025. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed.

How we can help

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this opportunity further, please contact us at careers@metoffice.gov.uk.

If you’re considering applying and need support to do so, please get in touch. You can request adjustments either within your application or by contacting us. Should you be offered an interview, please be aware there may be a selection exercise which could include a presentation, written test or a scenario-based activity. You can select in your application to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

We understand that great minds don’t always think alike and as an equal opportunities employer we welcome applications from those with all protected characteristics. We recruit on merit, fairness, and open competition in line with the Civil Service Code.

We can only accept applications from those eligible to live and work in the UK - please refer to GOV.UK for information. We require Security clearance, for which you need to have resided in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years to be eligible. You will need to achieve full security clearance within your first 6 months with us.