The posting
Methods Business and Digital Technology Limited
Methods is a £100M+ IT Services Consultancy who has partnered with a range of central government departments and agencies to transform the way the public sector operates in the UK. Established over 30 years ago and UK-based, we apply our skills in transformation, delivery, and collaboration from across the Methods Group, to create end-to-end business and technical solutions that are people-centred, safe, and designed for the future.
Our human touch sets us apart from other consultancies, system integrators and software houses - with people, technology, and data at the heart of who we are, we believe in creating value and sustainability through everything we do for our clients, staff, communities, and the planet.
We support our clients in the success of their projects while working collaboratively to share skill sets and solve problems. At Methods we have fun while working hard; we are not afraid of making mistakes and learning from them.
Predominantly focused on the public-sector, Methods is now building a significant private sector client portfolio.
Methods was acquired by the Alten Group in early 2022.
About the role
We are looking for an experienced Messaging Engineer to join a major technology transformation programme and play a key role in the migration and modernisation of the organisation's messaging services.
This is a hands-on engineering role responsible for configuring, migrating, testing and supporting messaging services in line with the approved architecture and migration strategy.
You will work primarily across Exchange Online and Microsoft 365, supporting the implementation of coexistence arrangements and the migration of mailboxes and messaging objects between environments.
A key focus of the role will be protecting mail flow, data integrity, security and user experience throughout the transformation. You will help prepare migration waves, assess technical readiness, execute mailbox migrations and troubleshoot issues across messaging, identity, DNS, applications and end-user clients.
You will work closely with identity, EUC, network, security, applications, service transition and programme teams to ensure that messaging changes are coordinated with the wider transformation.
The successful candidate will combine strong hands-on Exchange Online expertise with a structured approach to migration, testing, automation and operational support.
What you will do
As the Messaging Engineer, you will be responsible for the technical implementation and support of messaging services throughout the transformation lifecycle.
You will:
- Configure and manage Exchange Online and Microsoft 365 messaging services in accordance with the approved architecture.
- Design, implement and troubleshoot mail-routing configurations across existing and target environments.
- Configure and manage connectors, accepted domains, transport rules, recipient settings and mail-flow controls.
- Establish and validate secure coexistence arrangements between messaging environments during migration.
- Prepare and execute mailbox and messaging-object migrations across pilot and production migration waves.
- Develop migration plans and readiness checks to ensure that users and messaging objects meet the technical prerequisites for migration.
- Validate mailbox permissions, delegates, shared mailboxes, calendars, distribution groups and other messaging dependencies before and after migration.
- Test and support mobile access and Outlook/client behaviour, ensuring users retain appropriate access throughout the transition.
- Implement and validate required DNS changes, including records and dependencies supporting messaging services.
- Configure and troubleshoot Autodiscover, SMTP relay and application mail-flow requirements.
- Implement appropriate email-security and compliance configurations in line with organisational requirements.
- Work with security teams to support capabilities including Defender for Office 365, anti-spam, anti-phishing and other messaging security controls.
- Assess migration readiness and use appropriate scripts and tooling to identify potential issues before migration.
- Develop PowerShell automation to support configuration, migration, validation, reporting and remediation activities.
- Produce clear migration reporting, including progress, success rates, failures, exceptions and outstanding actions.
- Monitor and troubleshoot mail-flow issues across internal and external systems.
- Investigate complex issues involving messaging, identity, DNS, clients and application integration.
- Support application and service teams where applications require SMTP relay or other messaging integration.
- Diagnose authentication and identity-related messaging issues, working closely with identity engineers where required.
- Support cutover activities and ensure appropriate technical controls are in place to protect service continuity.
- Contribute to rollback and recovery planning and provide hands-on support if migration activities do not proceed as expected.
- Provide early-life support following migration, resolving issues and ensuring users and support teams have appropriate assistance.
- Support operational handover by producing technical documentation, configuration records, runbooks and knowledge-transfer materials.
Requirements
Skills and experience required
We are looking for an experienced Messaging or Microsoft 365 Engineer with strong hands-on Exchange Online expertise.
You will ideally have:
- Extensive hands-on experience with Exchange Online and Microsoft 365 messaging.
- Proven experience delivering mailbox migrations within complex enterprise environments.
- Experience with tenant-to-tenant and/or hybrid Exchange migrations at scale.
- Strong understanding of Exchange Online architecture and administration.
- Strong knowledge of mail flow, connectors, accepted domains, transport rules and recipient configuration.
- Strong understanding of DNS, Autodiscover and SMTP relay.
- Experience managing mailbox permissions, delegates, shared mailboxes, calendars and distribution groups.
- Experience troubleshooting Outlook, mobile access and other messaging clients.
- Strong PowerShell and Exchange Online automation skills.
- Experience using scripting and migration tooling to assess readiness, execute changes and report progress.
- Good knowledge of email security, retention, compliance and Defender for Office 365.
- Experience supporting application-to-email integration and SMTP relay requirements.
- Strong troubleshooting capability across messaging, identity, DNS, client and application-integration issues.
- Experience supporting messaging migrations through pilot, production, cutover and early-life-support phases.
- Strong testing and validation skills, with the ability to produce clear test evidence.
- Good documentation skills, including technical runbooks, configuration records and operational handover documentation.
Benefits
Methods is passionate about its people; we want our colleagues to develop the things they are good at and enjoy.
By joining us you can expect:
· Autonomy to develop and grow your skills and experience
· Be part of exciting project work that is making a difference in society
· Strong, inspiring, and thought-provoking leadership
· A supportive and collaborative environment
As well as this we offer:
Development – access to LinkedIn Learning, a management development programme, and training
Wellness – 24/7 confidential employee assistance programme
Flexible Working – including home working and part time
Social – office parties, breakfast Tuesdays, monthly pizza Thursdays, Thirsty Thursdays, and commitment to charitable causes
Time Off – 25 days of annual leave a year, plus bank holidays, with the option to buy 5 extra days each year
Volunteering – 2 paid days per year to volunteer in our local communities or within a charity organisation
Pension – Salary Exchange Scheme with 4% employer contribution and 5% employee contribution
Life Assurance – of 4 times base salary
Private Medical Insurance – which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
Worldwide Travel Insurance – which is non-contributory (spouse and dependants included)
Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
Travel – season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme
For a full list of benefits please visit our website (www.methods.co.uk/careers/benefits)
