Microsoft Optimisation Manager

Microsoft Optimisation Manager
Location: Southampton or London- hybrid, approximately 1 day per week onsite (Some travel between sites and teams across the UK and Europe) Contract: Initial 6 months, with the potential to extend to 12 months and further
Rate: £500-£550 per day, depending on experience
IR35: To be confirmed (expected to be Outside IR35)
Start Date: ASAP
 
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced Microsoft Licensing and Optimisation Consultant to support a major Microsoft licensing optimisation initiative ahead of a upcoming Enterprise Agreement renewal.

With a significant Microsoft renewal valued at approximately £30-40 million expected next year, the business wants to establish greater visibility of its Microsoft estate, improve licence utilisation and identify opportunities to reduce unnecessary expenditure.
 
This is an opportunity to take ownership of a high-profile project, working across the wider group to analyse Microsoft licensing, identify inefficiencies and develop commercially focused recommendations ahead of the renewal.
 
The successful candidate will combine strong Microsoft licensing expertise with analytical capability, commercial awareness and the confidence to engage stakeholders at all levels.
 
Key Responsibilities

• Review Microsoft 365 licensing across the wider organisation, assessing allocation, utilisation and consumption.
• Identify unused, underutilised or incorrectly allocated licences and recommend opportunities for optimisation.
• Analyse licensing data and usage patterns to identify potential cost savings and improve value from Microsoft's technology estate.
• Support preparation for the upcoming Microsoft Enterprise Agreement renewal, ensuring the organisation has a clear understanding of its licensing requirements and consumption.
• Assess Microsoft licensing models and requirements across Microsoft 365, including E5 and Copilot, alongside relevant Azure, Security and Power Platform services.
• Develop reporting, dashboards and actionable insights to support commercial decision-making.
• Work with IT, Software Asset Management, Finance, Procurement, HR, Identity and Technology teams to validate requirements and improve licence allocation processes.
• Support governance, forecasting and ongoing licensing optimisation.
• Present findings and recommendations clearly to senior stakeholders, including the board.
• Take independent ownership of the review, translating complex datasets into a practical optimisation strategy.

 
Required Experience

• Proven experience in Microsoft licensing, particularly Microsoft 365 licensing within a large or complex organisation.
• Strong understanding of Microsoft licensing renewals and Enterprise Agreements.
• Demonstrable experience analysing licence utilisation and identifying opportunities to reduce software expenditure.
• Background in Software Asset Management (SAM), IT Asset Management (ITAM), Microsoft licensing consultancy or a closely related discipline.
• Experience working with large datasets, reporting tools and licensing analytics.
• Strong commercial awareness, including an understanding of licensing costs, vendor negotiations and renewal planning.
• Ability to translate complex licensing information into clear recommendations and measurable business benefits.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the confidence to present findings to senior leadership.

 
Desirable Experience

• Experience with Microsoft Enterprise Agreements (EA), MCA-E and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) arrangements.
• Knowledge of Microsoft E5, Copilot and associated licensing requirements.
• Exposure to Azure consumption, cloud cost optimisation, Security and Power Platform licensing.
• Experience working within a specialist licensing consultancy, software asset management provider or large enterprise.
• Familiarity with software asset management and licensing analytics platforms.

 
The Ideal Candidate
You will be a proactive, commercially minded consultant who can independently lead a Microsoft licensing optimisation review from analysis through to recommendations.
 
You will be comfortable working with complex data, challenging existing licence allocations and identifying opportunities to improve utilisation and reduce costs. You will also be confident communicating your findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
This is an individual contributor role requiring strong personal ownership, analytical thinking and the ability to deliver.
 
If this sounds like you apply now or send your CV to Jcarr@outsource-uk.co.uk