Job DescriptionJob Title: Microsoft Data Protection Architect
Location: London / Manchester / Edinburgh
Salary: Competitive Salary depending on experience
Career Level: Manager
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Accenture Microsoft Business Group (AMBG) is a global team of 80,000+ professionals, recognised 19 times as Microsoft Global SI Partner of the Year. We’re leaders in AI and Business Applications, helping clients achieve end-to-end transformation-from strategy to delivery and managed services.
Role Purpose:As a Microsoft Data Protection Architect, you will lead the design and delivery of data protection solutions across Microsoft 365, Azure, and hybrid environments. You will be instrumental in helping clients secure their data estates, especially in AI-enabled environments, using Microsoft’s full security stack and Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) capabilities.
This is a client-facing, delivery-focused role with opportunities to contribute to pre-sales, solution shaping, and thought leadership across Accenture engagements.
Key Responsibilities:Delivery Leadership (approx. 80%) -
- Architect Microsoft Purview solutions for Information Protection, DLP, Insider Risk Management, Records Management, and Data Lifecycle Management.
- Design and implement DSPM for AI using Microsoft Purview’s AI-specific controls to secure generative AI platforms (e.g. Copilot, Fabric, OpenAI integrations).
- Lead AI data risk assessments, including oversharing analysis, data classification, and adaptive protection enforcement.
- Integrate Microsoft Defender suite (Defender for Cloud, Endpoint, Identity, Office 365, XDR) to protect against threats like data poisoning, jailbreaks, and credential theft.
- Establish compliance frameworks aligned to GDPR, EU AI Act, ISO 42001, and NIST AI RMF.
- Support pre-sales and solution shaping, including workshops, assessments, and roadmap development.
- Mentor junior architects and consultants, and contribute to AMBG capability building and innovation.
- Support client workshops and steer solution evolution during delivery.
Pre-sales & Solutioning (approx. 20%)- Contribute to shaping opportunities and technical solutioning for pursuits;
- Support RFx responses with architecture inputs and delivery approach;
- Develop reusable assets and share best practices across the team.
QualificationWe are looking for experience in the following skills:
Technical Skills:- Expertise in Microsoft Purview: Information Protection, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Insider Risk Management, Records Management, and Data Lifecycle Management.
- Advanced configuration of sensitivity labels, retention policies, and adaptive protection across Microsoft 365 workloads.
- Implementation of Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI environments, including Microsoft Copilot, Fabric, and third-party LLMs.
- Risk modelling for prompt injection, oversharing, and data poisoning in generative AI workflows.
- Use of Microsoft Purview AI-specific controls for classification, policy enforcement, and reporting.
Manager-Level Skills (Data Security Architecture Lens):- Experience leading data protection programmes ;
- Strong understanding of data governance, lineage, and compliance (Purview, security, privacy);
- Stakeholder management and ability to influence senior client decision-makers;
- Competence in estimating, shaping SoWs, and managing RAIDs for large-scale data protection programmes.
Certifications & Experience:- 5+ years of experience in Microsoft 365 and Azure security architecture
- Deep understanding of AI data risks and compliance frameworks
- Certifications: SC-400, SC-401, SC-300, SC-100
- Microsoft Purview: Information Protection, DLP, Insider Risk, Records Management, DSPM for AI
- Microsoft Intune: Endpoint protection and policy enforcement
- Microsoft Fabric: Secure data engineering and AI development environments
- Microsoft Sentinel: SIEM/SOAR integration
- Security Copilot: Embedded and standalone threat detection and response
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills
What’s in it for youAt Accenture in addition to a competitive basic salary, you will also have an extensive benefits package which includes 30 days vacation.
Flexibility and mobility are required to deliver this role as there will be requirements to spend time onsite with our clients and partners to enable delivery of the first-class services, we are known for. Closing Date for Applications 31/01/2026
Accenture reserves the right to close the role before this date should a suitable applicant be found.
LocationsLondon
Birmingham
Edinburgh
Leeds
Manchester
Additional InformationEqual Employment Opportunity Statement All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.
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