SAAS ARCHITECT - AZURE / M365

SAAS PRODUCT ARCHITECT - AZURE/MICROSOFT 365 Contract | 6 Months | Hybrid (Berkshire) | Inside IR35 | £600 pd The Opportunity We are seeking an experienced SaaS Product Architect with a strong Azure background to join on a 6-month contract. You will be responsible for designing and developing enterprise-grade, cloud-native SaaS solutions integrated with Microsoft 365. This is an exciting opportunity to work on AI-powered information management solutions in a dynamic and collaborative environment. This role is hybrid, requiring on-site presence in Berkshire, and falls inside IR35 at a daily rate of up to £600 Key Responsibilities * Architect and design scalable, multi-tenant SaaS products on Azure with seamless Microsoft 365 integration. * Lead the end-to-end lifecycle of SaaS product development, from conceptualization to deployment. * Define and implement best practices for cloud architecture, security, scalability, and performance optimization. * Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Product Managers, Engineers, DevOps, and QA, ensuring alignment with business goals and industry best practices. * Create and maintain technical documentation, architectural diagrams, and design patterns. * Provide technical leadership and mentorship to developers and stakeholders, ensuring high-quality software delivery. * Engage with clients and partners, translating business requirements into scalable technical solutions. * Support pre-sales activities, including technical demos, solution presentations, and architectural guidance. Required Skills & Experience * Proven experience in designing and delivering enterprise-level SaaS products on Azure. * Expertise in multi-tenant architecture and highly scalable, cloud-native SaaS solutions. * Strong hands-on experience with core Azure services, including Azure App Services, Azure Functions, Azure SQL Database, Azure Storage (Blob, Table, Queue), Azure Service Bus, Azure API Management * Azure Logic Apps, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) * Azure DevOps (CI/CD Pipelines, Infrastructure as Code - Terraform/Bicep) * Extensive experience with Microsoft 365 services, including, SharePoint Online, Teams, Exchange Online, OneDrive // Microsoft Graph API and SharePoint REST API * Deep understanding of cloud security best practices, identity management, and compliance standards (Zero Trust, IAM, OAuth, OpenID Connect). * Experience in designing and implementing event-driven architectures with Azure Event Grid, Service Bus, and Functions. * Proven ability to work in larger organizations and enterprise environments, following standardized development processes and quality assurance methodologies. * Strong experience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and DevOps principles. * Excellent problem-solving skills, stakeholder engagement, and technical leadership abilities. * Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field. Desirable Skills * Experience in SaaS product development for Azure Marketplace. * Microsoft Azure certifications (e.g., Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure Developer Associate). * Experience with AI/ML technologies and cognitive services in SaaS applications. * Knowledge of Agile development methodologies (Scrum/Kanban). * Familiarity with GraphQL, Webhooks, and API Gateway solutions. * Hands-on experience with Serverless Computing & Microservices Architecture