Microsoft Platform Lead

Job Role: Microsoft Platform Lead

Location: Bangalore

ABOUT UNILEVER:

Be part of the world’s most successful, purpose-led business. Work with brands that are well loved around the world, that improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We promote innovation, big and small, to make our business win and grow; and we believe in business as a force for good. Unleash your curiosity, challenge ideas and disrupt processes; use your energy to make this happen. Our brilliant business leaders and colleagues provide mentorship and inspiration, so you can be at your best. Every day, nine out of ten Indian households use our products to feel good, look good and get more out of life – giving us a unique opportunity to build a brighter future. 

Every individual here can bring their purpose to life through their work. Join us and you’ll be surrounded by inspiring leaders and supportive peers. Among them, you’ll channel your purpose, bring fresh ideas to the table, and simply be you. As you work to make a real impact on the business and the world, we’ll work to help you become a better you. 

ABOUT GDT:

GDT is the global digital and technology engine of Unilever offering business services, technology, and enterprise solutions. GDT serves over 190 locations and through a network of specialized service lines and partners delivers insights and innovations, user experiences and end-to-end seamless delivery making Unilever Purpose Led and Future Fit. 

Background

As the Microsoft Platform Lead, you will be responsible for the development on Microsoft technology stack within Hyper Automation team.  

The Microsoft Platform Lead will report into the Hyper Automation Platform Director.  

Purpose of Job

​​The Microsoft Platform Lead is a strategic leader responsible for governing the technology architecture and managing the portfolio of IT initiatives in Collaboration and Gen AI space. This role ensures that all technology solutions align with enterprise standards, support innovation, and deliver measurable business value.    

​​This role oversees multiple domains, including Centre of Excellence, Architectural Governance, Project Delivery, Application Maintenance ensuring that IT services remain secure, scalable, and cost-optimized while fostering continuous improvement and talent growth across diverse teams and regions. 

Key Accountabilities

• GenAI

  • Provide strategic leadership for the governance, adoption, and responsible use of GenAI platforms, including M365 Copilot and Copilot Studio, ensuring alignment with enterprise AI principles and risk controls.

  • Oversee the design and delivery of scalable GenAI solutions that drive business value and transform user productivity.

  • Lead the roadmap, evolution, and enterprise‑wide integration of Una, positioning it as a core digital employee experience asset.

  • Champion AI‑driven automation, identifying high‑value opportunities and orchestrating the deployment of intelligent agents across business processes.

• Power Platform

  • Lead the Power Platform Centre of Excellence (CoE), setting the strategic direction, governance frameworks, and operational standards for the enterprise.

  • Define and enforce governance across Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and Copilot Studio, ensuring secure, compliant, and scalable citizen development.

  • Provide executive‑level insights through comprehensive reporting on platform usage, adoption maturity, and ROI.

  • Oversee Power Platform licensing strategy and management in coordination with the ESLM team, ensuring optimal cost utilisation and forward planning.

• Collaboration

  • Provide strategic ownership and continuous improvement of the Unilever Intranet across Web and Teams, ensuring a unified, modern, and intuitive digital workplace experience.

  • Sponsor and guide the delivery of SharePoint projects with strong emphasis on OOTB configurations, operational excellence, and long‑term sustainability.

  • Lead content lifecycle strategy, including the migration, rationalisation, and restructuring of SharePoint environments.

• Platform Management

  • Shape and drive the strategic optimisation of Azure infrastructure, enforcing lean architecture principles for cost‑effective and resilient operations.

  • Ensure all digital collaboration platforms operate under evergreen, cloud‑first principles, staying current with Microsoft’s roadmap and innovation cycles.

  • Govern and steward the Development M365 Tenant, enabling secure experimentation, prototyping, and innovation.

• Development and Application Maintenance

  • Provide architectural leadership to ensure all M365 platform solutions (SharePoint, Teams, Power Platform, Copilot Studio) comply with Enterprise Architecture standards and contribute to the long‑term collaboration strategy.

  • Maintain strategic oversight of project intake, prioritisation, and governance to ensure only value‑aligned initiatives progress on the Collaboration platform.

  • Lead and manage partner/vendor relationships, ensuring accountability, quality of delivery, and adherence to enterprise standards across development and Application Maintenance.

• My Unilever App

  • Define and lead the product strategy for the My Unilever App, ensuring the platform evolves in alignment with market needs and enterprise digital workplace priorities.

  • Oversee global rollout and adoption across new markets, ensuring seamless onboarding and value realisation.

  • Direct the integration of external applications and services into the app ecosystem, enhancing market‑specific functionality and user experience.

Experience & Qualifications 

 This role demands a blend of strategic foresight, technical acumen, and strong stakeholder engagement to ensure that the Collaboration landscape is managed effectively. 

• 15+ years of experience across technology and functional roles, with leadership in large-scale transformation programs. 

• Good understanding of Unilever’s business models across business functions. 

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams through design, development, and deployment. 

• Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving skills and stakeholder engagement capabilities. 

• ​​Experience managing end-to-end support and operations across technology and product stacks (M365, Power Platform, Azure, Google Cloud). 

• ​Portfolio Mgmt. experience. 

• ​Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills. 

• ​Experience managing external service providers and SI partners. 

• ​Makes architectural decisions with an emphasis on resilience, performance, and security in design. 

Leadership Skills 

• CARE DEEPLY: We care about how consumers experience our brands, the growth and development of our people, and their impact on the planet. We emphasize the importance of performance and care, moving from ambiguity about success to fairness and transparency. 

• FOCUS ON WHAT COUNTS: We prioritize what truly matters, setting clear and stretching goals. We aim to shift from having everything as a priority to focusing on fewer, bigger things that are delivered to conclusion and are being rewarded. 

• STAY THREE STEPS AHEAD: We encourage bold and creative thinking to make breakthroughs in performance. We focus on anticipating and staying ahead of consumer needs and external trends, shifting from reacting to leading, shaping, and disrupting the market. 

• DELIVER WITH EXCELLENCE: The emphasis is on delivering everything with excellence and pace, taking personal ownership, and holding each other accountable. We aim to shift from pride in thinking to pride in execution, developing breakthrough solutions and ensuring the best outcomes. 

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion 

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity