What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Cloud Service position at Akerman LLP?
Founded in 1920, Akerman is recognized as one of the nation’s premier law firms, with more than 700 lawyers across the United States. Akerman is seeking a Director of Cloud Services for its IT Department.
The Director of Cloud Services will lead the strategic evaluation, implementation, and optimization of the firm’s cloud infrastructure, with a specific emphasis on Microsoft’s ecosystem—including M365, Exchange Online, Azure security solutions, Microsoft Purview for compliance, and AI tools like Microsoft Copilot. This leadership role is responsible for advancing the firm's digital workplace through secure, scalable, and compliant cloud services while enabling productivity, collaboration, and innovation across legal and administrative functions.
Key Responsibilities
The Director of Cloud Services will lead the strategic evaluation, implementation, and optimization of the firm’s cloud infrastructure, with a specific emphasis on Microsoft’s ecosystem—including M365, Exchange Online, Azure security solutions, Microsoft Purview for compliance, and AI tools like Microsoft Copilot. This leadership role is responsible for advancing the firm's digital workplace through secure, scalable, and compliant cloud services while enabling productivity, collaboration, and innovation across legal and administrative functions.
Key Responsibilities
- Cloud Strategy & Architecture
- Develop and execute the firm’s cloud services roadmap with a focus on Microsoft solutions.
- Evaluate and recommend cloud platforms and services that align with the firm’s legal technology strategy, risk profile, and operational requirements.
- Drive the modernization of legacy systems to cloud-native or hybrid cloud environments.
- Microsoft Cloud Services Leadership
- Lead the firm’s deployment, configuration, and lifecycle management of:
- Exchange Online / Hosted Email
- Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Endpoint Security
- Microsoft Purview (Information Protection, eDiscovery, Insider Risk Management, DLP, and Compliance)
- Microsoft Copilot and other AI productivity tools
- Partner with Microsoft and managed service providers to stay current on product roadmaps, licensing models, and emerging features.
- Governance, Security & Compliance
- Work with IT Information Security to establish cloud governance frameworks in alignment with legal industry security and regulatory standards (e.g., ABA, GDPR, HIPAA).
- Ensure data loss prevention, access controls, classification policies, and retention settings are configured to protect firm and client data.
- Lead cloud security operations in collaboration with cybersecurity and risk teams.
- Operational Excellence & Support
- Oversee performance monitoring, incident response, and troubleshooting of cloud systems to ensure high availability and responsiveness.
- Provide escalation support for complex issues related to M365, Purview, Azure AD, and cloud security controls.
- Develop documentation, SLAs, and support protocols in collaboration with internal IT and helpdesk teams.
- Innovation & Enablement
- Evaluate and implement Microsoft Copilot and AI-powered productivity tools to enhance workflows for attorneys and staff.
- Support legal teams in securely adopting cloud-based collaboration tools like Teams, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive.
- Provide training strategies and change management programs to ensure effective user adoption.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
- 10 years of experience in IT infrastructure and cloud services, with at least 5 years in leadership roles within professional services or legal environments.
- Deep expertise in Microsoft cloud services, including Microsoft 365, Azure AD, Exchange Online, Microsoft Purview, and Defender suite.
- Experience with legal compliance requirements and risk-sensitive cloud deployments.
- Microsoft certifications such as MS-102, SC-400, SC-300, AZ-104, or MS-500 strongly preferred.
- Strong vendor management and contract negotiation skills.
- Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed legal environment.
- Clear communicator with the ability to influence stakeholders and IT teams.
- Committed to continuous improvement, security by design, and user-centric service delivery.
- Microsoft 365 Suite (Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Purview, Defender, Intune, Copilot)
- Azure Active Directory and Entra ID