Incident & Problem Management 

• Provide expert-level support for NetApp storage environments, including performance, capacity, data protection, and interoperability issues. 

• Own NetApp incidents end-to-end from triage through resolution, including clear customer communication. 

• Act as escalation point for Sev 1/2 storage incidents to rapidly restore service and protect critical business workloads. 

• Perform root cause analysis for major storage incidents and implement corrective and preventive actions. 

Hardware & RMA Coordination 

• Lead and coordinate hardware replacement processes (RMAs, drive replacements, controllers, shelves) with NetApp and logistics partners. 

• Manage end-to-end RMA lifecycle: identification, RMA creation, shipment tracking, onsite installation coordination, and post-replacement validation. 

• Ensure accurate documentation of RMA activities, asset updates, and configuration changes within customer and internal systems. 

Proactive Health, Capacity & Best Practice Reviews 

• Use NetApp tools (e.g., Active IQ) to identify risks, configuration deviations, and performance/capacity issues. 

• Conduct periodic environment health and best-practice reviews, presenting findings and remediation plans to customers. 

• Recommend and support configuration optimizations, firmware/ONTAP upgrades, and data layout improvements. 

Change & Upgrade Support 

• Plan and support NetApp-related change windows (e.g., ONTAP upgrades, shelf additions, hardware refreshes). 

• Create and review change plans, rollback procedures, and validation checklists for storage changes. 

• Ensure changes are executed safely and documented thoroughly. 

Customer & Cross-Vendor Collaboration 

• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to customers on NetApp and storage-related architecture decisions. 

• Collaborate with networking, virtualization, and backup teams to resolve multi-domain issues (e.g., VMware + NetApp, SAN fabric, backup tools). 

• Coordinate with NetApp support as needed while maintaining AHEAD’s “single point of contact” for the customer. 

Documentation & Continuous Improvement 

• Develop and maintain runbooks, troubleshooting guides, and knowledge base articles for NetApp technologies. 

• Identify opportunities to automate health checks, reporting, and common remediation tasks. 

• Mentor and cross-train other engineers on NetApp storage technologies and best practices. 

Technical Expertise - Strong hands-on experience with: 

• NetApp AFF and FAS platforms 

• ONTAP/ONTAP Select (clustered architecture, SnapMirror/SnapVault, etc.) 

• E-Series and/or All SAN Arrays (as applicable) 

• Storage networking concepts (Fibre Channel, iSCSI, NFS, SMB) 

• Performance tuning and capacity planning in storage environments 

• Familiarity with Active IQ or similar analytics tools for storage health and risk analysis. 

Experience 

• 8+ years in storage engineering/administration/support, ideally with a heavy NetApp focus. 

• Experience supporting mission-critical, 24x7 enterprise environments. 

• Background in incident, problem, and change management (ITIL desirable). 

• Soft Skills 

• Clear, concise communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

• Ability to manage multiple incidents and projects simultaneously. 

• Strong sense of ownership and accountability for customer outcomes. 

Education & Certifications (Preferred) 

• Relevant NetApp certifications such as: 

• NetApp Certified Data Administrator (NCDA) 

• NetApp Certified Implementation Engineer (NCIE) 

• Other storage/virtualization certifications (e.g., VMware, Cisco) are a plus. 

Success Measures (Role-Level KPIs) 

• Reduction in Sev 1 incident rate per NetApp array or environment. 

• RMA cycle times (initiation to fully validated replacement) meeting or beating target. 

• Active IQ risk remediation rates and decline in critical/high-risk findings over time. 

• Storage environment health scores (capacity, performance, configuration compliance). 

• Customer satisfaction (CSAT) for NetApp-related incidents and reviews. 

Cortex Cloud — Cloud Security Posture

Solution Design & Architecture 

• Architect enterprise-grade Microsoft solutions spanning Azure (networking, compute, storage, identity, security), Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and hybrid/on-premises infrastructure tailored to client business objectives. 

• Lead cloud migration and modernization assessments, including workload evaluation, Azure landing zone design, migration planning, and post-migration optimization. 

• Design and enforce security architectures using Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access, Defender for Cloud, Defender for Endpoint/Identity/Office 365, Microsoft Sentinel, and Purview compliance capabilities. 

• Develop and present architectural roadmaps, reference designs, and technical solution documentation for client engineering teams and senior leadership. 

Client Engagement & Advisory 

• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to enterprise clients, translating complex technology capabilities into clear business outcomes — cost savings, risk reduction, operational efficiency, and competitive advantage. 

• Lead discovery workshops, whiteboard sessions, and visioning engagements that align Microsoft platform capabilities with client strategic goals. 

• Partner with Client Success Managers and Technical Account Managers to deliver monthly operational reviews, quarterly business reviews, and proactive supportability assessments for major migrations or deployments. 

• Build long-term client relationships by demonstrating consistent technical depth, responsiveness, and a genuine commitment to client success. 

Technical Pre-Sales Support 

• Collaborate with sales, solutions engineering, and partner teams to scope, design, and present Microsoft-focused solutions in a consultative, outcome-driven manner. 

• Develop statements of work, proposals, technical response documents, and bills of materials for Intelligent Support, Managed Services, and Professional Services engagements. 

• Support go-to-market strategy by evaluating emerging Microsoft services, building demonstrations, and enabling internal sales teams on new solution offerings. 

• Leverage AHEAD’s Microsoft partnership programs — including ECIF, Azure Migrate & Modernize (AMM), and Azure Marketplace — to position solutions with maximum client value. 

Complex Issue Resolution & Escalation 

• Act as the senior escalation point for complex, cross-platform incidents spanning Azure, Microsoft 365, and hybrid infrastructure — diagnosing root causes, coordinating remediation, and driving resolution where standard support processes fall short. 

• Troubleshoot intricate interoperability problems across Microsoft and adjacent technologies, coordinating with multiple vendor support teams when necessary to deliver end-to-end resolution. 

• Perform root cause analysis on critical and high-severity incidents, documenting findings and implementing preventive measures to reduce future occurrence. 

• Contribute to operational excellence by developing knowledge base articles, troubleshooting guides, runbooks, and standard operating procedures that uplift the broader engineering team. 

Mentorship & Continuous Improvement 

• Mentor and coach engineers across the Intelligent Support and Managed Services teams, raising the technical bar through knowledge sharing, peer reviews, and structured development. 

• Stay current with Microsoft product roadmaps, feature releases, and architectural best practices; evaluate new capabilities and recommend innovations that enhance AHEAD’s service offerings. 

• Contribute to AHEAD’s internal communities of practice, participating in cross-practice development efforts as a subject matter expert for Microsoft technologies. 

• 8+ years of hands-on technical experience with Microsoft Dynamics AX and/or Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations 

• Advanced proficiency in X++ development, extensions framework, event handlers, and chain-of-command 

• Expert-level knowledge of D365 F&O architecture, metadata model, batch framework, data entities, and security configuration 

• Strong command of SQL Server performance tuning and query optimization in Azure SQL environments 

• Demonstrated experience resolving complex production incidents in large, multi-company D365 F&O deployments 

• Proficiency with diagnostic tools: LCS diagnostics, Trace Parser, PerfTimer, X++ profiler, and Azure monitoring services 

• Solid understanding of Azure integration services (Logic Apps, Service Bus, Functions, Data Factory) 

• Experience building and deploying solutions using Azure DevOps pipelines and ALM practices 

• Relevant Microsoft certifications strongly preferred (e.g., MB-500, MB-700, MB-920) 

• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills 

• Ability to remain calm and methodical under pressure during major incidents