Roland Macharia

I am an IT professional with 7 years of experience in System Administration and Cloud Computing. My expertise includes Microsoft Entra ID, managing Azure VMs, AzureAD Connect, Azure Storage, and networking.

I am experienced in container orchestration with AKS and CI/CD management using Ansible. Additionally, I have a solid grasp of PowerShell, Azure CLI, and ARM templates, along with experience in Azure Backup and Site Recovery. 

My deep interest in cloud computing, especially within the Microsoft Azure environment, drives my commitment to advancing infrastructure solutions.

IT Specialist | United Nations – Nairobi  - Seconded by iSon Technologies | Aug 2018 – Apr 2023

• Created and managed user accounts in Microsoft Entra ID (Active Directory).
• Configured Azure cloud computing services, including Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Single Sign-On (SSO), and Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR).
• Administered Microsoft Entra ID, including user and group management, and implemented conditional access policies.
• Set up email accounts for new staff members on Microsoft Exchange, utilizing PowerShell scripting for automation.
• Managed licenses through the O365 admin portal.
• Configured and managed O365 mail services, including Shared Mailboxes, Distribution Lists, and mail-enabled security groups.
• Resolved escalated incidents raised via emails and service desk platforms such as ServiceNow, Siebel and, Freshdesk.
• Managed resources using Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates, including deployment, updates, and scaling.
• Assisted in generating reports on system usage, incident resolution times, and support ticket trends.
• Contributed to the creation and updating of documentation, knowledge base articles, and FAQs related to Azure services and common issues.
• Collaborated with external Service Desks (WHO, UNODC, and UNAIDS) to resolve issues requiring their intervention.

Key Achievements

• Successfully led the deployment of Microsoft Azure from a Windows Server based environment.
• Successfully led the deployment of Citrix Workspace, Cisco AnyConnect (VPN) & Cisco Jabber in 2020 to enable staff members to work from home due to Covid19 restrictions.
• Spearheaded the deployment of Windows 10 from Windows 7 throughout the UN complex. 

Assistant IT Specialist | A24 Media - Nairobi | Apr 2016 – Apr 2018

• Managed user accounts on Windows Active Directory, overseeing permissions and access rights in compliance with IT best practices for privacy, security, and regulatory requirements.
• Installed, configured, and maintained IT systems, including on-site and remote servers, virtual machines, and application software.
• Performed regular system maintenance, updates, and patches to uphold network security.
• Resolved incidents reported via emails and the ITSM system, Freshdesk.
• Managed users' mailboxes on Microsoft Exchange.
• Managed and monitored backups and disaster recovery operations to ensure business continuity.
• Maintained comprehensive documentation for system architectures, configurations, processes, and service records.
• Provided LAN support to address and resolve network performance issues.

Key Achievements

• Successfully led the installation of a remote backup datacenter. 
• Participated in the migration of the mailing systems at A24 Media from G-Suite to Microsoft Exchange.

Education

Bachelor of Business Information Technology: Multimedia University of Kenya - 09/2012 – 04/2016

Professional Certifications and Relevant Trainings

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104). 
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900).
• Windows Server 2016: Installation & Configuration.