Principal Consultant

We are seeking a Principal Consultant who can lead with vision, credibility, and strategic insight to shape transformative outcomes for our customers. In this senior role, you will act as a trusted advisor to leadership teams, guiding organisations through complex digital change and ensuring the successful delivery of high-impact Microsoft Business Applications programmes. You will combine deep functional expertise with exceptional stakeholder leadership, overseeing multiple delivery streams while championing best-practice solution design, governance, and value realisation. If you are a strategic thinker who thrives on influencing business direction, inspiring teams, and driving meaningful technological change, we would love to hear from you.Scroll down the page to see all associated job requirements, and any responsibilities successful candidates can expect.About the RoleThe Principal Consultant is a strategic leader responsible for shaping and driving successful digital transformation outcomes for customers. This is a new role that provides senior-level functional and delivery leadership, ensuring high-quality solution design, governance, and stakeholder engagement across major Microsoft Business Applications programmes. You will act as a trusted advisor, influencing business strategy while leading multiple project teams towards value-driven delivery.Main Duties and ResponsibilitiesLead strategic discovery, solution envisioning, and functional architecture for large-scale or complex Business Applications engagementsOversee multiple delivery streams, ensuring alignment with customer objectives and quality standards across the lifecycleBuild strong relationships with senior customer stakeholders to drive adoption, value realisation, and long-term partnership successProvide technical and functional governance to delivery teams, ensuring consistency, compliance, and best-practice solution designAct as an escalation point for risks, design decisions, and stakeholder concerns, ensuring proactive resolutionLead continuous improvement of delivery methodologies, consulting standards, and knowledge sharing across the practiceSupport presales activities including solution shaping, estimates, resource strategy, and customer presentationsManage, mentor, coach, and develop Consultants and Architects, ensuring a high-performing delivery team and skills pipeline.Knowledge and Experience10+ years of experience in customer-facing delivery roles within a Microsoft Partner organisationDeep functional knowledge of Dynamics 365 CE and Power Platform capabilities, including Azure, and how they drive business outcomesExtensive experience facilitating C‑suite level engagements and steering‑level governanceProven ability to influence commercial outcomes and identify growth opportunities within customer accountsClear track record in translating business strategy into scalable, sustainable, and value‑driven technology solutions.Personal CharacteristicsA visionary and influential leader with strong commercial intuition and a customer‑obsessed mindsetHighly credible communicator with exceptional facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder management skillsEntrepreneurial, proactive, and comfortable making decisive recommendations under pressureConfident and empathetic leader who fosters trust, inspires collaboration, and builds high‑performing teamsDemonstrates continuous personal development and a passion for remaining ahead of emerging Microsoft capabilities and industry trends.Personal AbilitiesStrong analytical thinker able to quickly diagnose complex challenges and lead teams in resolving them constructivelyOutstanding organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple programmes and priorities simultaneouslyAbility to design and articulate technology‑enabled business transformation and confidently challenge customer assumptions when neededAble to balance strategic leadership with hands‑on involvement where required to ensure delivery success.Technical AbilitiesAuthority‑level functional expertise across core Dynamics 365 CE workloads (Sales, Customer Service, Marketing).Strong understanding of the broader Power Platform ecosystem including Power Apps, Power BI, Power Pages, Dataverse, and Azure integrations.Familiarity with extension approaches including plugins, workflows and JavaScript, with the ability to govern appropriate use.Ability to define solution architecture in collaboration with Architects to ensure scalable, secure and high‑quality implementation.What We OfferIndustry aligned competitive salary33 days annual leave, including bank holidaysContinuous professional developmentAccess to learning resources to support study to achieve Microsoft certificationsBonus paid on passing agreed exams to gain specific Microsoft certificationsAuto‑enrolment pension scheme with options to increase your contributionsEmployee wellbeing strategyFree flu jabsEyecare vouchersCompany eventsFree on‑site parking.About UsWe believe in our culture, values and staff successes. We invest in developing our staff and we support our employees with their professional development goals. We strive to offer an environment that provides our staff with the right work/life balance. We offer genuine career prospects: you will have a clear career progression path with the opportunity to become stakeholders within the business as it transitions to an employee‑owned company.This role is UK‑based but we particularly welcome applications from candidates within commuting distance of our Northampton HQ, as on‑site collaboration and client engagement form part of the role. Candidates must have full entitlement to work and reside in the UK.Strictly Personal Applicants OnlyPlease apply here to upload your CV and cover letter, describing why you feel you are right for this position, together with details of your current and minimum salary expectations, current benefits and notice period. Ref: 2516. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis; we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.Please note we cannot sponsor applicants for a visaPlease only apply if you have the right to work in the UK and are resident in the UK. Ashton Court is committed to supporting individuals with the desire and capacity for long‑term career growth and development to achieve their full potential. Because the limitations of a time‑bound visa do not align with our long‑term career development plans, we regret we cannot accept applications from candidates whose right to work in the UK relies on a temporary, time‑limited or dependency visa.Interview ProcessAshton Court Group is an equal opportunities employer. Interviews are conducted in a two‑stage process. Successful applicants will be invited to an initial 30 minute Teams meeting with a senior member of staff in the same discipline as the role for which you have applied. If successful, we will be inviting candidates to a second interview of up to one hour, including an assessment of your skills and experience and may include a technical test. Final interview and offer of employment is held in person at our offices. Full details will be provided at a later date for those who are selected.Recruitment AgenciesStrictly no agency contact in response to this vacancy. We have a strict company policy to recruit directly. We therefore do not accept speculative CVs and/or cold calls to our Recruitment Team or Hiring Manager.Ashton Court Group is an experienced client‑focussed information systems consultancy providing on‑premise, cloud, and hybrid solutions to the public, private, and not‑for‑profit sectors. xpwpeyx As a Microsoft Business Solutions Partner, we maintain comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft’s software tools and applications, and the expertise to deliver successful projects on time and on budget.Ashton Court Group LtdThorpewood Management CentreBlisworth RoadCourteenhallNorthamptonNN7 2QB#J-18808-Ljbffr