Junior Specialist: Identity & Access Management (Azure / Entra ID) & Security at HomeChoice Holdings Limited

Job Description

• homechoice is a leading South African homeware retailer. For over 40 years we’ve helped our customers create beautiful homes they love with an innovative range of quality products they can afford.
• We're looking for a security-minded, detail-oriented Specialist to join our IT Infrastructure team, focused primarily on Identity & Access Management and security within our Microsoft Azure / Entra ID environment. This is a junior-to-intermediate role: the core work is managing who has access to what, ensuring it's appropriate and secure, and helping strengthen our overall identity security posture.
• It's an excellent growth opportunity. While the primary focus is cloud identity and access, you'll also be exposed to our wider environment, on-premises Active Directory, Microsoft 365, Intune, and server and storage infrastructure, so you can broaden your skills and build a strong all-round foundation over time, supported by our senior specialists.

Where the role fits

• You'll report to the Infrastructure Team Leader and work as part of the infrastructure team. Although the Service Desk is not a primary function of this role, you'll work closely with them on access-related requests and escalations, and you'll collaborate regularly with the security team, HR, application owners and the rest of infrastructure. Clear communication and a careful, trustworthy approach matter as much as technical ability.

What you will love doing in this role

Primary focus — Azure / Entra ID access management & security

• Administer identity and access in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD): user and group lifecycle, role assignments, and entitlement/access-package management.
• Grant, review and revoke access strictly in line with approved requests, applying least-privilege and Zero Trust principles.
• Support and help maintain Conditional Access policies, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and authentication methods.
• Support Privileged Identity Management (PIM) and privileged-access requests and approval workflows.
• Assist with identity governance: access reviews, certification campaigns and segregation-of-duties (SoD) controls.
• Help monitor and respond to identity-related security alerts, report security incidents, and support security-posture improvements (e.g. Microsoft Secure Score).
• Maintain accurate records and support audit and compliance activities, handling personal information in line with POPIA.

Broader exposure & growth (with mentoring)

• On-premises Active Directory: user and group objects, password resets, and hybrid identity (synchronisation with Entra ID).
• Microsoft 365 administration: licensing, groups, and everyday service administration.
• Microsoft Intune / endpoint management: device compliance and policy basics.
• Server hardware and storage: hands-on exposure to on-premises infrastructure to build broader foundational knowledge.

Collaboration & ways of working

• Work closely with the Service Desk on access-related requests and escalations (this is a key partnership, though not the primary function of the role).
• Collaborate with the security team, HR, application owners and infrastructure colleagues.
• Log and track work in the ITSM tool (Halo) and follow incident, request and change procedures.
• Take part in knowledge-sharing and process-improvement initiatives.

What you’ll need to do this role

• Matric / Grade 12.
• Around 3 to 5 years' experience in IT, with hands-on exposure to identity and access administration, ideally in Microsoft Entra ID / Azure AD.
• A solid grasp of access fundamentals: least privilege, role-based access, approvals and MFA.
• Familiarity with Active Directory and Microsoft 365.
• A careful, accurate and security-minded approach to handling access and sensitive data.
• Good communication and collaboration skills.
• The right to work in South Africa, and willingness to undergo pre-employment vetting.

Advantageous (preferred, not essential)

• A relevant IT qualification (certificate, diploma or degree).
• Relevant certifications, for example SC-300 (Identity & Access Administrator), SC-900, AZ-900, AZ-500, AZ-104, MS-900 or ITIL Foundation.
• Exposure to Conditional Access, PIM, or identity governance / access reviews.
• Exposure to Intune, hybrid identity, or on-premises server and storage environments.
• Experience with Halo (or a similar ITSM tool).

What we will love about you

Core technical

• Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) identity and access administration; user, group and role management.
• Role-based access control and least-privilege provisioning; access reviews and approvals.
• Working (or growing) knowledge of MFA, Conditional Access and privileged access concepts.
• Basic identity security monitoring and an understanding of good security hygiene.

Areas you'll grow into

• On-premises Active Directory and hybrid identity.
• Microsoft 365 and Intune administration.
• Server hardware and storage fundamentals.

Behavioural

• Security-minded and meticulous — the kind of person who double-checks before changing access.
• Curious and eager to learn across new technologies.
• Trustworthy and discreet with confidential information.
• A clear communicator and willing collaborator.