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  • From Classroom to Conference room: How HSO's graduate program is shaping Sam's career

From Classroom to Conference room: How HSO's graduate program is shaping Sam's career

Sam Yeo began his journey with HSO through a graduate program, earning certifications and looking to work on various projects across a wide range of industries. Let's see what the future holds for Sam.

Meet
Sam Yeo
Graduate Consultant

What made you join HSO?

I think when doing my research prior to applying, you get the vibe that HSO does care about its people and the work that they do.

...also, the assessment day was a really big thing for me. Walking in and meeting directors, and really senior people like managing directors, who would give you their time and wanted to be there that day to meet people like myself, who had very little prior experience, was great.

How did you find the onboarding process?

I really enjoyed it - talking to people, getting to understand their backgrounds, and understanding ourselves as well. Being able to understand myself with insights to see where my strengths and weaknesses are, and which areas I am stronger in, was something I really enjoyed.

What were the challenges you faced?

Things that I was challenged by were, of course, the technical aspects. With my experience lacking a little bit in Dynamics, being able to understand the system and really drill down into it was something challenging, but enjoyable.

How did you find your initial foray into the business?

Yeah, I think what I’ve enjoyed is being able to talk to people at various levels and understand their experiences and expertise. Path sessions with Peter Sharpe, Director of Enterprise Architecture, HSO and Mike Stanbridge, Enterprise Architect, HSO recently have been great; they've been able to share so much about their expertise and give us so much time.

They have said, "If you need us, just book a meeting in the diary. We are always happy to take that time," and that is what I have loved. Being able to talk to people of different levels and everyone having time for you, even though we are brand new graduates with very little experience, is wonderful.

Even though we aren’t valuable to them at the moment in terms of a business perspective, they always wanted to give their time to help us develop, which is so lovely. It really makes you feel at home.

The best thing I can say for new starters is just talk to people.
Everyone is willing to give you their time, instead of saying they do not have the time at all, they’ll simply say right look at my calendar, find a time that works for us both, set it up and I will be there, and that’s great.

So being able to utilise that and make the most of it, if people are willing to give you their time, try and take it and learn from these skilled people in their expert areas and prospective people looking to join HSO.

Sam Yeo Graduate Consultant

What advice would you give yourself?

Personally, I have a little bit of a lack of experience in the working world, and that was something about which I was slightly worried.

Of course, having met people who are on the graduate scheme on the assessment day and seeing their experience, I understood that everyone is on a level playing field with the graduates.

We have not worked with Dynamics before, so being able to give yourself that confidence and say that you can do this, and knowing that you will be able to learn this, is important. Just have confidence in your abilities and your skills.

What are you looking forward to over the next few months?

Going into projects. I have now completed two certifications and have one left, so I am really looking forward to being able to work on projects in a different capacity.

Looking at things from a supply chain perspective or in various other ways, and being able to develop those skills in these different projects and areas, is something I am excited about.

HSO Graduate Programs

We have been running our graduate scheme for the past seven years recruiting and developing our graduates into business associates who have a real impact on the business and for our customers. Get to know how.

Graduate Programs

Want to join our HSO family?

See our vacancies below

GB Reading

Sales & Business Development

Senior Public Sector Business Development Manager

About HSO HSO is a Business Transformation Partner with deep industry expertise and global reach. We leverage the full power of the Microsoft Cloud to help organisations modernise operations, adopt data-driven intelligent automation, deliver real-time insights, and accelerate digital impact. By utilising Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Azure, Microsoft 365, AI/Copilot and Data & AI capabilities, HSO empowers organisations to innovate faster, improve how their people work, and enhance citizen and customer experiences. Founded in 1987, HSO has more than 2,500 professionals across Europe, North America, and Asia. We are one of the world’s top Microsoft business applications and cloud transformation partners, and a proud member of Microsoft’s elite Inner Circle, representing the top 1% of partners worldwide. We specialise in sectors such as Public Sector, Retail, Manufacturing, Professional Services, and Financial Services. As an award-winning partner, HSO has been recognised as the global winner of the Microsoft Partner of the Year Award for D365 Finance, and a Finalist for D365 Sales & Marketing. We have also been ranked among the Best Companies to Work For, reflecting our culture of care, innovation, and growth. At HSO, we are large enough to deliver enterprise-scale transformation, yet small enough to care. Our culture encourages entrepreneurship, collaboration, and personal development — where your voice is heard, and your impact is felt. Purpose of the role As a Public Sector Business Development Manager, you will lead on developing strategic relationships and securing new business within the UK public sector. You will identify opportunities and position Microsoft business applications and cloud services to help public sector organisations transform how they operate, improve citizen services, enhance efficiency, and achieve compliance and policy objectives. Working closely with our Delivery, Pre-Sales, and Microsoft teams, you will shape compelling propositions and navigate complex public sector procurement processes including frameworks, tenders, and competitive bids. This is a high-impact role that will play a key part in building HSO’s growing footprint in the public sector and driving long-term growth. Reporting Line This role reports to the Sales Director. Job Function Develop and execute a go-to-market strategy for the UK public sector, identifying target accounts and growth opportunities across central government, local authorities, healthcare/NHS, housing associations, and not-for-profit organisations. Build strong relationships with key public sector stakeholders, including C-Suite, Digital Transformation leaders, and Commercial/Procurement functions. Qualify opportunities, lead full sales cycles, and manage bids and proposals through to closure, including through frameworks such as G-Cloud, Digital Outcomes & Specialists, and others. Shape and present tailored value propositions aligned to client goals, drawing on Microsoft technologies including Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Microsoft 365, Azure, and AI/Copilot. Collaborate with internal teams (Pre-Sales, Architects, Delivery, Legal) to create compelling solutions and commercial proposals. Maintain a high-quality pipeline and accurate forecasting in CRM, contributing to regular reporting and leadership reviews. Stay informed on public sector policy, digital trends, funding streams, and procurement developments to support account planning. Represent HSO at public sector industry events, thought-leadership sessions, and Microsoft community engagements. EXPERIENCE Essential Proven track record in business development, account management or consultative sales within the UK public sector. Strong understanding of public sector procurement processes, frameworks, and budget cycles. Experience positioning Microsoft Cloud solutions or business applications (e.g., Dynamics 365, Azure, M365, Power Platform). Commercially astute with the ability to shape and negotiate complex deals. Excellent stakeholder engagement, communication, and influencing skills. Self-driven with a strong sense of ownership and accountability. Able to lead virtual teams and collaborate across functions to advance deals. Desirable Familiarity with frameworks such as G-Cloud, DOS, NHS SBS, or similar. Experience working for a Microsoft partner or digital transformation consultancy. Understanding of public sector challenges such as data governance, digitisation of services, legacy system modernisation, and citizen experience improvement. Experience using CRM systems (ideally Dynamics 365) for pipeline management and forecasting. Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience. Personal Qualities Passion for public sector improvement and service transformation. Resilient, outcome-orientated, and motivated by delivering results. Highly collaborative and able to build trust quickly. Excellent communicator with strong written and verbal presentation skills. Analytical mindset with the ability to spot trends and opportunities. Energetic, proactive, and solutions-focused. Location HSO offices are located in Manchester, Glasgow, and Reading.This is a hybrid role, with flexibility to work remotely. Travel to client sites and HSO offices will be required for relationship building and key meetings. Salary We offer a competitive, market-aligned salary that reflects the skills and experience of each candidate. The salary package will be discussed during the interview process and will be based on current market benchmarks for similar roles, as well as the individual’s qualifications and experience. Eligible employees may also receive performance-based bonuses and can participate in our extensive benefits programme. Benefits Included: Paid Holidays Pension Healthcare Dental Life Insurance Tonic Wellbeing HSO Perkz Flexible working (when required and agreed)

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GB Manchester

Customer Success / Support

D365 Support Consultant

  PURPOSE OF THE ROLE You will play a vital role in D365 F&O or CE Support, taking responsibility for providing prompt and professional 2nd Level Support to the HSO Customer base according to SLA and Customer Contractual requirements.   REPORTING LINE As part of the Support Team, you will report to a Support Team Lead.   JOB FUNCTION   Ensure all support tickets are effectively managed with minimum disruption to the client. Support issues are responded to and resolved/plan established within agreed timescales.  Provide regular feedback to customers regarding the progress of support ticket status. Test own allocated developments/fixes before delivering to customers. Take responsibility for the successful Support Delivery to a number of your owned ‘key accounts’. Build great relationships and become a Trusted Advisor to your owned customers. Work as part of a the wider Managed Services team. Participate and engage in cross team knowledge transfer to ensure best use of staff resources and inter-departmental growth and development across various Industry teams and Service Lines. Contribute to HSO's knowledge base by documenting and participating in internal training and knowledge-sharing programs. Requirements Essential Dynamics AX or D365 Finance & Operations configuration experience. Must have a logical mind set and the ability to trouble shoot complex issues. Desirable One or more specialist Microsoft Dynamics 365 competency would be a distinct advantage Manufacturing/Production knowledge Retail/Commerce Finance /Projects Supply Chain Management Service Management Asset Management Professional Services Technical knowledge including SQL Server, Performance investigation, SSRS reports, Logic Apps, Azure, BI Services. ITIL Certification.   PERSONAL QUALITIES Excellent communication and customer interaction skills. Ability to work under pressure and meet agreed targets. Learn and keep up to date with industry-specific functionalities within D365 F&O or D365 CE relevant to customer engagements. Demonstrate a collaborative, supportive, and inclusive attitude on Support Projects. Self-motivated individual. LOCATION Our offices are based in Sale (Manchester), Reading or Glasgow. This role is a Hybrid Working role working mostly remote and meeting once per month in our Manchester office.   HOURS Normal office hours are 0900 to 1800.  (With one hour for lunch) There may also be occasions when you will be required to work at other times: You may be asked to assist with covering the Service Desk Standard hours of Monday to Friday 08:00-18:00.  

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GB Manchester

Cloud & Infrastructure

AI Technical Architect

About HSO  HSO are a leading member of the Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle, founded in 1987, and specialize in sectors such as Retail, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Financial Services and Local Government. We’ve won several prestigious awards over the last few years including being voted in the UK’s top 10 Best Large companies to work for the last 3 years running. This year we are also proud to have been named the D365 Finance Microsoft Partner of the Year Award and Finalist for D365 Sales & Marketing.  HSO is the place to work for those in the Microsoft Dynamics channel. People join and stay because we care; about adding value to our customers, about delivering what we say we will, striving to improve ourselves, being inclusive and having fun.  The core values that enable us to work so well together also mean our customers want to work with us. We choose to be different to other Microsoft Partners. Caring about our people, customers and quality of work differentiates us. We always support our people and customers to achieve shared, agreed goals.    Job Purpose: The AI Architect will enable the creation of innovative, ethical, and reliable cloud solutions that stand out on a global scale to enhance the lives of people and organisations. This includes, but is not limited to:  Supporting the development and implementation of our enterprise AI strategies and roadmaps.  Scoping and leading the development of frameworks, reference architecture, tooling, costing, governing standards, and principles.  Leading the design, migration, data modelling, implementation, testing, support, deployment, architecture, and maintenance of solutions that use, or will use AI in future.  Qualify new customers and assist existing customers to envision new opportunities and map out enhancements to existing solutions that meet business needs.     Key Responsibilities:   Supporting customers with their AI Implementation across infrastructure, security, licensing, management, and migration.  Lead, design and implement data driven AI projects end to end, working both independently and/or leading a team to meet project requirements.   Working collaboratively with our other Cloud Services teams to deliver exceptional solutions to our clients across the full range of Microsoft technologies.  Reviewing and automating business processes.  Work directly with the customer to scope out and deliver maintainable, well tested solutions that leverage cloud technologies where possible.  Provide sound technical support to clients for common and complex Data & AI issues, while identifying opportunity for architectural, cultural, and technical improvements.  Lead, design, and apply AI architecture patterns to projects and solutions.   Develop and improve AI solutions and related development lifecycles, using best practices and a DevOps mindset.  Deliver workshops to clients to upskill them and support with the uptake of new technologies, while identifying opportunities for improvements in workshop design and delivery.  Understand and implement solutions outside of AI that may interact with developed solutions.  Proactively seek out and learn emerging technologies, explore new and innovative use cases, and build collective knowledge across the Aware Team.   Ensure you have a clear understanding of the HSO core values and HSO best practices.  Act as a Mentor and coach for our Data & AI team to ensure team members are meeting their project and customer goals. Requirements Experience and Skills:   Experience developing AI solutions, AI models, and AI governance frameworks in production.  A breadth of experience in various current cloud technologies and applications  In-depth experience with various source systems control and testing frameworks and related methodologies  Experience leading project and project teams end to end.  Proficiency in explaining complex technical architecture and solutions to non-technical audiences.  Ability to identify when potential issues need to be communicated and/or escalated.  Eager to proactively learn and apply new technologies (both within and outside of your field) and to share those learnings with the wider technical team.  Strong organisational and problem-solving skills with demonstrated ability to prioritise tasks, meet deadlines and manage conflicting priorities.  Strong emotional intelligence and the ability to work with clients from varying backgrounds.  Ability to accurately scope projects and provide recommendations for the client.  An understanding of common and complex development lifecycles and experience applying DevOps practices.  Outstanding interpersonal skills with the confidence to workshop solutions directly with customers and ability to work through complex customer interactions.  A strong understanding of business capabilities and frameworks that can map these capabilities to AI models and broader architectural initiatives.  A strong understanding of ethical and privacy obligations and ability to proactively identify and mitigate security threats.  Experience with business applications and D365.     Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. - Relevant certifications in Microsoft Azure or related technologies.

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