The Cloud & AI Corporate Strategy team is chartered with defining the strategy for Microsoft’s Cloud and AI business. The team has built a track record of spotting trends early and using those insights to drive Microsoft’s strategy and direction.

The group broadly focuses on three sets of activities:

• Thought leadership on the major shifts in the technology industry such as Digital Transformation  (e.g., this was the team that originally pushed for Microsoft’s strategy shift towards the cloud - https://news.microsoft.com/download/archived/presskits/cloud/docs/The-Economics-of-the-Cloud.pdf)
• Translating strategy into product reality across Azure (Data & Analytics, Developer, Networking, Identify, IoT, Robotics, AI, Mixed Reality, etc.) and SaaS (Power BI, Dynamics 365, etc.), including big bet M&A (e.g., the team drove the recent GitHub and Nuance acquisitions).

• Engaging with our top customers to help them formulate their Digital Transformation strategy.

For this particular role we’re looking for someone with a background either in strategy/consulting or product management/product architecture to enhance the team’s depth. You will play a key role in not only the continuing transformation of one of the world’s largest software companies but also in transforming whole industries as we help customers charter their digital transformation journey. You’ll contribute to the team’s projects with your expertise and experience while also being a strategic advisor who looks across the portfolio of Microsoft’s Cloud and AI products and influences the direction of Microsoft’s current and future products.

Responsibilities

• Contributes to one or multiple defined Strategy project(s), with guidance as needed with increasing independence.
• Develops an understanding of Microsoft’s product portfolio, strategic priorities, competitive position, gaps, and potential opportunities. Investigates and provides an analysis of the merger and acquisition (M&A), venture funding and public market environment and trends.
• Synthesizes findings into insights within a project, including implications that inform business decisions; leverages insights to develop recommendations for Microsoft, with guidance from project leads.
• Communicates and advocates insights to business leaders and conveys viewpoints through written documents (e.g., memos, reports) and influence models (e.g., meetings, presentations). Delivers project findings, recommendations, and implications to business partners and senior executives to facilitate senior discussions and decision making.
• Establishes and maintains key points of contact with internal teams (e.g., Finance, Marketing, Engineering). Builds, manages, and cultivates working relationships with project stakeholders and business partners. Shares knowledge with leaders of internal teams on a particular area of expertise, leveraging breadth of deep technical/product knowledge, organizational context, and market awareness to guide junior colleagues and inform strategic business decisions.
• Establishes and maintains key points of contact with internal teams (e.g., Finance, Marketing, Engineering). Builds, manages, and cultivates working relationships with project stakeholders and business partners. Shares knowledge with leaders of internal teams on a particular area of expertise, leveraging breadth of deep technical/product knowledge, organizational context, and market awareness to guide junior colleagues and inform strategic business decisions.

Additional Responsibilities for Sr. Manager

• Defines and manages Strategy project(s) as a project lead through goals, deliverables, feedback, addressing expectations, providing structure and guidance for others; proactively identifies and address roadblocks. Manages projects independently and/or in collaboration with a project lead.
• Develops and maintains an understanding of customers, competitors, partners, business models, market sizing, and industry trends. Develops and maintains an understanding of the merger and acquisition (M&A), venture funding and public market environment and trends. Leads market landscape analyses and reviews of companies of potential interest. Provides guidance to business partners to inform decision-making
• Drives evaluation of Microsoft strategic alternatives (e.g., buy, build, partner) and acquisition alternatives. Ensures product roadmap, go-to-market, integration plans, and related issues are considered
• Synthesizes findings into insights across projects, including implications that inform business decisions, leveraging executive presence to influence decisions and proactively identifying expansive ideas for company strategy, often missed by others; leverages insights to develop recommendations and seeks to provide thought leadership (e.g., trend identification, implications of competitor moves) around potential future growth opportunities and strategic issues for Microsoft. Creates frameworks and methodologies to drive problem solving and insights.
• Builds end-to-end storylines and creates outlines across multiples projects for junior colleagues to leverage.
• Builds relationships with senior executives (e.g., Directors, GM-level, CVP). Acts as an advisor to senior leadership. Provides career mentorship to junior colleagues outside of Strategy function. Identifies compelling projects and positions the team to carry them out

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Liberal Arts, Computer Science, or related field AND 1+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, management consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization experience

• OR equivalent experience (e.g., scaling a business, incubation, driving change in a large company, entrepreneurship, management consulting)

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Liberal Arts, Computer Science, or related field AND 5+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, B2B or B2C technology product management, and/or partner organization experience

• OR Master’s Degree in Business Administration or related field AND 3+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization experience
• OR equivalent experience (e.g., scaling a business, incubation, driving change in a large company, entrepreneurship).

(The team is considering Manager to Senior Manager level candidates for their org)

Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.