Partner Development Management IC5 at Microsoft

About the job

Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. You can help us to achieve our mission.

Responsibilities

Partner Centered

• Develops partner recruitment plans to recruit new partners or expand current partnerships to create a balanced portfolio, grow business, and fill market opportunities. Influences partners and business leaders to upsell Microsoft products and services.

• Acts as a subject matter expert (SME) to identify, engage, onboard, and qualify highly sought-after partners with new and complex applications or solutions to expand Microsoft’s platform and fill gaps. Challenges partners on their business models.

• Uses a variety of strategies to convey the value of partnering with Microsoft over competitors based on partner business. Combats competition throughout the selling and account management lifecycle.

• Sells account vision to senior business decision makers at highly sought-after partners by aligning and reinforcing overall Microsoft value proposition and value propositions of products, channels, or solutions to the partner's business goals.

• Identifies and recommends market opportunities to pursue based on understanding of industry gaps and emerging trends in solution/product areas. Collaborates with internal teams to take advantage of opportunities that are aligned with competitive intelligence and Microsoft's goals.

• Builds and maintains a trusted-advisor relationship with C-suite leaders of complex partners to achieve strategic alignment and drive growth. Understands and aligns partners’ priorities, strategies, and goals with Microsoft’s to build mutually beneficial account plans.

Partner Transformation

• Develops, manages, and executes highly strategic and impactful partner business plans for all managed partners that grow partner business and facilitate cloud consumption and digital transformation. Develops end-to-end plans that fully consider short- and long-term goals, solution strategies, and performance expectations that are aligned with partner’s needs and capabilities.

• Identifies partner needs and capacities and finds optimal one-to-many training to fulfill those needs: creates strategic and customized roadmaps to maximize benefits for partners.

• Participates in internal and external events as a Microsoft representative to learn about partner business, build a strong professional network, and maintain up-to-date awareness of industry and competitors.

Solution and Services

• Coaches and challenges partners to transform their plans and strategies around Solutions and services. Advises partner throughout application or product launch processes to ensure smooth development. Identifies opportunities to make the market.

• Proactively promotes collaboration to drive business and enable other teams to be more impactful. Assembles and leads expanded/large-scale virtual internal teams (e.g., category, surface, specialist sales, marketing) to guide complex partners and to develop comprehensive business plans based on partner needs and Microsoft sales goals.

• Works with technical teams to build solutions or services and to demonstrate proof of concept (POC). Leverages technical resources at Microsoft for technical information and to evaluate partner products and services. Aligns technical resources to articulate and bring business value to the partner.

Sales Leadership

• Develops go-to-market and co-selling strategies with complex partners that outline activities and expectations to drive Microsoft and partner sales goals. Prioritizes and allocates go-to-market resources across accounts.

• Ensures partner readiness by developing marketing plans to promote customer sales (e.g., campaigns, incentives, and promotions). Secures marketing resources (e.g., go-to-market offers) to support partners with developing marketing plans.

• Evaluates managed partner portfolio to identify patterns, opportunities, and gaps in partner accounts. Proposes existing products and solutions or recommends new solutions in which partners can jointly invest to fill gaps. Aligns partner needs and interests with market opportunities.

• Leverages tools (e.g., One Commercial Partner [OCP], Customer Relations Management [CRM], Partner Impact Number [PIN]) to update account information and maintain account hygiene and account activities.

• Evaluates and presents business metrics and performance data (e.g., return on investment [ROI]) to make strategic portfolio decisions. Shares information and best practices with colleagues.

Other

• • Embody our culture and values

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of digital transformation business drivers, cloud platforms, capabilities and solutions that generate partner growth and innovation.

• 5-10+ years of experience in core sales experience, partner channel development, sales, business development, alliance management in the technology industry

• Deep strategic advisor and executive relationship management experience driving sales with partners in commercial businesses.

• Strong experience of managing virtual teams across functions and geographies:

• Strong influence and orchestrator skills helping align Microsoft and partner resources to drive solutions that support customer needs.

• Inclusive and collaborative - driving teamwork and cross-team alignment

• Strong partner relationship management and solution development skills

• Excellent communication and presentation skills with a high degree of comfort

• Challenger mentality leveraging internal and/or external resources, conflict resolution, and follow through

• Experience with technology platforms and solutions with a reasonable level of technical proficiency

• Bachelor’s degree required (Sales, Marketing, Business Operations

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.

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