Director, Event Business Operations

Overview

Within Commercial Cloud & AI Marketing, the Audience & Experiences Marketing team plays a critical cross-company role in empowering every person and organization to achieve more by defining how Microsoft translates strategic audience engagement into scalable marketing motions, including Microsofts global events portfolio. This role Director, Event Business Operations within Event Revenue Operations, is accountable for maximizing the business performance of Microsofts global events portfolio. It owns the operational backbone and business model of the portfolio: end-to-end budget planning and forecasting, supplier and venue sourcing, procurement and contracting, and the governance that connects investment decisions to delivery.

The leader is responsible for building scalable processes and execution models that drive consistency, efficiency, and accountability across a complex global ecosystem, and for ensuring the portfolio operates with a genuine P&L mindset, where commitments are assessed against what the business can actually fund before they are greenlit. The role also operationalizes the events measurement framework through executive reporting, business insights, and data-driven decision making, so that investments translate into measurable outcomes across engagement, pipeline, and customer impact. Beyond stewardship, this leader drives innovation and transformation across the portfolio by leveraging AI, advancing new engagement models, optimizing customer experiences, and introducing industry-leading approaches that keep Microsoft at the forefront of event marketing excellence while embodying Microsofts culture and values.

Operating within a pod model alongside the Audience & Experiences leadership team, Product Marketing, regional marketing teams, Small, Medium Enterprises & Channel (SME&C), Finance, Procurement, and Engines & Experiences (E&E) partners, this role blends operational experience, and stakeholder orchestration, with accountability across execution, operations, and innovation.

Microsofts mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.

Responsibilities

• Optimize Portfolio Investments
• Own the portfolio financial model, including budget planning, forecasting, revenue management, ROI measurement, and in-year optimization against business objectives.
• Lead financial stewardship with a P&L mindset, ensuring investment decisions are grounded in feasibility, business impact, risk assessment, and expected returns.
• Develop and execute supplier, sourcing, contracting, and procurement strategies that optimize spend, increase organizational leverage, and accelerate execution.
• Establish and maintain financial, procurement, supplier, and compliance controls, proactively identifying and mitigating commercial and operational risk. Scale Portfolio Capabilities
• Build and scale the operating model for Microsofts global events portfolio through standardized processes, governance, tools, planning mechanisms, and decision frameworks.
• Lead the financial and operational Rhythm of Business, translating performance insights into investment decisions, portfolio optimization, and executive reporting.
• Drive adoption of new operating models, tools, and ways of working through change management, stakeholder engagement, communications, training, and measurement. Lead Innovation and Transformation (Including AI)
• Drive continuous optimization across event formats, engagement models, and operational capabilities through AI-first thinking and innovation.
• Embody our Culture  &  Values.

Qualifications

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years business to business, business to consumer, digital, or experiential/event marketing experience OR equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Liberal Arts, Performing Arts, or related field AND 12+ years enterprise technology, digital, or experiential/event marketing experience in the technology industry OR equivalent experience. 10+ years marketing experience in a large multinational organization or creative/media agency.
• Experience owning budget planning, forecasting, and cost optimization for a large portfolio.
• Experience leading supplier, agency, and venue sourcing, including multi-year agreements, negotiation, and procurement processes.
• Experience across program design, content, customer experience, and operations.
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, and complex delivery ecosystems.
• Experience converting insights into action.
• AI experience.

Events IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $130,900 - $251,900 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $165,600 - $272,300 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:

https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.