Director, Program Management

Overview

Partner Investments drives revenue growth for Microsoft by leading the decisions and governance for the multi-billion portfolio of commercial investments across our Global Channel Partner Sales organization (GCPS). In addition, the team provides the governance and end-to-end ownership for systems, tools, analytics and compliance for GCPS.

This team is looking for a talented Director Program Manager to join. We are a group who strive to be highly collaborative and curious, focused on impact, and proactive problem solvers with a mindset to drive our business forward. We are obsessed with the execution, implementation, and performance of our partner investments and incentives portfolio, and we care deeply about the success of our partners and customers. We are analytical thinkers who value quality and appreciate creativity grounded with common sense. We work hard and have fun as well. In this role, you will have the opportunity to make an impact on a global scale as you influence the future of our incentive programs through deep, insightful analytics.

You will lead the end-to-end management of a partner investment program, driving operational excellence, partner success, and compliance with program guidelines. This includes monitoring performance, maintaining effective controls, investigating misuse, and coordinating corrective actions through resolution. You will translate program insights into actionable improvements and work closely with the program design lead to shape design decisions that support strategic objectives. Operating at the intersection of strategy and execution, you will coordinate related projects and lead initiatives that strengthen program performance and deliver measurable business outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Manage program scope and objectives: Define success metrics, monitor delivery, and align priorities, resources, and budgets with strategic goals.

• Translate program design into launch-ready requirements: Clarify business requirements, controls, and dependencies, partnering with engineering and operations to implement, test, and launch program capabilities.

• Manage program operations, partner performance, and compliance: Monitor partner participation and outcomes, maintain effective controls, resolve operational issues and compliance risks, and coordinate corrective actions through resolution to improve program execution and partner experience.

• Monitor program performance and ROI: Track results against success metrics, identify optimization opportunities, and influence future program design using data, operational experience, and partner insights.

• Lead stakeholder engagement and executive reporting: Build solid internal and external relationships and deliver clear business reviews, risk analyses, and recommendations to leadership.

• Oversee vendor management: Manage vendor relationships, contract negotiations, delivery commitments, and performance to meet program needs and optimize costs.

• Own escalations and resolution: Serve as the program escalation owner, drive decisions within delegated authority, and coordinate cross-functional responses to resolve critical issues and minimize business impact.

Qualifications

Required/minimum qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 8+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement
• OR equivalent experience.

Additional or preferred qualifications

• Masters Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 12+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement OR Bachelors Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 15+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement
• OR equivalent experience.
• Ability to dive deep and quickly develop subject matter expertise, understand proper business context (partner ecosystem & incentive programs) and bring own point of view to a problem
• Keen ability to build effective relationships with multiple stakeholders
• Well organized with strong skills in cross-team collaboration
• Exhibit business curiosity with the ability to act broadly across the Commercial Partner landscape
• Exhibit a high degree of self-awareness, professional maturity, and situational leadership
• Comfortable driving impactful outcomes in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment with a forward-thinking mindset
• Knowledge of Microsoft commercial licensing and Partner Ecosystem is a plus

Business Program Management IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $130,900 - $277,200 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 - $303,600 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.