Overview
Develops mature strategies to execute plans for the assigned customer to ensure Microsoft and partner sales goals are on target, create high-value revenue generating opportunities, and establish long-term customer success and continued interaction. Leads efforts with key internal and external partners and business and technical decision makers in developing, sharing, and promoting mutually beneficial, long-term, tailored account plans to grow sales and partner impact, leveraging relationships, influence, and industry knowledge. Builds relationships with leaders of the assigned account and the broader ecosystem to shape strategic direction and business metrics, leveraging knowledge of customer business.As a Strategic Account Director you will generate and leverage business strategic industry-focused insights to solve customer business problems. Cultivates relationships and uses Microsoft sales strategies throughout multiple levels of the customer's organization to establish strong alignment on long-term goals and secure buy in and execution. Orchestrates the creation of long-term strategies aimed at building a level of loyalty that would be hard for competitors to overcome. Proactively coordinates with internal network of industry experts to build and maintain strong knowledge of Microsoft's offerings, the industry, competitors, and customer business priorities to articulate Microsoft's value proposition and shape business direction.
Microsoft's 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
Responsibilities
Account Management
Proactively solicits feedback on additional needs, products, and features to develop targeted strategies for customers. Demonstrates a strong understanding of the customer's business model to articulate growth opportunities, leveraging industry point of view to shape ecosystem. Influences relevant (internal and external) stakeholders and resources to drive change on behalf of the customer and to enhance team capabilities, improve Microsoft offerings, and adapt Microsoft's messaging to the assigned account.
Orchestrates the execution of strategies for the assigned account to ensure engagements yield high-volume sales, drive plans to increase revenue potential, and open new opportunities for both Microsoft and the partners, aligned to goals, budgets, and forecasts, Leads and coordinates with key internal and customer stakeholders (e.g., industry experts) on plan execution (e.g., prioritization, delegation) and drives accountability to deliver on account plans and grow the account, leveraging industry knowledge.
Proactively expands strategic network of key internal and external partners and decision makers, including vertical industry partners, to ensure execution of core tasks and account transactions and to provide a comprehensive account management experience.
Develops mature strategies to execute plans for the assigned customer to ensure Microsoft and partner sales goals are on target, create high value revenue generating opportunities, and establish long term customer success and continued interaction.
Leads efforts with key internal and external partners including vertical industry partners with business and technical decision makers in developing, sharing, and promoting mutually beneficial, long-term, tailored account plans to grow sales and partner impact, leveraging relationships, influence, and industry knowledge. Participates in discussions to impact the broader ecosystem (e.g., passing legislation).
Competitive Knowledge
Proactively coordinates with internal network of industry experts to build and maintain strong knowledge of Microsoft's offerings (e.g., product landscape, solutions, industry strategy), the industry (e.g., emerging trends), competitors (e.g., AWS, Salesforce), and customer business priorities (e.g., challenges, competitive landscape) to articulate Microsoft's value proposition and shape business direction.
Customer Engagement
Cultivates relationships and uses Microsoft sales strategies throughout multiple levels of the customer's organization (e.g., executives, business, and technical decision makers) to establish strong alignment on long-term goals and secure buy-in and execution.
Proactively develops understanding of customer's business needs, priorities, strategies, and industry insights. Anticipates customers' needs to deliver new insights on their business strategy, and educate customers on ways to address them jointly. Shows differentiated value for the customer, leveraging industry expertise and guides internal colleagues on ways to develop deeper customer knowledge. Delivers solutions into overall business strategy.
Sales Excellence
Orchestrates the creation of long-term strategies aimed at building a level of loyalty that would be hard for competitors to overcome. Anticipates issues/risks on customer satisfaction, determines the root cause of problems, removes blockers, and establishes recovery action plan to improve customer's overall experience. Builds trust and loyalty with the customer by providing up-to-date insights, challenging the customer when necessary, and introducing innovative ideas relevant to the customer's business strategy.
Leads the account management team and key stakeholders with deep industry expertise to engage business or technical decision makers of the assigned account. Leverages best-in-class sales and communication strategies and tools to deliver results and identify new opportunities.
Creates and qualifies new opportunities by identifying strategic opportunities within accounts and guiding the customer on how to best identify new opportunities, leveraging customer and industry relationships.
Orchestrates high-impact solutions that enable digital transformation for assigned accounts and drive outcomes that create business value for customers. Owns the development of strategies that showcase the value added by Microsoft's innovative cloud offerings and ideas grounded on a deep understanding of industry trends and based on account needs and customer's expectations.
Leverages understanding of customer business and engages Microsoft decision makers to drive customer's strategy, goals, and optimization. Engages and collaborates with decision makers of the account (e.g., director-level) to create a mutually beneficial business value proposition, and develop plans to customize solutions that satisfy customers' Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Uses business cases to develop and present compelling value proposition presentations and specialized business plans for customers that showcase Microsoft's products and solutions, generate business and upsells, and generate new opportunities.
Strategic Thinking
Engages in strategic discussions by articulating ideas to evolve and facilitate evolution of customer business model using Microsoft capabilities. Leverages internal input and account knowledge to promote closer interactions between Microsoft and the customer.
Articulates Microsoft's and partners' point of view and creates deep connections with decision makers throughout multiple levels of the customers' organization to drive purchase decisions and increase interaction and participation, leveraging relevant tools and resources (e.g., LinkedIn).
Generates and leverages business strategic industry-focused insights to solve customer business problems.
Other
Embody our Culture (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-values) and Values (https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/culture)
Qualifications
Required/minimum qualifications
Bachelor's Degree AND 10+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR Master's Degree AND 9+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR 13+ years experience in working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR equivalent experience.
6+ years experience making recommendations to and/or collaborating with mid-to-senior level executives.
8+ years experience closing large, complex agreements/deals.
Other Requirements
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.
Additional or preferred qualifications
Bachelor's Degree AND 13+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR Master's Degree AND 11+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR equivalent experience.
Strategic Account Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $133,000 - $222,700 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 $170,300 - $239,800 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. (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html)
