Overview
Acts as a trusted advisor to determine how commercial licensing and contracting should be changed to best meet customer needs. Leverages understanding of sales science (e.g., pipeline metrics, closed rates, competitive selling) to establish a strategic sales execution cadence. Develops customer-centric offers by engaging with and aligning account teams around the deal(s) that they are casting. Ensures that Win/Win compliant deal making occurs while creating commercial solutions. Establishes the strategy for the negotiation approach by engaging with senior stakeholders internally and externally. Drives accountability and the negotiation outcome.
The Commercial Executive leads collaborations with sellers and business stakeholders in order to achieve revenue targets. Leverages an advanced understanding of customer business needs and desired outcomes to drive revenue growth through ethical selling practices. Leads internal sales and management teams through sales process optimizing for the right level of investment and deal customization. Proactively identifies business opportunities which vary based on deal lifecycle and AI-enabled customer solutions. Ensures that customer, partner, support, and account teams deliver value during lifecycle management planning and that they are aligned with teams on customer/partner priorities, strategies, and budget to better structure deals that drive annuity and cloud growth. Develops and manages commercial plan and contributes to account plan for strategic accounts by leveraging AI to map out how to maximize qualified medium in size/scope or complex commercial opportunity for the account. Drives adherence to commercial solutions policy for commercial deal execution, inclusive of regulatory laws and principles in local markets, company policies, and guidance for consistent deal making. Analyzes deals for risks related to contract growth, partner channel risk, profitability, legal issues, and contracting.
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
Deep Proactive Engagement
Ensures that customer, partner, support, and account teams deliver value during lifecycle management planning and that they are aligned with teams on customer/partner priorities, strategies, and budget to better structure deals that drive annuity and cloud growth. Initiates and develops challenger relationships with customers/partner to understand their priorities and strategies, and structures deals that drive value and contribute to Microsoft growth through attainment of revenue-based, share-based, and/or consumption-based quota with minimal guidance. Demonstrates empathy with high-level customers and partners. Grows share and adoption while simultaneously driving business value for customers. Proactively identifies and balances customer/partner and Microsoft needs when crafting value-based solutions. Represents customer and partner requirements in proposals. Translates requirements into proposals. Identifies issues and potential recommendations for internal stakeholders to help solve customer/partner issues. Leverages knowledge about customer/partner priorities and industry challenges to solve problems. Simplifies commercial strategies for customers and partners with minimal guidance. Orchestrates the right resources to solve partner issues in deals. Engages with partners (e.g., scale partner, cloud solution provider [CSP]) in effective ways to establish customer solutions for the benefit of all parties independently.
Leverages knowledge of best practices and strategies to accomplish goals. Understands product strategy per solution area. Analyzes competitive positioning and use cases independently. Possesses and utilizes knowledge of industry, competition, and Microsoft offering to accomplish goals. Provides feedback to align pricing and offers commercial strategies to meet customer needs. Provides alternatives and recommendations internally and externally. Demonstrates agility in aligning business strategies within region. Actively pursues learning opportunities and reinforces understanding of local subsidiary strategy. Helps other team members understand Microsoft/customer business strategies and why they are important for accomplishing goals. Creates clarity in their work and encourages others to do the same. Ensures that their peers follow through on plans.
Leads collaborations with sellers and business stakeholders in order to achieve revenue targets. Leverages critical resources (e.g., deal desk, sales support, partners, finance) to drive business outcomes. Contributes to high levels of strategic conversations internally or externally. Proactively engages with others to align commercial strategy to customer needs. Participates in the planning and execution of strategies with partners to ensure that solutions are aligned to customer commercial strategic needs. Applies deep knowledge of commercial solutions and expected outcomes to determine how commercial deals should be constructed to best meet customer needs. Drives accountability in resolving cross-functional issues to successful conclusion. Engages in feedback loop to improve/simplify deal construct to meet business needs or market opportunities. Fosters overall success by driving strong team collaboration, cross segment and cross group collaboration. Leads teams by sharing knowledge, supporting the onboarding of others in the same role, and proactively responding to feedback.
Proactively identifies business opportunities which vary based on deal lifecycle and AI-enabled customer solutions (e.g., upsell/cross-sell, expanding footprint, transformational). Uses knowledge of both customer and Microsoft commercial strategies to seize new opportunities that grow the Microsoft footprint. Proactively consults internal partners to maximize pipeline conversion. Prioritizes execution appropriately. Leverages knowledge to secure upsells that aligns to proven value. Works with account teams to identify growth opportunities and solutions. Creates and utilizes multiple equivalent offers (MEOs) that advances internal alignment and maximize business outcomes. Oversees offers. Demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of monetization of products and solutions. Understands limitations on deal making (e.g., understands when it is appropriate and not appropriate to follow through with a deal). Develops and demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of industry and industry trends. Develops customer-centric offers independently by engaging with and aligning account teams around the deal(s) that they are casting. Partners with account team members to determine how opportunities in the account plan may be most effectively monetized. Builds the best contract structure to enable capitalization on opportunities.
Leads internal sales and management teams through sales process optimizing for the right level of investment and deal customization. Accomplishes tasks across stakeholders with appropriate breadth and depth. Crafts deals that will process, including any standard or custom amendments and documentation independently. Leverages internal resources to assist with customer queries regarding contract terms. Handles objections and negotiates contractual amendments within empowerment as needed. Actively participates in the development of deal strategies to present offers to clients. Engages with stakeholders to ensure that efforts are executed effectively and that milestones are being reached. Ensures that the appropriate value has been sold and that the deployment plan has been considered. Leverages advanced understanding of sales science and operational acumen (e.g., pipeline metrics, close rates, competitive selling) to establish a strategic sales execution cadence. Leverages AI tools to analyze multiple data inputs quickly and develops strategic decision making to ensure the best sales and revenue production and velocity through management team where appropriate. Develops an outlook on upcoming business opportunities for their territory.
Leverages an advanced understanding of customer business needs and desired outcomes to drive revenue growth through ethical selling practices. Develops and presents pricing scenarios and proposals. Builds upon industry knowledge and independently conducts competitive analysis to craft commercial solutions. Acts as a trusted advisor both internally and with customers in the sales process. Ensures appropriate monetization of commercial solutions. Leads early engagement, planning and ideation process in commercial strategy. Coordinates and collaborates with peers and stakeholders to influence account territory planning. Crafts and executes close plan strategies. Contributes to the creation of best practices for deal making. Understands the correct commercial channel and how to leverage it. Leverages Microsoft financing knowledge if applicable to advance commercial deal outcomes. Incorporates principles of ethical selling into tasks. Aligns language of renewal or negotiation to customer's understanding.
Mastering Key Skills
Drives adherence to commercial solutions policy for commercial deal execution, inclusive of regulatory laws and principles in local markets, company policies, and guidance for consistent deal making. Coaches sales team to ensure compliance. Maintains and ensures others' sales and negotiation strategies adhere to established guidelines, policies, and legal standards. Partners with Deal Execution Compliance (DEC) where applicable and audit teams. Leverages relevant tools including business conduct and integrity, appropriately and confidentially. Actively and promptly raises compliance issues as needed through available channels. Supports less experienced team members in addressing compliance investigations. Pre-empt and advises on potential non-compliance issues and redirect appropriately. Serves as a trusted advisor on compliance (e.g., General Data Protection Regulation [GDPR]). Drives a culture of compliance through the sales deal execution related parts of Microsoft policy (e.g., anti-corruption policy). Adheres to security policies and standards, applying proper security classification on internal and customer-facing documentation. Ensures that win/win-compliant deal making occurs while commercial solutions are created.
Develops and manages commercial plan and contributes to account plan for strategic accounts by leveraging AI to map out how to maximize qualified medium in size/scope or complex commercial opportunity for the account. Uses AI tools to analyze customer commercial opportunity history, inclusive of discounts, concessions, and consumptions for territory. Anticipates and verifies upcoming renewals as appropriate.
Leads or co-leads complex commercial deals. Partners with leaders when negotiating complex commercial terms in collaboration with the account team and Deal Managers. Develops and maintains a deeper understanding of internal and external stakeholders. Leverages formal negotiation strategies and identifies important factors for successfully negotiating (e.g., anticipates potential vulnerabilities, understands customer measurement of value in order to craft commercial solutions to meet those needs defines walk-away positions). Consults with leaders on rhythm of negotiation team planning and reporting to stakeholders. Utilizes the strategy for the negotiation approach by engaging with senior stakeholders internally and externally. Drives accountability for negotiation outcome(s).
Analyzes deals for risks related to contract growth, partner channel risk, profitability (supported by deal desk as needed), legal issues, and contracting. Assesses and escalates risk as needed. Coaches others on assessment and escalation of risk as needed. Leverages both corporate and local resources. Keeps up to date with current tools. Judges when to take risks (e.g., market making deal).
Embody our culture and values
Qualifications
Required/minimum qualifications
Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Information Technology, Law, Marketing, Finance, Communication, Education (or equivalent) or related field AND 5+ years sales and negotiation experience or related work or internship experience OR 7+ years sales and negotiation experience OR equivalent experience.
Additional or preferred qualifications
Master's Degree in Business Management, Information Technology, Law, Marketing (or equivalent) AND 6+ years sales and negotiation experience or related work OR Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Information Technology, Law, Marketing, Finance, Communication, Education (or equivalent) or related field AND 7+ years sales and negotiation experience or related work or internship experience OR 9+ years sales and negotiation experience OR equivalent experience.
Commercial Sales IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $107,600 - $187,500 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 $145,600 - $205,600 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. (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html)
