Business Program Manager

As part of the Partner Delivery Operation team, the Business Program Manager will lead the demand in the region, counsel the delivery teams on the requirement to use subcontractors for customer specific staffing requirements. You will also analyze the reskilling potential to continue to deliver on the most innovative solutions where deal pipeline begins to build and prescribe where partners can complement the full capacity of those available to staff.

You will collaborate with internal stakeholders, such as sales, delivery, legal, finance, and Operations and Delivery Excellence, to ensure alignment and coordination of the partner selection process and outcomes. You will manage the full time contractor demand for the region as well as monitor any upcoming capacity gaps that we may need to solution, ensuring that the partners deliver high-quality work, meet the project timelines and budgets, and adhere to the contractual obligations and compliance standards.

You will also coordinate with other teams to provide regular feedback and support to partners, addressing any issues or challenges, resolving conflicts, and facilitating communication and collaboration.

Finally, you will play a pivotal role in contributing to the Capacity Acquisition Strategy by analyzing deal pipeline and staffing demand requirements. This individual will recommend strategic engagement of contractors for short-term and long-term needs and provide coaching to deal teams on the best approach to optimize outcomes.

The Partner Delivery Operation team is part of the Operations and Delivery Excellence organization for Industry Solutions Delivery (ISD) and manages an effective and efficient external partner ecosystem. We aim to increase partner usage in ISD through our different motions of sell with, build with and deliver with. The team has a critical role in ensuring that the right partner companies are onboarded and managed, to meet our expectations of financial and execution excellence. Moreover, the Partner Delivery Operation team supports strategic consulting deal negotiations to get the best value for our customers and stakeholders.

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 achieve our mission!

Responsibilities

Business Program Planning and Design

• Performs program landscape research and analysis (e.g., internal and/or external market, sales, delivery), forecasting, and examines business trends (e.g., customer feedback and expectations) to identify audience size and program scope, and stay current, agile, and competitive. Understands overall business goals, objectives, and strategies, as well as short- and long-term business priorities. Understands and identifies current program risks, impact, and mitigation plans.
• Identifies and scopes opportunities to develop new programs and improve current ones. Identifies and provides solutions to root problems (e.g., root-cause analysis), defines the program strategy, gathers program requirements, identifies resource needs, creates the project plan and targets, and works across teams to align on the plan of record. Improves operations of existing programs by applying industry methodology, defining complex program issues, assessing various scenarios, and selecting the optimal scenario to resolve issues. Drives clarity in complex program issues and strives for simplification.
• Works with cross-functional (e.g., organizational, product, business) stakeholders (e.g., Engineering) to design compliant, complex programs from initiation to delivery with minimal coaching. Produces collateral (e.g., proposals, strategy walking deck, internal and external pitch content) to incorporate stakeholder needs and ensure the business objectives are met.
• Defines and tracks the success criteria and performance metrics (e.g., Objectives and Key Results [OKRs] and Key Performance Indicators [KPIs]), such as quality, adoption, usage, impact, effectiveness) for the program.
  
  

Business Program Excellence and Execution

• Defines and executes on landing and communication plans, such as the target audience(s) and communication strategy. Leads the rhythm of business (ROB) during plan execution to ensure participants and stakeholders are communicating and responding according to the necessary cadence. Works across teams (e.g., Landing Design, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, Technical Program Management) to ensure all program requirements are understood and can be met.
• Evangelizes complex programs to stakeholders, partners, and customers to gain buy in. Leverages data and performance metrics (e.g., Objectives and Key Results [OKRs] and Key Performance Indicators [KPIs]) to demonstrate the value of the program and show business impact. Adapts communication style and storytelling strategy according to audience and business needs.
  
  

Business Program Management

• Contributes to or leads a portfolio of projects including the project plan, timelines, milestones, financial management, performance metrics, and/or resource needs for complex programs. Communicates the program status and risk to relevant stakeholders and holds them accountable for following the established schedule, risk mitigation plans, and processes.
• Demonstrates an understanding of mapping or how systems work and impact one another. Works with and leverages other teams (e.g., Supply Chain, Engineering, Sales) to ensure program processes are rigorous and executed efficiently. Develops processes around scope and scheduled changes for programs and communicates them to stakeholders.
  
  

Business Program Evaluation and Improvement

• Conducts cost-benefit analyses to examine performance to value drivers (e.g., profit and loss [P&L], return on investment [ROI]). Contributes to monthly business review (MBR) and runs rhythms regularly to identify what is working and what is not and makes improvements accordingly.
• Collects and evaluates success criteria and performance metrics (e.g., Objectives and Key Results [OKRs] and Key Performance Indicators [KPIs]), such as acquisition, usage, impact, effectiveness, and customer feedback, and uses scorecards and dashboards to monitor complex programs and ensure all activities align with business and program objectives. Uses data analytics (e.g., scenario analyses) to derive insights and training that help identify current and future program risks and mitigation plans, as well as opportunities to streamline and optimize programs based on lessons learned.
• Utilizes direction and strategy from leadership regarding business area of expertise in order to help create and execute plans that shift current priorities to new organizational initiatives and objectives, and influences others to change behavior accordingly. Defines vision and strategy for change, broad and specific impact, and the flow of communication to the organization. Ensures buy in and adoption of the new program or change by others in the organization. Develops the collateral required to enable key stakeholders and others to be on board. Contributes to the training, reskilling, and mapping of individuals in partnership with Human Resources (HR).
  
  

Other

• Embody our culture and values
  
  

Qualifications

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance or related field AND 4+ years work experience in program management, process management, process improvement
• OR equivalent experience
• 4+ years of proven experience in business program management, preferably within a similar industry.
• 2+ years of regular interaction with senior level stakeholders, both internally and externally.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in partner selection, partner management, or business development, preferably in a consulting or professional services environment.
• Knowledge and understanding of the partner ecosystem, market trends, and best practices.
  
  

Business Program Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $94,600 - $183,800 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 $122,000 - $200,500 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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until September 24, 2024.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.