OverviewRole OverviewBusiness Planner - Strategic Partner Engagement is an individual contributor responsible for the day-to-day planning, coordination, and operational execution of the Strategic Partner Program in support of Microsoft's business priorities. The role maintains constructive, consistent engagement with cloud and channel partners whose market experience informs licensing, commercial strategy, partner experience, and program decisions.
Working under the direction of senior business leaders, this role will plan partner councils, workshops, roundtables, webinars, and related meetings. The role will manage workback schedules, participant coordination, briefing materials, logistics, agendas, action tracking, and post-engagement follow-through.
The Business Planner - Strategic Partner Engagement will also operate a structured intake and tracking process for inbound partner requests, connect requests to the appropriate internal owners, monitor progress and commitments, and provide concise executive updates on engagement themes, risks, decisions, and outstanding actions. Success requires disciplined program management, sound judgment with sensitive topics, strong written communication, and an ability to coordinate across business, legal, engineering, field, and partner teams.
ResponsibilitiesPartner Program & Agency CoordinationOwn the planning and delivery of the Strategic Partner Program's engagement portfolio, working with internal stakeholders and external agency support to create consistent, high-quality partner experiences. Align each engagement to clear business objectives, priority audiences, and measurable outcomes.
Executive Readiness & Internal CoordinationEnable effective senior leader and subject matter expert engagement with partners through strong strategic framing, coordinated cross-company input, and concise briefing and decision materials. As capability and relationships deepen, take on increasing responsibility for facilitating and ultimately leading selected senior leadership partner meetings.
Partner Request Intake, Tracking & Follow-ThroughReceive and log inbound partner questions, requests, commitments, and escalations related to commercial programs, licensing, cloud and AI infrastructure, partner experience, or Strategic Partner Program commitments. Clarify each request, identify the appropriate internal owner, establish target dates, track dependencies and responses, and maintain a complete record of open and closed items. Elevate aging, sensitive, or high-impact requests with concise context, options, and recommended next steps.
Program Governance, Reporting & Continuous ImprovementProvide the governance, operating rhythm, and executive visibility needed to keep the Strategic Partner Programs focused and accountable. Synthesize partner insights and program performance into clear recommendations, strengthen repeatable ways of working, and identify opportunities to improve the impact and maturity of the program over time.
QualificationsRequired/minimum qualifications- Bachelor's Degree in Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, International Affairs, Operations, or related field AND 4+ years program management, business planning, partner programs, strategic partner engagement, events, or related experience
- OR equivalent experience.
Additional or preferred qualifications- Bachelor's Degree in Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, International Affairs, Operations, or related field AND 8+ years
- program management, business planning, partner programs, strategic partner engagement, events, or related experience
- OR Master's Degree in Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, International Affairs, Operations, or related field AND 6+ years program management, business planning, partner programs, strategic partner engagement, events, or related experience
- OR equivalent experience.
- Experience leading multi-stakeholder programs or strategic engagements, with the ability to connect business objectives, stakeholder needs, and execution.
- Program leadership and demonstrated ability to manage concurrent priorities, anticipate dependencies, influence without direct authority, and drive decisions and closure.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex inputs into concise executive updates, strategic briefs, recommendations, and meeting outcomes.
- Demonstrated judgment and discretion in managing partner requests, sensitive issues, commitments, and escalations.
- Ability to work effectively across legal, policy, business, engineering, sales, marketing, and partner-facing teams while staying within clearly defined decision rights and escalation paths.
- Knowledge of cloud, software licensing, channel or partner business models, partner experience, or strategic partner programs is preferred; direct legal interpretation is not required.
- Experience working in a global organization and coordinating across geographies and time zones; experience with European cloud or channel partners, industry associations, or strategic partner programs is a plus.
- The role may require occasional international travel to support partner engagements and program activities.
Business Planning IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $106,400 - $203,600 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 $137,600 - $222,600 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.
