Microsoft

Principal Product Manager

Microsoft • $142K — $274K *
Mountain View, CA 94040In-Person
Enterprise Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Today
Be an Early Applicant
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree and 8+ years in product management/software development or equivalent experience
  • Deep understanding of evaluating AI products and aligning evaluative measures with production data
  • Experience in extracting customer insights for impactful product improvements
  • Track record of developing and shipping AI agents to meet real user needs
  • Expertise in defining product strategy and making complex product decisions
  • Hands-on experience with prototyping and applying modern AI technologies
  • Experience partnering with enterprise customers to enhance product adoption and experiences

Responsibilities

  • Own product area end-to-end, setting strategy and making critical decisions
  • Develop a deep understanding of customer needs and challenges through direct engagement
  • Turn product vision into actionable roadmap while managing trade-offs
  • Execute in small, iterative cycles to rapidly learn and adapt
  • Design quality metrics and evaluation approaches for AI product performance
  • Integrate AI utilization into product development processes from the start
  • Collaborate with marketing and sales early in the cycle to craft a unique product narrative

Benefits

  • Collaborative work environment with industry-leading teams
  • Opportunities for professional development and career advancement
  • Engagement with cutting-edge AI technologies
  • Access to comprehensive health and wellness programs
  • Participation in innovative product development projects
  • Flexible working arrangements and supportive workplace culture
Full Job Description
Overview

We are looking for an AI-native Principal Product Manager to own a strategic portfolio within the PowerPoint product, focused on building the best agent for PowerPoint. You will decide what gets built and why, define what quality means for your area, and stay accountable for whether customers love what ships. This is a product builder's job, with you being directly involved in creating prototypes, driving customer conversations, evaluating what we are planning to ship, and delivering the best experience to our users.

Responsibilities
  • Own a product area end to end
    • Set the strategy for your area, make the calls on scope and sequencing, and be the person partners come to for a decision. You will write the vision and plans and make sure everyone building against them understands what they are and why they matter.
  • Start from the customer
    • Build a first-hand understanding of who you are building for and what is genuinely hard in their day. You will stay close to customer conversations, feedback, and telemetry every week, and be able to state the problem you are solving in plain language. Part of the craft is telling the difference between a problem that is interesting and one urgent enough that someone will change how they work.
  • Define the product and drive the roadmap
    • Turn product vision into a roadmap that team can actually execute, and make the tradeoffs it requires in the open. You will write the framing memos and specifications that let engineering, applied science and design move fast, prioritize the backlog, and adapt as evidence arrives.
  • Ship in thin slices and learn fast
    • Break large problems into slices small enough to experiment in days and ship in weeks. Frame a hypothesis before the work starts, instrument what ships, and let the result change the plan. Your area should get measurably better week over week, and you should be able to say by how much.
  • Own quality and evaluation
    • In an AI-first product, deciding what good enough means is product work, not something to hand off. You will design the evaluation approach that reflects what the product should do for a customer, covering helpfulness, accuracy, safety, and voice, and partner with engineering and data & applied sciences to run it and act on what it shows.
  • Build with AI, not just around it
    • Use AI in your own practice. Work with agents and prototype your ideas quickly to validate some of your assumptions and run experiments. We expect you to pair what AI surfaces with your own judgment, and to treat responsible use as a design constraint from day one rather than a review at the end.
  • Take the product to market
    • Bring marketing, sales, and support in at the start of the cycle instead of the end. Know what competitors have shipped and how it landed, and be able to tell the one story about this product that only we can tell.


Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree AND 8+ years experience in product management or software development
    • OR equivalent experience.

Other Requirements:
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:

Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree AND 10+ years experience in product management or software development.
    • OR equivalent experience.
  • Deep understanding on how to evaluate AI products and how to align your evals with data in production.
  • Experience extracting customer insights and turning them into impactful product improvements.
  • Building and shipping AI agents for addressing real user needs.
  • Proven track record of shipping impactful products and AI-powered experiences that deliver meaningful customer outcomes.
  • Experience defining product strategy, making complex product decisions, and applying product judgment and systems thinking.
  • Experience using product data, experimentation, user behavior metrics, and AI quality evaluation to inform decisions.
  • Hands-on experience prototyping ideas and applying modern AI technologies to solve customer and business problems.
  • Experience partnering with enterprise customers to drive adoption, gather feedback, and improve product experiences at scale.


Product Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 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 $188,000 - $304,200 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.

About Microsoft

Microsoft is an American multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services. Microsoft’s devices and consumer (D&C) licensing segment licenses the Windows operating system and related software, Microsoft Office for consumers, and the Windows Phone operating system. The company’s computing and gaming hardware segment provides Xbox gaming and entertainment consoles and accessories, second-party and third-party video games, and Xbox Live subscriptions; surface devices and accessories; and Microsoft PC accessories. Its phone hardware segment offers Lumia smartphones and other non-Lumia phones. Its D&C segment provides Windows Store, Xbox Live transactions, and Windows phone store; search advertising; display advertising; Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal; first-party video games; and other consumer products and services as well as operating retail stores. Microsoft’s commercial licensing segments license server products, including Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses (CALs); Windows Embedded; Windows operating system; Microsoft Office for business, including Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, and related CALs; Microsoft Dynamics business solutions; and Skype. Its commercial segment offers enterprise services, including premier support services and Microsoft consulting services; commercial cloud comprising Office 365 Commercial, other Microsoft Office online offerings, Dynamics CRM Online, and Microsoft Azure; and other commercial products and online services. The company markets and distributes its products through original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, as well as online.

Microsoft Careers

Join Microsoft today and be part of a company that values innovation, leadership, and diversity in its workforce. As a global leader in technology and digital transformation, Microsoft offers unparalleled job opportunities that propel your career to new heights.

Explore Career Opportunities at Microsoft

Whether you're a seasoned professional looking for your next challenge or a recent graduate eager to start your career, Microsoft has a position that suits your skills and ambitions. We are committed to fostering a culture of growth and learning, where every team member is supported in expanding their horizons.

Internship Programs

Kickstart your career with a Microsoft internship. Our internships provide invaluable workplace experience and networking opportunities in a supportive and dynamic environment. You'll work on real projects, learn from industry leaders, and gain the skills necessary for a successful career in technology.

Employment Benefits

Choosing a career at Microsoft means more than just a job. Our employees enjoy a range of benefits designed to empower them both professionally and personally. These include comprehensive health benefits, flexible working conditions, and opportunities for career advancement through professional development and diversity training.

Inclusive Culture and Diversity

At Microsoft, we believe that innovation comes from diversity of thought and inclusion. We are committed to a workplace where everyone feels valued and inspired. Our leadership is dedicated to fostering an environment where diverse perspectives lead to breakthrough innovations and a competitive edge.

Grow with Us

Career growth at Microsoft is about more than climbing the corporate ladder; it's about continuous learning, expanding your skills, and improving your capabilities. With access to various leadership and training programs, you can evolve as a professional and make a significant impact within the company and on the global stage.

Hiring Process

Our hiring process is designed to identify true potential. Starting with a review of your resume, followed by interviews that assess your problem-solving abilities and cultural fit, we ensure that all candidates have a fair chance to demonstrate their strengths and potential to contribute to our team.

Networking and Professional Development

Microsoft is a place where you can build a professional network that spans the globe. Our employees benefit from connections with top-tier professionals and industry leaders, which opens doors to innovative projects and collaborative opportunities that are second to none.

Join Our Team

If you're ready to take on exciting challenges and make a difference in the world of technology, explore the job opportunities at Microsoft. Search for open positions that match your skills and interests, and prepare to embark on a rewarding career path filled with innovation and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with the latest at Microsoft Careers by subscribing to our job alert emails. Get tailored content that aligns with your career preferences and discover the exciting and rewarding opportunities that await at Microsoft.

SEARCH MICROSOFT JOBS

At Microsoft, your future is limitless. Join us in our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Your journey with Microsoft starts here.
Learn more about Microsoft
Size
181,000 employees
Market Cap
$1,762.4 billion
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Net Income
$51.3 billion
Founded
1975
5 Year Trend
+15.5%
Revenue
$153.2 billion
NASDAQ
MSFT
* Ladders Estimates

Similar Jobs

Ad banner background

Get Ready For Your
Next Interview

More Jobs at Microsoft

More Enterprise Technology Jobs

Find similar Principal Product Manager jobs:

NationwideMountain View, CA