OverviewWe are seeking an experienced Sr Business Program Manager to lead the modernization of partner attribution metrics, beginning with the replacement of Partner Admin Link (PAL). This role will define and launch a secure, scalable attribution approach, integrate it into critical downstream processes, and establish a broader strategy for evolving partner-impact measurement across the company.
The Sr Business Program Manager will dedicate the internal ownership for a highly visible launch with significant potential to strengthen how partner impact is demonstrated across the company. The successful candidate will operate across partner strategy, Azure Engineering, sales compensation, security, analytics, Partner Incentives and Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program (MAICPP) designation management. The role requires strong program leadership, sound judgment in highly controlled production environments, and the ability to translate ambiguous business needs into durable operating mechanisms.
This is an individual-contributor role expected to independently lead a strategically important, company-wide program with significant ambiguity, technical dependencies, and executive visibility. The role will set direction, establish governance, drive execution across organizational boundaries, and deliver measurable business outcomes without relying on direct authority.
Responsibilities- Lead the PAL replacement program: Own the end-to-end roadmap, requirements, governance, delivery plan, launch readiness, adoption, and transition from the current metric.
- Define attribution strategy: Develop a multi-year strategy for modernizing partner attribution metrics, including PAL and other partner attribution, with clear principles for security, accuracy, scalability, and business value.
- Drive cross-functional alignment: Establish shared requirements and decisions across Azure Engineering, partner teams, sales compensation, incentives, MAICPP designation management, security, privacy, legal, finance, and analytics.
- Design downstream integration: Ensure the replacement metric can be operationalized in compensation, designation, reporting, and other dependent processes with appropriate controls and traceability.
- Build program mechanisms: Create operating rhythms, decision forums, dependency tracking, risk management, executive communications, and escalation paths.
- Develop measurement and insights: Define success metrics, monitor partner adoption and data quality, identify gaps, and translate findings into product and process improvements.
- Lead change management: Develop partner and field readiness plans, communications, documentation, feedback loops, and migration support.
- Influence without authority: Resolve competing priorities and ambiguous ownership across organizations while maintaining momentum and accountability.
- Represent the program: Communicate strategy, progress, trade-offs, risks, and recommendations to senior leaders and stakeholder forums.
QualificationsRequired Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 6+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement OR equivalent experience.
Preferrerd Qualifications
- +10 years of experience in business program management, product operations, strategy, engineering program management, or related discipline.
- Demonstrated success leading large-scale, complex, cross-functional initiatives from strategy and design through launch, governance, and operationalization.
- Experience translating business requirements into solutions spanning engineering, data, security, and customer and partner operations.
- Strong understanding of data governance, privacy, security, access controls, or software and data production-environment risk management.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level synthesis and recommendations with demonstrated ability to influence and align senior leadership across organizations without direct authority.
- Strong analytical judgment, problem-solving skills and ability to derive meaningful success measures from imperfect data.
- Experience with Microsoft partner ecosystems, systems integrators, cloud marketplaces, channel programs, or partner attribution.
- Experience with Azure, cloud platforms, enterprise scale analytics, seller compensation, partner incentives, or partner designation programs.
- Familiarity with attribution models such as PAL or other partner attribution and with the operational challenges of partner-impact measurement.
- Experience launching enterprise scale initiatives span across technical, business, operations, and sales organizations.
- Proven ability to lead change across global partner and field communities.
- Candidates who live within 50 miles of Microsoft's Redmond campus will be required to work in the office 3 days per week.
Business Program Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $116,900 - $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 $148,400 - $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.
