Sr. Finance Manager at Microsoft in Redmond, WA

Empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. That's what inspires us, drives our work and pushes us to challenge the status quo every day. Through our Cloud-first strategy, we strive to deliver solutions that are optimized for the world and enable customers to drive their business more successfully. Microsoft's Margin Strategy and Investment Optimization (MSIO) team is an exciting and fast-evolving finance team at the forefront of Microsoft's Cloud-first strategy. We are looking for a talented and motivated individual to help shape the future of our cloud products.

The team's charter is to optimize our investments in cloud infrastructure while driving down unit cost of capacity, ensuring cloud services achieve both profit and gross margin growth. As a leader on this team, you'll also support long term bets and drive competitive intelligence to keep Microsoft Cloud ahead of the competition. All while enhancing transparency into Cloud Infrastructure investments and safeguarding shareholder interest.

We currently have an opening for an experienced Senior Finance Manager to join the MSIO C+AI Finance team leading current and long-term margins for Azure's Cosmos, Database and PaaS workloads.

The main focus of this role will be:

Lead the Gross Margin health (GMH) reporting for Azure all up including ownership of monthly / quarterly rhythm, owning and driving content along with working across teams to drive crisp and succinct messaging on Azure business health performance

Performs analysis and research of present and future financial performance and collaborate across Azure COGS team, Azure revenue team and central teams in landing the GMH rhythms

Driving process excellence in collaboration with Business Intelligence teams by enhancing tools which helps up level reporting through adopting new reporting tools like PBIs etc., and working closely with the systems / BI teams to support cube enhancements

Ability to communicate clearly and crisply in executive meetings and driving content for presentations to senior leaders in MSIO and adhoc requests thereof

Responsibilities:

Prioritize

• Performs analysis and research of present and future financial performance, financial plans (e.g., expected returns, resource allocation, pricing, investment opportunities) and economic transactions (e.g., customer deals, commercial partnerships, acquisitions, etc.).
• Assists in the execution of annual business planning and forecasting process. Completes analysis, modeling, and research to support preliminary and adjusted forecast cycles; partners and solicits insight from business and commercial stakeholders.
• Provides business leader support and actionable insights during financial close periods. Reviews recurring financial reporting and presentations; identifies trends, and formulates action plans. Determines financial results (e.g., revenue, profitability, OPEX, etc.) and conducts variance analyses; identifies variance causes and solutions. Collaborates to ensure execution of plans and accountability for results.

Partnership

• Provides business insights and recommendations to peers and stakeholders to achieve revenue and profitability goals and drive shareholder return, including; resource allocation, cost optimization, revenue generation, trends, and future requirements. Manages and executes processes through engagement with internal and external stakeholders. Collaborates with business leaders to define action plans for financial and business analysis findings.
• Applies advanced understanding of Microsoft Finance and business (e.g., monetization strategy, market, key drivers, revenue channels, advanced technology, and business partner work context) to multiple situations to evaluate results and analysis. Develops and manages strategies to proactively mitigate, or reactively address, potential adverse effects of macroeconomic and/or geopolitical risks. Maintains working knowledge of Microsoft financial systems, policies, and processes to evaluate potential impacts of changes, and drives improvements in efficiency and accuracy.
• Integrates varied data sources and assimilates the information into a comprehensive, clear narrative. Communicates results in a compelling and understandable message. Articulates understanding and awareness of business partner situation.

Qualifications:

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science, or related field AND 4+ years of post-graduate financial analysis, accounting, controllership, or finance work experience

▪ OR Master's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science, or related field AND 2+ years of post-graduate financial analysis, accounting, controllership, or finance work experience

▪ OR equivalent experience.

Preferred qualifications

• Knowledge of cloud services and/or infrastructure is highly desirable.
• Regularly able to demonstrate leadership and inclusion best practices
• Ability to think strategically and communicate effectively with all levels of management
• Translate financial analysis and insights into meaningful and actionable business communications and recommendations
• Manage multiple projects with excellent attention to detail under deadlines.
• Outstanding written & verbal communication skills and experience presenting to executives