Overview

The Data & AI Business Development team is responsible for strategic partnerships, opportunity identification, and growth initiatives across Microsoft’s Data & AI portfolio. We are seeking a Director, Business Development to join the team driving AI partnerships and strategic initiatives, focused on commercial growth of Azure AI across AI Natives and Digital Natives Companies.

Responsibilities

• Define and author commercial and ecosystem strategies in close collaboration with product and marketing teams, including partnership constructs, business models, and GTM strategies.
• Expand the reach and relevance of the Microsoft AI platform through meaningful engagements with leading partners and customers.
• Stay knowledgeable on the AI space: follow the latest AI news, develop technical/platform depth, and identify and execute against market trends with a systematic approach.
• Demonstrate and live Microsoft values and principles of teamwork, curiosity, self-awareness, integrity, diversity and allyship.

This work helps to develop partner strategies that enable commercial acceleration of our AI Platform.

Responsibilities (Continued)

• Partner & Customer Focus: Leverage internal and external networks to develop new strategic relationships; act as a trusted advisor with key stakeholders; work cross-functionally on internal strategy and coordinate with virtual teams to deliver alignment on objectives and outcomes.
• Articulate the value of Microsoft solutions, understand customer and partner business priorities, and influence decision making across opportunities.
• Market Signal: Develop processes for information gathering and reporting, synthesizing insights and trends from engagements for executive consumption.
• Partnership Strategy: Encourage customers and partners to apply and amend value propositions to create partnerships; influence internal stakeholders and promote opportunities; position the Microsoft value proposition versus competitors.
• Identify and collaborate with diverse stakeholders to source deals that create commercial value for the AI Platform; map target customers/partners and provide input on partner recommendations.
• Formulate partnership strategies for products and businesses with input from relevant stakeholders; actively manage deal pipelines and govern execution plans across a portfolio of deals.

Negotiation & Deal Management

• Represent Microsoft in key customer and partner interactions; propose deal structures; collaborate to close opportunities and scale the business; provide coaching to less experienced colleagues as a negotiation resource.
• Develop plans for managing deals, including communications and reporting with Microsoft stakeholders; collaborate with customers, partners, and Microsoft colleagues to ensure post-deal governance and alignment in execution plans.
• Ensure customers and partners are prepared for implementation.

Qualifications

• Required/Minimum Qualifications: Bachelors Degree in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, or related field AND 10+ years of relevant work experience (e.g., publisher and content licensing, business development, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, product management, project management, or related field) OR equivalent experience.
• Experience in structuring and negotiating complex strategic alliances or acquisitions.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, or related field AND 12+ years of relevant work experience (as described above) OR Masters/Advanced Degree in Business, Sciences, or related field AND 10+ years of relevant work experience (as described above) OR equivalent experience or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in the content/publishing or technology industry.

Compensation & Notice

Business Development IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $130,900 - $251,900 per year. There is a different range for specific locations (San Francisco Bay Area and New York City metro). The base pay range for those locations is USD $165,600 - $272,300 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. For more information, see the official pay details here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until October 13, 2025.

EEO & Accommodation

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. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.