Strategic Account Director

Overview

Three global leaders. One unique role. You’ll lead Microsoft’s U.S. relationship with three strategic customers, with primary focus on one of the world’s leading Advertising & Marketing Services companies, while also driving strategy across two global leaders in energy and utilities industry.

We're looking for someone who combines a seller's business sense with a technologist's credibility. You'll own the customer relationships and also shape the technical strategy that turns AI, data and cloud ambitions into results. You'll work hand in hand with our global account leadership and technical strategy teams in Paris, France. Together, you'll run one connected strategy across both sides of the Atlantic for three of Microsoft's most strategic French-headquartered customers.

Responsibilities

Account Management

• Owns the strategic account plan for a leading marketing, advertising, and communications company (primary focus), while driving the U.S. strategy for two global energy and utilities customers in partnership with the global account teams.
• Drives pipeline, forecast, revenue and consumption targets using the Microsoft sales methodology, and runs joint account governance with the customer and partners.
• Leads the extended Microsoft team (industry experts, technical specialists, solution architects, Customer Success) and partners to deliver big bets and new business.
• Builds partner co-sell and joint solutions to scale outcomes.

Customer Engagement

Builds trusted relationships with executive, business and technical decision makers (CIO, CTO, CDO, CISO, Chief AI/Data Officers), and sets up a regular executive rhythm of business focused on value and return on investment.

Is credible in technical conversations. Understands the customer's technology estate, data landscape and AI roadmap, and maps them to Microsoft's AI, data, cloud and security solutions.

Brings in Microsoft technical resources and product groups at the right time for envisioning sessions, proofs of concept and technical validation. Advocates for the customer's roadmap needs.

Challenges customer thinking with new ideas, manages competitive risk and captures customer wins as references.

Industry Knowledge

Understands marketing, media and advertising, and/or energy and industrial technology. Positions Microsoft solutions in that context, for example AI and agents for creative and media workflows, and data, IoT and sustainability for energy and industry.

Sales Excellence

Builds value-based business cases and cross-solution strategies that link business goals to Microsoft technology.

Drives upsell, cross-sell and consumption growth, and agrees on success measures with the customer, including adoption.

Works with Customer Success to anticipate risks and protect customer satisfaction. Keeps the stakeholder map up to date, including technical sponsors

Required/minimum qualifications

Bachelor's Degree AND 10+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR Master's Degree AND 9+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR 13+ years experience in working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR equivalent experience.

6+ years experience making recommendations to and/or collaborating with mid-to-senior level executives.

8+ years experience closing large, complex agreements/deals.

Other Requirements

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.

Additional or preferred qualifications

Bachelor's Degree AND 13+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR Master's Degree AND 11+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, government, education, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR equivalent experience.

Experience discussing cloud, data and AI solutions with technical decision makers such as the CTO, CDO and engineering leaders.

Track record of working alongside technical teams (solution architects, technical specialists) to shape and close complex deals.

Experience managing a portfolio of strategic accounts at the same time, and setting priorities across them.

Comfortable working with global account teams and leaders across time zones, especially Europe.

Experience with advertising, media, marketing, or MarTech industries; OR experience with energy, utilities, or sustainability industries.

History of growing multimillion-dollar relationships through new workloads, consumption and partner-led motions.

Effective executive presence with C-suite stakeholders, and experience building multi-year account plans.

Experience co-selling with partners or system integrators.

Strategic Account Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $133,000 - $222,700 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 $170,300 - $239,800 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.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. 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, regulations and ordinances.

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

Insights from previous hires

Top skills: Account Management, Business Development, Business Acumen, Leadership

Common previous titles: Manager Customer Success, Senior Specialist, Account Executive, Digital Account Executive, Senior Management, Digital Specialist, Senior Business Manager, Solution Engineer, Sales Manager, Human Resources Generalist