Business Planner - Strategic Partner Engagement

Overview

About Monetization Strategy & Licensing (MSL)

Monetization Strategy & Licensing (MSL) sits at the center of Microsoft's commercial strategy. The organization brings together the teams that shape how Microsoft prices, packages, and monetizes commercial products, alongside the programs, partner motions, and operational frameworks that bring those models to market.

MSL's charter is to modernize the commercial engine for an AI- and cloud-led market. The organization connects economic strategy, go-to-market design, field and partner adoption, licensing programs, and the Strategic Partner Program so that Microsoft can create durable customer value while operating with commercial clarity and discipline.

Role Overview

Business Planner – Strategic Partner Engagement is an individual contributor responsible for the day-to-day planning, coordination, and operational execution of the Strategic Partner Program in support of Microsoft’s business priorities. The role maintains constructive, consistent engagement with cloud and channel partners whose market experience informs licensing, commercial strategy, partner experience, and program decisions.

Working under the direction of senior business leaders, this role will plan partner councils, workshops, roundtables, webinars, and related meetings. The role will manage workback schedules, participant coordination, briefing materials, logistics, agendas, action tracking, and post-engagement follow-through.

The Business Planner – Strategic Partner Engagement will also operate a structured intake and tracking process for inbound partner requests, connect requests to the appropriate internal owners, monitor progress and commitments, and provide concise executive updates on engagement themes, risks, decisions, and outstanding actions. Success requires disciplined program management, sound judgment with sensitive topics, strong written communication, and an ability to coordinate across business, legal, engineering, field, and partner teams.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities

Partner Program & Agency Coordination

Own the planning and delivery of the Strategic Partner Program’s engagement portfolio, working with internal stakeholders and external agency support to create consistent, high-quality partner experiences. Align each engagement to clear business objectives, priority audiences, and measurable outcomes.

Executive Readiness & Internal Coordination

Enable effective senior leader and subject matter expert engagement with partners through strong strategic framing, coordinated cross-company input, and concise briefing and decision materials. As capability and relationships deepen, take on increasing responsibility for facilitating and ultimately leading selected senior leadership partner meetings.

Partner Request Intake, Tracking & Follow-Through

Receive and log inbound partner questions, requests, commitments, and escalations related to commercial programs, licensing, cloud and AI infrastructure, partner experience, or Strategic Partner Program commitments. Clarify each request, identify the appropriate internal owner, establish target dates, track dependencies and responses, and maintain a complete record of open and closed items. Elevate aging, sensitive, or high-impact requests with concise context, options, and recommended next steps.

Program Governance, Reporting & Continuous Improvement

Provide the governance, operating rhythm, and executive visibility needed to keep the Strategic Partner Programs focused and accountable. Synthesize partner insights and program performance into clear recommendations, strengthen repeatable ways of working, and identify opportunities to improve the impact and maturity of the program over time.

Required/minimum qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, International Affairs, Operations, or related field AND 4+ years program management, business planning, partner programs, strategic partner engagement, events, or related experience

OR equivalent experience.

Additional or preferred qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, International Affairs, Operations, or related field AND 8+ years

program management, business planning, partner programs, strategic partner engagement, events, or related experience

OR Master's Degree in Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, International Affairs, Operations, or related field AND 6+ years program management, business planning, partner programs, strategic partner engagement, events, or related experience

OR equivalent experience.

Experience leading multi-stakeholder programs or strategic engagements, with the ability to connect business objectives, stakeholder needs, and execution.

Program leadership and demonstrated ability to manage concurrent priorities, anticipate dependencies, influence without direct authority, and drive decisions and closure.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex inputs into concise executive updates, strategic briefs, recommendations, and meeting outcomes.

Demonstrated judgment and discretion in managing partner requests, sensitive issues, commitments, and escalations.

Ability to work effectively across legal, policy, business, engineering, sales, marketing, and partner-facing teams while staying within clearly defined decision rights and escalation paths.

Knowledge of cloud, software licensing, channel or partner business models, partner experience, or strategic partner programs is preferred; direct legal interpretation is not required.

Experience working in a global organization and coordinating across geographies and time zones; experience with European cloud or channel partners, industry associations, or strategic partner programs is a plus.

The role may require occasional international travel to support partner engagements and program activities.

Business Planning IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $106,400 - $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 $137,600 - $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.

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.

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Top skills: Business Development

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