Director Business Development
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 27, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 21, 2026. Microsoft scores B on the Alion truth index.
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.
In this role, you will:
Define and author commercial and ecosystem strategies in close collaboration with product and marketing teams including creative 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
Be knowledgeable on the AI space: follow the latest emerging AI news, develop technical / platform depth and have a systematic approach to identifying and executing against market trends
Demonstrate and live our 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
Partner & Customer Focus
Leverages internal and external network to develop new strategic relationships. Develops relationships as a trusted advisor with key stakeholders. Works cross-functionally on internal strategy and works with v-teams to deliver alignment on objectives and outcomes.
Articulates the value of Microsoft solutions, leveraging knowledge of customer and partner business priorities and/or drivers to influence decision making. Looks across opportunities to identify and address broad issues and trends.
Market Signal
Develops processes and channels for information gathering and reporting, including synthesizing key insights and trends gathered from engagements for executive consumption.
Partnership Strategy
Encourages customers and partners to apply and amend a value proposition in order to create a partnership. Influences internal stakeholders and partners and promotes the value of opportunities.
Positions the Microsoft value proposition versus competitors and works with stakeholders to influence the build/buy/partner decision to meet customer needs, leveraging knowledge of Microsoft and customer issues in conjunction with product/industry teams to establish a foundation for future opportunities in competitive situations through collaboration. Provides insight on industry and/or competitive trends and drives action based on insights.
Identifies and collaborates with a diverse set of stakeholders to develop plans to source deals that will accrue commercial value to the AI Platform. Identifies opportunities and strategy and maps target customers/partners. Provides input into recommendations on partners.
Formulates partnership strategy for products and businesses with input from relevant stakeholders. Active management of deal pipeline by identifying, promoting, prioritizing, guiding, and influencing processes that develop and deliver on pipeline opportunities and optimize resources..
Negotiation
Represents Microsoft in key customer and partner interactions and recommends deal structures. Collaborates proactively to close opportunities and scale the business. Identifies opportunities for customized approaches. Resolves deal issues as an escalation point for less experienced colleagues. Provides coaching and support to less experienced colleagues as a go-to resource for negotiation.
Deal Management/Governance
Develops plans for managing deals, including communications, and reporting with Microsoft stakeholders. Resolves blocking issues using known techniques.
Collaborates with customers, partners, and Microsoft colleagues to develop post-deal governance and ensure design, communication, and alignment in creation and implementation of execution plans across a portfolio of deals within a particular domain.
Ensures customers and partners are prepared for implementation.
Other
Embody our culture and values
Qualifications
Required Qualification
Bachelor's Degree in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, or related field AND 10+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field)
OR equivalent experience.
Additional or preferred qualifications
Bachelor's Degree in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, or related field AND 12+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field)
OR Master's/Advanced Degree in Business, Sciences, or related field AND 12+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field)
OR equivalent experience.
8+ years experience in the technology industry or in a related industry OR in a technical role (e.g., IT, Engineering, cloud platforms, digital transformation, capabilities, solutions).
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 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 $165,600 - $272,300 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.