Solution Partner Development Manager-Director

Are you inspired by the prospect of helping our customers achieve their digital transformation by leveraging the power of Microsoft’s Cloud and solutions? Are you excited by the opportunity to drive Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy and sales across a select group of Microsoft’s most strategic and high growth partners?

Enterprise Partner Sales, part of Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions (MCAPS) - Core, is accountable for building and co-selling innovative Microsoft Cloud & AI solutions and services, with our global Enterprise partners. Our Enterprise partner portfolio includes global systems integrators, advisories, high-value management consultancies (SI), independent software vendors (ISV) and software development companies - working together to empower people and organizations to achieve more.

In your role, you will lead the Cloud and AI motion for two large GIS, with a strategic focus on infrastructure / mainframe modernization / migration and AI. You’ll drive sustainable sales impact through deep partner engagement and execution, owning the end-to-end pipeline-from opportunity creation and tracking to deal closure. You will focus on solution building, selling and influence partner innovation, while developing and executing joint Cloud and AI strategies between Microsoft and the partners.

Acting as a trusted advisor and business leader, you’ll build strong relationships with C-suite stakeholders and collaborate across global teams to accelerate performance, resolve challenges, and unlock transformational outcomes. This opportunity will allow you to accelerate your career growth by working with highly complex partner organizations, deepening your business and technical acumen, and shaping the future of cloud modernization at scale.

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

Strategic Planning & Alignment

You will help develop and execute a strategic and tactical partner business plan aligned with Microsoft’s Cloud and AI priorities. This includes setting global KPIs with GSI partners to drive cloud adoption, AI innovation, and mainframe modernization. Plans will reflect both short- and long-term goals, performance expectations, and partner capabilities across complex enterprise environments.

Solution Creation

You will shape partner solution build and IP, helping partners create high-impact Cloud and AI offerings, industry solutions and agentic AI scenarios, and championing each firm's internal Copilot adoption as a customer-zero showcase.

Go-to-Market & Co-Sell Execution

You will lead the creation of Cloud and AI-focused go-to-market strategies and co-sell execution plans, driving partner pipeline development, tracking, and closure. You’ll facilitate pipeline reviews, coach partner teams on evolving their sales and consumption strategies, and ensure consistent reporting and executive business reviews to accelerate deal velocity-particularly in mainframe migration scenarios.

Performance Management & Rhythm of Business

You will be accountable for your GSI partners’ Cloud and AI performance with Microsoft, maintaining a regular rhythm of engagement with executive, sales, and delivery teams. This includes identifying and resolving blockers, driving adoption of Microsoft programs, and executing correction-of-error plans when performance gaps arise.

Executive Engagement & Strategic Alignment

You will build trusted-advisor relationships with C-suite leaders across GSI partners, aligning their strategic goals with Microsoft’s Cloud and AI vision. Through joint account planning and strategic alignment, you’ll help unlock mutual growth and long-term impact, especially in areas of infrastructure modernization and AI transformation.

Capability & Capacity Development

You will lead and support partner enablement through Cloud and AI skilling programs, helping GSI partners achieve Microsoft certifications and build high-impact practices. This ensures partners are equipped to deliver scalable, secure, and modernized solutions across enterprise customers.

Escalation Management & Internal Orchestration

You will represent the partner in resolving complex and urgent Cloud and AI-related escalations, guiding internal Microsoft teams to prioritize partner issues and solutions. You’ll orchestrate across Microsoft and GSI organizations to accelerate execution and ensure strategic alignment.

Qualifications

Required/minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Business Operations, Computer Science or a related field AND 8+ years experience in partner management, sales, business development, or partner channel development in the technology industry or related experience OR equivalent experience.

Other requirements:

• Microsoft is unable to sponsor a work visa for this role due to the nature of the role’s job duties.

Additional or preferred qualifications

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Business Science, or an advanced degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) or a related field AND 10+ years experience in partner management, sales, business development, or partner channel development in the technology industry or related experience OR equivalent experience.
• Hands-on expertise in Microsoft Cloud and AI Solution, gained in roles such as Global Black Belt, Solution Specialist (SSP), Solution or Partner Development Manager, or equivalent.
• Proven ability to balance technical depth with executive presence, emotional intelligence and consultative selling, with the confidence to engage partners and managing directors / practice lead executives
• Must have the ability to frame ambiguous business opportunities, create structured business recommendations, adapt quickly based on senior stakeholder input and effectively communicate to internal & external leadership teams.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate & drive sales results through a global v-team.

Partner Development 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.