Job Description

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, being diverse and inclusive and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. Growth mindset encourages each of us to lean in and learn what matters most to our customers, to create the foundational knowledge that enables us to make customer-first decisions in everything we do. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. You can help us achieve our mission.
This is a unique opportunity for a bold, customer oriented, strategic thinker to help identify unique prospects and execute Microsoft cloud deals that drive significant publicity, competitive share, and revenue for the Microsoft Azure platform. The focus will be on targeting start-ups that have the potential to grow on the Microsoft Azure platform as well as Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365.
This team at Microsoft is at the leading edge of our business and one of the fastest growing and most exciting groups in the Company. We operate like a “start-up” within Microsoft and the team driving this initiative is incredibly entrepreneurial and high-performance. Senior leaders across Microsoft are making an incredible commitment to this initiative and we are rapidly scaling this program, looking for new talent to join our rapidly expanding team.
The Startup Commercial Executive will lead and orchestrate the One Microsoft team efforts to drive ambitious growth and wins with start-ups on the Microsoft Cloud Platform. This senior role will partner closely with resources in Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions, Engineering, Marketing, Finance and Legal, Business Desk, and other groups across Microsoft.

The Impact You’ll Be Making

Responsibilities

The Startup Commercial Executive is a trusted advisor who leads the design and execution of our high potential startup commercial strategy and negotiation, positioning the right commercial solution at the right time and ensuring every deal is compliant and profitable for Microsoft.
Deep Proactive Engagement

• 
  Demonstrates Startup understanding. Works within existing portfolio to gain strategic position. Drives the creation of best practices for deal making. Builds consistency across deals. Examines deals from different angles (e.g., year over year), models different variables to make the most effective deal. Presents and speaks at a C-level audience to understand business solutions outside of technology solutions (e.g., productivity gains, financial impact to a startup, Op-ex [operational expenditure] versus Cap-ex [capital expenditure]) and understands the terminology working at this level.

• Demonstrates strong leadership and engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that their teams are executing effectively while reaching milestones and that all internal stakeholders are aligned on closing to avoid deal delay. Leverages mastery of sales science (e.g., pipeline metrics, closed rates, competitive selling) to lay out a strategic sales execution cadence.

• Fosters alignment across teams, especially with regards to aligning Microsoft portfolio and customer business outcomes. Shares best practices and strategies across internal teams (e.g., product groups, field sales force, leadership). Leads initiatives to create clarity in work. Inspires teams to follow through on plans. Buys engagement from multiple stakeholders to ensure that all Microsoft solution capabilities are represented.

• Leads and is a coach to customer support/account teams, ensuring that value is delivered during lifecycle management planning lifecycle management planning and that all teams are aligned on Startup priorities, strategies, and budget to maximize annuity and cloud growth. Ensures that team understands the Startups' priorities and strategies, and plans programs of services appropriately. Influences the development of local programs and offers according to market requirements. Works collaboratively with the partner ecosystem to drive Microsoft strategy and business outcomes through partner sales where applicable.

Qualifications

Experiences Required: Education, Key Experiences, Skills and Knowledge:
Key Experiences:

• Proven Azure big-deal making experience
• Seasoned sales and negotiation professional. Unafraid of conflict.
• Positive attitude and a passion for working with startups.
• Comfortable speaking at all organizational levels, from the CxO to the procurement/purchasing teams.
• Able to explain complex solutions; skilled at simplifying the complex.
• Strategic, long-term thinker able to analyze data to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
• Team player and collaborative - high performing individualists will not be successful.
• In-depth and strategic understanding of Microsoft licensing programs will be essential but not required at hiring.
  

Education, Skills and Knowledge:

• 10+ years sales and negotiation experience
• Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Information Technology, Law, Marketing (or equivalent) or related field AND 12+ years sales and negotiation experience or related work or internship experience