Edge + platform [E+P] is responsible for Microsoft’s Operating Systems, IoT & Edge products, Engineering Systems, and Health Platforms that span cloud-to-edge and edge-to-cloud. E+P is the platform team for the company and the foundation upon which virtually every Microsoft product and service, like Azure, Xbox, HoloLens, Visual Studio, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft Teams, is built. E+P products and services enable engineers to build out, deploy, manage, monitor, and secure Azure, Windows, and the rest of Microsoft. Additionally, E+P is responsible for several multibillion-dollar businesses of its own including Windows and Azure Monitor. E+P’s mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more, meeting them where they live, work, and make decisions – at the edge.

We are seeking an outstanding Executive Communications Manager to drive our Executive Communications program.

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

Orchestration

• Collaborates with others on the development and production of communications materials and deployment of communications tactics. With guidance, proactively includes relevant others to inform content and messaging. Engages with internal and external stakeholders to meet objectives. Leverages technical expertise and knowledge of successful campaigns in managing work of self and others. Ensures adherence to Microsoft standards.

Communication Strategy Setting and Planning

• Develops thought leadership initiatives to form communications strategy and planning. Defines and executes tactics in support of overall strategy, ensuring consistency of voice across messages and channels. Participates in business planning discussions as appropriate. Translates value proposition into effective communications strategies and storytelling that resonate with target audience(s). Understands, segments, and targets audience needs and adapts communications strategies accordingly. Scales messages appropriately for a given effort, including expertise in the levers to use to achieve scale and planning for scale from the outset. Translates value proposition into effective communications strategies and storytelling that resonate with target audience(s). Understands audience needs and adapts communications strategies accordingly. Scales messages appropriately for a given effort. Embeds D&I throughout strategy and execution.

Storytelling and Messaging

• Develops storytelling opportunities by using data and insights. Collaborates across teams to develop stories in ways that generate positive perceptions towards Microsoft. Determines the format of stories. Leverages expertise to determine what format is most appropriate and meaningful for a story and target audience(s). Attends to cadence of storytelling (e.g., duration, evolution), including content development and curation to land a story. Ensures confluence of content and audience across stories. Creates narratives based on messaging frameworks that drive content development and deployment.

Execution of Communication Strategy

• Develops collateral materials (e.g., decks, posts, talking points) for use in specific communications initiatives and events. Makes cause and effect connections to ensure content is consistent across the channels with which Microsoft is connected to a given audience. Understands how audience is being addressed by others and the appropriateness of formats (e.g., Webinars, podcasts, posts, core materials for field) for one-to-one (1:1) and one-to-many (1:many) engagements. Recommends and develops frameworks and commensurate collateral. Solicits feedback and iterates as appropriate. Modifies narratives in real time based on reaction/response. Tests effectiveness of messaging. Understands available channels, which channels to leverage, and what to advocate for in terms of messaging. Takes steps to ensure work is complementary and not duplicative or conflicting with others' efforts. Understands standardized tools and templates available and uses them appropriately. Executes strategy with adherence to program. Using judgment and flexibility to align activities to overall strategy.

Stakeholder Management

• Identifies needed content and develops content to support education, guidance, and advice to internal stakeholders, customers, and partners on communications strategy and tactics. Develops expertise in stakeholder groups and individuals and leverages that understanding in execution of tasks. Solicits understanding of perspective, goals, and desired outcomes of stakeholders. Establishes, refines, and manages expectations and priorities. Establishes decision making criteria and principles at outset to drive priorities and expectations. Clarifies roles and responsibilities with others to prevent gaps in delivery. Ensures alignment on strategic intent as foundation for execution of tactics. Establishes rhythm of business (e.g., cadence, intent, content to keep stakeholders informed and up to date). Escalates appropriately. Recognizes and takes action to be broadly inclusive of perspectives and styles in a manner that suits stakeholders. Resolves issues within scope and escalates issues as needed. Gathers and shares feedback appropriately.

Reputation Management

• Identifies opportunities to enhance reputation and perception and develops content accordingly, including correcting inaccuracies when they occur. Identifies and takes action to address potential reputation risk issues. Develops content to mitigate those risks. Acts as a trusted advisor within Microsoft by advancing and protecting the corporate image and reputation. Anticipates, understands, and leverages factors that impact reputation (e.g., privacy, data). Determines what is appropriate to withhold, share, continue, or stop based on relevant internal and external factors. Engages with others to manage and conduct research on people, platforms, and forums to determine appropriateness, impact, risk, vulnerabilities, and alignment of values. Recommends and implements course of action accordingly.

Drive and Monitor Messaging and Impact

• Monitors, tracks, and analyzes the impact of and responses to messaging for a given issue. Creates responsive materials as needed. Engages others appropriately in responsive efforts. Leverages insights to inform data-driven proactive approaches. Mentors others in top practices. Shares and socializes insights with stakeholders on reputational impact. Gathers, leverages, and synthesizes data to guide insights and iterate solutions. Mentors others in the use of data to drive outcomes. Sets metrics and key performance indicators [KPIs] to evaluate effectiveness at outset. Evaluates and adjusts as needed. Identifies, develops, and implements measures to evaluate effectiveness and to iterate as content, platforms, and desired outcomes evolve. Communicates findings based on measurement strategy. Recommends and implements improvements accordingly. Develops data tools, determines KPIs and packaging for narratives. Drives impact within scope.

Specialty Responsibilities

• Partners and mentors others on the overall comms strategy for executive leaders internal and external communications aligned to team, business, and organizational objectives, ensuring consistency of voice across messages and channels. Defines and executes tactics in support of overall strategy, ensuring consistency of voice across messages and channels. Oversees a coordinated organizational approach to managing exec social strategy for their exec and across the full leadership team where needed. Mentors others on and drives strategy for internal and external events including participation, narratives, and production. Identifies opportunities to enhance reputation and perception and develops content accordingly. Coaches others and provides leadership and coordination for organizational comms where needed.

• Drives development of current and relevant templates and materials, building on effectiveness of previously used materials. Collaborates within the organization in the development of materials and drives work with some guidance (e.g., briefing documents, talk tracks, video scripts, PowerPoint slides). Identifying needs for new executive materials or contents, translating a vision to create a message and frame it appropriately into net-new materials.

• Mentors others and partners on the planning and development of an organization and/or leaders employee communications strategy. Partners with others to create communications to inform and facilitate employee communications. This may include leader communications like all-hands, SharePoint sites, organization emails, organization changes, etc. Drives the planning around a cadence of communications for employees in a specific organization or geography, including negotiating with collaborators to align on priorities. Measures, plans, and informs team efforts by utilizing data and insights from internal surveys and feedback channels. Creates content and storytelling that is current and aligned with internal and external relevant corporate guidance (e.g., legal and policy regulations, financial). Assists in the creation, adoption and use of new technology and tools to help facilitate two-way dialogue between leaders and employees.

Other

• Embody our culture and values

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Finance, or related field AND 4+ years Communications, Marketing Operations, Field Operations, Program Management, Project Management, or related experience

• OR equivalent experience

Other Requirements:

• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: Microsoft Cloud Background Check

• This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Finance, or related field AND 6+ years Communications, Marketing Operations, Field Operations, Program Management, Project Management, or related experience

• OR equivalent experience

• 4+ years experience supporting senior executives in an executive communications role

• 3+ years experience working with social media platforms

• 3+ years experience working in technology

Communications IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $101,200 - $194,800 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 $130,000 - $213,200 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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until April 29, 2024.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .