Business Program Management

MCAPS-Core accelerates customer outcomes and business growth. By uniting product, engineering, marketing, sales, customer success, and partners around a common customer mission, we help customers realize value faster and turn innovation into measurable business impact. Through deep technical expertise and differentiated go-to-market execution, we win competitively, capture market share, and scale repeatable growth motions. We differentiate through value creation - delivering world-class, AI-powered customer experiences that accelerate adoption, strengthen loyalty, and create sustainable competitive advantage, driving growth that outpaces the market.

Within MCAPS - Core, the Customer Service & Support (CSS) organization builds trust and confidence for every person and organization through delivering a seamless support experience. In CSS, we are powered by Microsoft’s AI technology to help consumers, businesses, partners, and more, resolve their issues quickly and securely, helping prevent future problems from occurring and achieving more from their Microsoft investment.

Technical Operations improves CSS support delivery by improving the processes, technologies, and operating mechanisms that shape customer and engineer experiences. We reduce friction, improve consistency, and accelerate adoption so engineers can focus on solving customer problems and customers receive faster, more reliable support.

Intelligent Assignment Operations enables consistent, efficient, and high-quality support by connecting business needs with effective assignment processes, controls, and system configurations.
We are seeking a Business Program Manager to own assignment operations and improvement for a delivery business unit within the Central Assignment function. You will translate business requirements into effective assignment solutions, manage operational health, resolve configuration issues, and lead improvements across people, process, technology, and data.

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.

Business Program Evaluation and Improvement

Collects and evaluates success criteria (e.g., ROI, SLAs, OKRs, KPIs) and performance metrics (e.g., acquisition, usage, impact, effectiveness, customer feedback) and uses scorecards and dashboards to monitor complex programs and ensure all activities align with business and program objectives. Uses data analytics (e.g., scenario analyses) to derive insights and training that help identify current and future program risks and mitigation plans and opportunities to streamline and optimize programs based on lessons learned, and plan to sunset programs that are no longer necessary or meeting objectives.

Utilizes direction and strategy from leadership regarding business area of expertise in order to help create and execute plans that shift current priorities to new organizational initiatives and objectives, and influences others to change behavior accordingly. Defines vision and strategy for change, broad and specific impact, and the flow of communication and interaction with the organization to drive a change management process. Ensures buy in and adoption of the new program or change by others in the organization using change management methodologies and techniques. Develops the collateral required to enable key stakeholders and others to be onboard. Contributes to identifying training and reskilling needs, and mapping of individuals in partnership with Human Resources (HR). Partners with business process outsourcing (BPO) vendors to ensure that their contractors have the proper skills and capabilities Microsoft requires.

Conducts cost-benefit analyses to examine performance to value drivers (e.g., profit and loss [P&L], return on investment [ROI]). Contributes to monthly business review (MBR), and runs rhythms regularly to identify what is working and what is not and makes improvements accordingly.

Business Program Excellence and Execution

Evangelizes complex programs to stakeholders, partners, and customers to gain buy in. Leverages data and performance metrics (e.g., OKRs and KPIs) to demonstrate the value of the program and show business impact through storytelling and using scorecards and realtime dashboards. Adapts communication style and storytelling strategy according to audience and business needs.

Defines and executes on a landing and communication plan (e.g., target audience(s), communication strategy) informed by Microsoft's security principles. Leads the rhythm of business (ROB) during plan execution to ensure participants and stakeholders are communicating and responding according to the necessary cadence. Works across teams (e.g., Landing Design, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, Technical Program Management) to ensure all program requirements are understood and can be met.

Business Program Management

Contributes to or leads a portfolio of projects including the project plan, documentation of roles and responsibilities (e.g., responsible, accountable, consulted, informed [RACI] framework), timelines, milestones, financial management, performance metrics, and/or resource needs for complex programs. Communicates the program status and risk to relevant stakeholders and holds them accountable for following the established schedule, risk mitigation plans, and processes.

Demonstrates an understanding of mapping or how systems work and impact one another using process flow mapping tools. Works with and leverages other teams (e.g., Supply Chain, Engineering, Sales) and senior stakeholders to ensure program processes are rigorous, informed by security principles and executed efficiently. Develops processes around scope and scheduled changes for programs, and communicates it to stakeholders.

Business Program Planning and Design

Performs program landscape research and analysis (e.g., internal and/or external market, sales, delivery), forecasting, and examines business insights and trends (e.g., customer feedback and expectations) to identify stakeholders and program scope, and stay current, agile, and competitive. Understands overall business goals, objectives, and strategies, as well as short- and long-term business priorities (e.g., artificial intelligence [AI], security, efficiency, quality). Understands and identifies current program risks, impact, and mitigation plans.

Defines and tracks the success criteria (e.g., return on investment [ROI], service level agreements [SLAs], objectives and key results [OKRs] and key performance indicators [KPIs]) and performance metrics (e.g., quality, adoption, usage, impact, effectiveness) for the program, and identifies which data will result in data-driven decision making.

Works with cross-functional (e.g., organizational, product, business) stakeholders (e.g., Engineering) to design complex security-, privacy-, and other regulatorily-compliant programs from initiation to delivery, with minimal coaching. Produces collateral (e.g., proposals, strategy walking deck, internal and external pitch content) to incorporate stakeholder needs and ensure the business objectives are met.

Identifies and scopes opportunities to develop new programs and improve current ones. Identifies and provides solutions to root problems (e.g., root-cause analysis), defines the program strategy, gathers program requirements, establishes and maintains alignment with stakeholders/leaders, identifies resource needs, creates the project plan and targets, and works across teams to align on the plan of record. Improves operations of existing programs by identifying appropriate methodologies and best practices, defining and diagnosing complex program issues, assessing various scenarios, and selecting the optimal scenario to resolve issues. Drives clarity in complex program issues and strives for simplification. Ensures security principles are incorporated into all planning processes.

Other: 

• Embody our culture and values 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 4+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement 
  • 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.

Additional or  Preferred Qualifications:

• Independent ownership of complex operational programs and influence across business and technical teams.
• Strong analytical problem solving and ability to translate business requirements into operational processes, configurations, and measurable improvements.
• Customer support or service operations experience, preferably involving intelligent or skills-based assignment.
• Experience with configuration governance, change management, reporting, workflow improvement, or automation.

Business Program Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $97,600 - $188,400 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 $125,000 - $206,400 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.