Customer & Partner Engagement Manager

Overview

The Customer & Partner Engagement Manager (CPEM) individual contributor role is responsible for maximizing the impact of the CVP, Chief Operating Officer Global Enterprise Sales through deep, strategic engagements with customers and partners. This role focuses on high-quality executive interactions, operational excellence, and breakthrough opportunities that drive significant business outcomes.

The role collaborates across account teams, field sales, senior leadership, and the broader global CPEM community. It resides in the Office of the Worldwide Enterprise Sales leader, reporting to the Chief of Staff. Acts as a strategic force multiplier for the leader by translating priorities into a structured engagement framework, helping shape where executive time is invested, and driving clear decisions and measurable outcomes.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative team player, willing to roll up their sleeves to get the job done, thrives on enabling others' success, is comfortable working behind the scenes, can seamlessly integrate into a high-performing Office, and exercises sound judgment and discretion in a fast-paced, high-volume environment - a role for the strong at heart!

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

Executive Engagement Strategy & Execution

• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve customer and partner engagement strategies aligned to team goals and objectives. Build and run a consistent engagement framework that improves how executive interactions are prioritized, prepared, and followed through.
• Prioritize executive time with the right customers and partners, ensuring engagements are strategic, timely, and impactful.
• Manage the rhythm for executive-sponsored accounts, including engagement plans, strategic customer insights, and efficient tracking of actions for business impact.
• Ensure each engagement is grounded in clear objectives, relevant business context, defined decision points, and desired outcomes.
• Plan and support customer and partner visits, ensuring engagements address critical priorities for both Microsoft and the customer.
• Translate executive commitments into structured action plans, drive accountability, and ensure timely follow-up with account teams and stakeholders.
• Maximize customer, partner, and field engagements during domestic and international travel, aligning with local teams and stakeholders on site visits, leader preparation, and follow-up actions.
• Support a global leader by working effectively across markets, time zones, and cultures.

Deal Making & Sales Support

• Work directly on complex sales deals with customers, demonstrating a understanding of deal structuring, negotiation, and closing.
• Provide guidance and support to field and sales teams on best practices for deal execution throughout the sales cycle.
• Offer innovative solutions that expand the scope and value of sales opportunities while aligning to customer needs and Microsoft's strategic objectives.
• Collaborate across teams, apply sound business judgment to frame tradeoffs, risks, and decision paths in high-stakes deal and engagement scenarios.

Customer Issue Management

• Provide clear problem framing and recommended paths to resolution for complex, high-visibility issues.
• Coordinate and drive to closure customer issues and actions directed to the leader, conducting due diligence, organizing resources, and engaging the right owners or subject matter experts for resolution.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Cultivate and nurture relationships with internal stakeholders, customers, and partners.
• Coordinate and prioritize with account teams on executive engagement strategy, including requests for senior leadership involvement.
• Influence stakeholders across teams to align on engagement priorities, narrative, and desired outcomes for executive interactions.
• Actively participate and collaborate with the broader Customer & Partner Engagement community across Microsoft
• Actively participate and collaborate across the Senior Leader's Office with the willingness to step in and support broader Office priorities as needed.

Operational Excellence

• Generate the operational rigor that enables effective customer engagements in collaboration with related teams and individuals.
• Ensure alignment with field landing strategy and priorities for smooth execution and capability building.
• Drive insights and recommendations that strengthen engagement strategy, improve the leader's decision making, and optimize use of resources.
• Introduce repeatable practices that improve consistency and quality without adding unnecessary overhead.
• Drive program management excellence, managing multiple projects simultaneously and adapting plans in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years' experience in customer- or partner-facing roles in field sales, executive engagement, business operations, or related commercial roles,
• OR equivalent experience

Preferred

• Proven ability to drive cross-functional alignment and operate effectively in a matrix environment, including program and project management skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and drive disciplined follow-through.
• Experience supporting executive-level customer and partner engagements tied to strategic accounts and business outcomes; strong judgment and commercial acumen to assess risk, connect work to priorities, and guide decisions in a fast-paced environment
• Executive presence with ability to build trust and influence globally across cross-functional stakeholders, operating independently while aligning diverse perspectives to drive effective engagement outcomes
• Working knowledge of Microsoft's commercial business, customer landscape, and partner ecosystem.
• Ability to synthesize customer, partner, and field signals into actionable recommendations that strengthen engagement strategy and execution
• Comfortable operating autonomously and in ambiguity; able to move quickly and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience building practical frameworks or playbooks that improve engagement effectiveness (with familiarity using data or AI tools to enhance insights and execution).
• Willingness to step in to cover for other Office colleagues by taking on activities or initiatives not directly related to the customer engagement portfolio.

Sales Strategy Enablement 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.