Visual Communications Manager

Overview

We are seeking an exceptional Executive Presentation Designer to join the Executive Office team. This role is responsible for transforming complex ideas, business strategies, organizational priorities, and technical concepts into compelling visual narratives that influence decision-making at the highest levels of the company.

The ideal candidate combines world-class design skills with strong business acumen, executive presence, and the ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-moving environments. They possess a deep understanding of storytelling, visual communication, and executive communications, and can craft presentations that resonate with internal and external audiences, including senior leadership, customers, partners, investors, and employees.

This role reports into the Executive Office.

Key Competencies

Executive Presence

• Builds credibility with senior leaders through professionalism, judgment, and high-quality execution.
• Operates effectively in sensitive and highly confidential environments.

Storytelling

• Simplifies complex topics into clear, memorable narratives.
• Understands how to structure information for executive decision-making and influence.

Business Acumen

• Quickly grasps organizational priorities, business strategies, and operational challenges.
• Connects design decisions to business outcomes.

Agility & Execution

• Thrives under tight deadlines and changing priorities.
• Balances speed with quality in a high-visibility environment.

Collaboration

• Builds strong partnerships across functions.
• Incorporates feedback effectively while maintaining design excellence.

Impact

Success in this role is measured by:

• Clarity and effectiveness of executive communications.
• Quality and consistency of executive presentation materials.
• Influence on strategic discussions and decision-making.
• Executive stakeholder satisfaction and trust.
• Continuous improvement of storytelling and visual communication capabilities across the organization.

This role is ideal for a designer who wants to operate at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, leadership, and design, helping shape how executives communicate vision, priorities, and outcomes across the company.

Responsibilities

Executive Storytelling & Presentation Design

• Design high-impact executive presentations for leadership team meetings, all-hands, board reviews, customer engagements, keynote speeches, strategy sessions, and organizational communications.
• Translate complex business, technical, and organizational concepts into clear, persuasive, and visually engaging stories.
• Develop presentation narratives that align messaging, visuals, and data into a cohesive executive storyline.
• Create presentation frameworks that simplify complexity while maintaining strategic depth and accuracy.
• Elevate executive communications through thoughtful layout, typography, visual hierarchy, and information design.

Strategic Partnership

• Partner directly with executive leaders, chiefs of staff, business managers, and communications teams to shape messaging and narrative direction.
• Challenge assumptions and provide creative recommendations to improve clarity, audience engagement, and overall effectiveness.
• Understand business context quickly and translate leadership intent into compelling visual communications.
• Drive consistency across executive presentations while ensuring flexibility for different audiences and scenarios.

Information & Data Visualization

• Transform complex datasets, organizational structures, strategic plans, and business insights into intuitive visual representations.
• Design custom graphics, frameworks, process diagrams, infographics, and executive dashboards.
• Apply visual storytelling techniques that enable leaders to communicate data-driven insights effectively.

Creative Excellence

• Establish and uphold a high standard of design quality across executive communications.
• Develop reusable design systems, templates, visual assets, and presentation standards.
• Stay current on emerging design trends, storytelling techniques, AI-powered design tools, and presentation best practices.
• Continuously improve the executive offices visual communication capabilities.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, Communications, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of experience in presentation design, executive communications, corporate design, management consulting, agency, or related roles.
• Expert-level proficiency in PowerPoint and presentation design.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating executive storytelling, business presentation design, and data visualization expertise.
• Exceptional visual design skills including typography, layout, composition, color theory, and information hierarchy.
• Outstanding communication, stakeholder management, and collaboration skills.
• Experience supporting C-suite executives or senior leadership teams.
• Experience in technology, software, AI, consulting, or high-growth organizations.
• Knowledge of Microsoft 365, Power BI, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and AI-powered design tools.
• Ability to understand technical concepts and communicate them effectively to diverse audiences.
• Experience creating presentations for executive reviews, strategic planning, keynote events, and customer engagements.

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.

Content Program Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 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 $160,200 - $261,000 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.