Business Planner - Strategic Partner Engagement

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

2d • $106,400 - $222,600

About The Position

The Business Planner – Strategic Partner Engagement is an individual contributor responsible for the day-to-day planning, coordination, and operational execution of Microsoft's Strategic Partner Program in support of business priorities. The role maintains consistent engagement with cloud and channel partners whose market experience informs licensing, commercial strategy, partner experience, and program decisions.

Working under the direction of senior business leaders, the Business Planner plans partner councils, workshops, roundtables, webinars, and related meetings, and manages workback schedules, participant coordination, briefing materials, logistics, agendas, action tracking, and follow-through. The role also operates a structured intake and tracking process for partner requests, connects requests with internal owners, monitors progress and commitments, and provides concise executive updates on engagement themes, risks, decisions, and outstanding actions.

Success requires disciplined program management, judgment with sensitive topics, strong written communication, and the ability to coordinate across business, legal, engineering, field, and partner teams. The position may require occasional international travel to support partner engagements and program activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, International Affairs, Operations, or a related field and 4+ years of program management, business planning, partner programs, strategic partner engagement, events, or related experience; or equivalent experience.
• Ability to lead multi-stakeholder programs or strategic engagements and connect business objectives, stakeholder needs, and execution.
• Demonstrated ability to manage concurrent priorities, anticipate dependencies, influence without direct authority, and drive decisions and closure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including synthesizing complex inputs into concise executive updates, strategic briefs, recommendations, and meeting outcomes.
• Judgment and discretion in managing partner requests, sensitive issues, commitments, and escalations.
• Ability to work across legal, policy, business, engineering, sales, marketing, and partner-facing teams while observing decision rights and escalation paths.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in a listed or related field and 8+ years of relevant experience; or a master's degree in a listed or related field and 6+ years of relevant experience; or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of cloud, software licensing, channel or partner business models, partner experience, or strategic partner programs.
• Experience working in a global organization and coordinating across geographies and time zones.
• Experience with European cloud or channel partners, industry associations, or strategic partner programs.

Responsibilities

• Own planning and delivery of the Strategic Partner Program's engagement portfolio, coordinating with internal stakeholders and external agency support to deliver consistent, high-quality partner experiences aligned to business objectives, priority audiences, and measurable outcomes.
• Prepare senior leaders and subject matter experts for partner engagement through strategic framing, coordinated cross-company input, and concise briefing and decision materials; take increasing responsibility for facilitating and leading selected senior leadership partner meetings.
• Receive and log inbound partner questions, requests, commitments, and escalations related to commercial programs, licensing, cloud and AI infrastructure, partner experience, or program commitments.
• Clarify partner requests, identify internal owners, establish target dates, track dependencies and responses, and maintain complete records of open and closed items.
• Escalate aging, sensitive, or high-impact requests with concise context, options, and recommended next steps.
• Provide governance, an operating rhythm, and executive visibility to keep the Strategic Partner Program focused and accountable.
• Synthesize partner insights and program performance into clear recommendations, strengthen repeatable ways of working, and identify opportunities to improve program impact and maturity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level