Director, AI Strategy & Operations Program Manager

Microsoft • Mountain View, CA

2d

About The Position

Microsoft AI's Superintelligence team is building the most capable and safe AI systems in the world. We operate as a lean research lab inside Microsoft, developing proprietary frontier models that power products used by billions of people. The Business Strategy team sits within the Office of the CEO of Microsoft AI. We are a small, flat team of individual contributors - no layers, no management hierarchy. The team is a mix of former investment bankers, top-tier strategy consultants, and technical advisors, and we work directly on the problems that matter most to the organisation's success. Our job is to identify what needs to change and make it happen. We shape the operating cadence for model development, drive compute and resource allocation decisions, produce competitive intelligence, and author the strategic analysis that informs leadership decisions. The work lands real outcomes - we don't build decks that sit in a drawer. We are hiring a Director to join this team.

Requirements

• Sharp analytical skills with the ability to get up to speed on unfamiliar topics fast and form well-evidenced views. You're comfortable being wrong and changing your mind when the data says so
• Strong written communication. You can produce a crisp two-page memo that executives reads end-to-end, not a 50-page deck they skim
• Comfort with ambiguity. The scope of this role will shift as priorities shift. You won't always have perfect information, clear ownership boundaries, or a playbook to follow
• High agency. You notice what's broken, figure out the fix, and drive it without waiting to be asked
• Genuine curiosity about AI and large-scale model development. You don't need a PhD, but you do need to care about the technology and be willing to build real understanding of how frontier models are trained and deployed
• Humility. The team operates in service to the organisation. Strong opinions held loosely, low ego, and a willingness to do whatever the work requires - including the unglamorous parts
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration or related field AND 4+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization experience OR Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Liberal Arts, Computer Science, or related field AND 6+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization experience OR equivalent experience.
• 5+ years’ experience working in investment banking or a consultancy firm in the capacity of an Associate, Analyst, Consultant or equivalent, or otherwise as a Program Manager.
• 3+ years’ experience in Strategy, Management Consulting, and/or Finance.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in strategy consulting, investment banking, private equity, corporate strategy, or a similar high-intensity analytical environment
• A track record of operating at pace in environments where the stakes are real and the decisions matter
• Experience working near senior leadership and producing materials that hold up under scrutiny
• The ability to work across technical and non-technical teams, translating between the two fluently
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration or related field AND 8+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization experience OR Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Liberal Arts, Computer Science, or related field AND 12+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization experience OR equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Own competitive and market intelligence across the AI landscape. Track what matters, synthesise it into sharp briefs, and turn analysis into concrete recommendations that leadership acts on
• Shape and run the operating cadence for model development - organise decision forums, curate pre-reads, pressure-test proposals, and drive follow-through so decisions don't stall
• Drive compute and resource allocation across strategic priorities. Understand what the organisation needs, where the constraints are, and how to get maximum impact from finite resources
• Coordinate execution across teams - partner with engineering, research, infrastructure, and product to unblock priorities, escalate risks early, and keep critical initiatives moving
• Author strategic analysis and recommendation memos. Translate complex technical and market dynamics into clear, evidence-based positions that leadership can act on
• Build relationships across Microsoft and with external partners, representing the team's priorities and ensuring alignment on what matters

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

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