Director of Executive Communications

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

About The Position

Azure Marketing is seeking a communications leader to shape the stories, messages, and executive platform for the Corporate Vice President of Azure Marketing. The Director will translate technical, business, customer, and market experience into clear, compelling stories that connect Azure innovation to customers, employees, partners, and the market. The role will build a distinctive narrative platform connecting product innovation, customer needs, and Microsoft’s broader cloud and AI story, with messaging that can scale across announcements, keynotes, customer engagements, employee communications, and market moments. This leader will serve as a trusted executive partner, providing candid counsel, bringing structure to complex discussions, identifying priority messages, and preparing the executive for high-impact moments. The position combines long-range narrative development with rapid-response execution in a fast-paced environment where priorities can shift quickly. It also calls for creative and visual sensibility, including the ability to bring narrative, design, and production together for compelling presentations and audience experiences. The Director will collaborate with leaders across Azure, product and engineering, sales, corporate communications, executive offices, and Marketing. The role requires sound judgment with sensitive information, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to strengthen the executive’s impact and authentic voice across internal and external channels. Microsoft describes its mission as empowering every person and organization to achieve more, and emphasizes a growth mindset, innovation, collaboration, respect, integrity, accountability, and an inclusive work environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, Finance, or a related field and 6+ years of communications, marketing operations, field operations, program management, project management, or related experience, or equivalent experience.
Experience advising and supporting senior executives in a global, complex, or highly matrixed organization.
Experience developing executive communications across live events, employee communications, social media, and thought leadership.
Experience leading cross-functional communications programs and advising through confidential, high-stakes situations.
Experience supporting major product launches, industry events, customer engagements, media moments, or organizational change.
Experience building and measuring an executive social platform.
Ability to develop executive presentations and visual storytelling, with understanding of large-scale event production, stagecraft, audience engagement, and executive delivery.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Finance, or a related field and 8+ years of relevant experience, or a bachelor’s degree in those fields and 12+ years of relevant experience, or equivalent experience.
4+ years of specialized functional experience, such as retail or technology.
6+ years of experience supporting senior executives in an executive communications role.
3+ years of experience working with social media platforms.

Responsibilities

Own the integrated executive communications strategy for the Corporate Vice President of Azure Marketing.
Serve as a trusted advisor, recommending narrative, audience, timing, channel strategy, opportunities, and risk.
Establish a collaborative working rhythm with the executive, bringing developed drafts and points of view and preparing the executive for important engagements.
Develop and maintain an authentic, differentiated executive voice grounded in business priorities, customer needs, and the evolving cloud and AI market.
Prepare the executive for complex, sensitive, and high-stakes moments and provide practical counsel when priorities change.
Build and evolve a distinctive Azure Marketing narrative that connects the portfolio into a coherent customer and market story.
Create durable messaging frameworks that scale across audiences, channels, product innovation, and major business moments.
Translate technical, product, customer, and business material into clear, credible, human stories without losing substance or precision.
Develop speeches, keynotes, presentations, talking points, briefings, executive emails, videos, articles, social content, and other audience-facing materials.
Lead communications for major internal and external moments, including customer and partner events, employee engagements, media opportunities, and industry events.
Identify thought leadership opportunities that strengthen the executive’s credibility and advance business priorities.
Shape the narrative, creative approach, and executive experience for keynotes, industry events, customer engagements, and other high-visibility speaking opportunities.
Partner with event production and creative teams on stagecraft, lighting, visual storytelling, and techniques for engaging large audiences.
Develop or direct executive presentations and visual assets, applying design judgment and brand principles.
Collaborate with designers, creative agencies, and production partners to create visual experiences that reinforce the executive’s message and authentic voice.
Lead the strategy for the executive’s social presence, combining authentic voice, audience insight, creative concepts, and performance data.
Partner with creative, brand, agency, vendor, and production teams to develop high-quality social assets and formats.
Shape leadership communications that help employees understand organizational strategy, priorities, decisions, and ways of working.
Align internal and external narratives so employees have context around major announcements and market moments.
Build and manage an integrated editorial calendar and executive communications pipeline.
Lead efficient processes for intake, prioritization, drafting, review, and approval.
Build trusted relationships across Azure, product and engineering, sales, corporate communications, executive offices, and Marketing to strengthen communications.
Guide agency, vendor, and extended-team support and focus resources on high-impact work.
Use audience feedback, engagement data, and business signals to assess impact and improve future communications.
Operate effectively amid ambiguity, sensitive information, accelerated timelines, and frequent change.
Embody Microsoft’s Culture and Values.