Microsoft Alliance Manager

Huron Consulting Services•Chicago, IL

1d•Remote

About The Position

Huron is redefining what a global consulting organization can be. Advancing new ideas every day to build even stronger clients, individuals and communities. We’re helping our clients find new ways to drive growth, enhance business performance and sustain leadership in the markets they serve. And, we’re developing strategies and implementing solutions that enable the transformative change they need to own their future. As a member of the Huron corporate team, you’ll help to evolve our business model to stay ahead of market forces, industry trends and client needs. Our accounting, finance, human resources, IT, legal, marketing and facilities management professionals work collaboratively to support Huron’s collective strategies and enable real transformation to produce sustainable business results. Join our team and create your future. The Microsoft Alliance leader will set the enterprise vision for how Huron engages, grows, and differentiates within the key partner ecosystem. This leader owns the end-to-end partner strategy—spanning alliance governance, joint business planning, ecosystem growth, and operational excellence. Acting as Huron’s relationship owner, the leader drives measurable business impact by aligning executive stakeholders, developing multi year strategies, collaborating on partner and field marketing programs, and executing against shared growth priorities. This role blends strategic leadership, executive influence, and hands on execution, operating as a connector across sales, industry leadership, marketing, delivery, capability teams, and partner organizations. The leader must bring deep experience within the Microsoft ecosystem, but also be able to manage other relationships aligned to the business unit. This person will have a strong alliance management expertise, and the ability to lead through complexity in a matrixed organization.

Requirements

7+ years of progressive experience in alliance management, partner marketing, channel sales, or technology partnerships.
Bachelor’s degree required.
Deep experience and established relationships within the Microsoft ecosystem (GSI/consulting experience preferred).
Demonstrated success influencing executive stakeholders internally and externally.
Experience operating in complex matrixed organizations and leading cross-functional teams.
Ecosystem Expertise: Deep understanding of partner programs, co-sell motions, certifications, portals, and ecosystem dynamics.
Strategic Leadership: Ability to define long-term strategy, guide organizational alignment, and lead transformation.
Executive Influence & Communication: Trusted advisor capable of commanding a room and driving decision-making.
Relationship Development: Exceptional ability to cultivate strong partnerships across executives, sales, marketing, and delivery teams.
Data-Driven Governance: Skilled at developing KPIs, dashboards, operational processes, and performance insights.
Innovation & Change Management: Leverages AI tools, data insights, and new approaches to modernize programs and improve impact.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Effective at aligning matrixed teams around shared partner and GTM goals.

Responsibilities

Define and own Huron’s multi-year, enterprise-level Microsoft partner strategy. Establish governance frameworks, joint planning structures, KPIs, and operating rhythms. Assess performance of the partnership portfolio and recommend shifts in GTM focus, investments, or resource allocation. Drive long-term strategies to grow influence, strengthen partner alignment, and increase pipeline and revenue contribution.
Act as the senior relationship owner, representing Huron across partner leadership forums. Lead quarterly and annual planning cycles, business reviews, co-sell alignment, and strategic initiatives with Microsoft executives. Expand Huron’s influence within the ecosystem through networking, relationship building, and participation in key alliance programs.
Serve as a trusted advisor to internal executives, translating partner strategy into actionable enterprise initiatives. Partner with senior leaders across industry, capability, sales, product, delivery, and marketing functions to ensure unified execution. Represent alliance strategy in enterprise-level forums and guide cross-functional teams through complex partner priorities.
Collaborate closely with Technology & Industry Marketing to activate coordinated GTM efforts, including joint campaigns, sales plays, and event participation. Collaborate and lead Alliance responsibilities for Huron’s presence at major events including executive meeting engagement, partner award nominations and other sales focused activities to bring the Huron brand to light. Align partner programs with account mapping, co-sell activity, partner education, and enablement of field teams.
Manage partnership agreements, renewals, certifications, listing requirements, and performance milestones to maintain or elevate partnership tier. Oversee portal, presence, deal registration and all programs available to maximize the relationship. Establish and manage dashboards, performance frameworks, and reporting cadences for alliance initiatives. Leverage data and insights to drive decision-making, optimization, and continuous improvement.