Senior Executive Communications Manager

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

5d•$106,400 - $222,600•Remote

About The Position

At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. We’re looking for a Senior Executive Communications Manager to be the strategic communications partner to the Executive Vice President of the Apps & Agents Engineering organization. This role is high-impact and high-visibility, focusing primarily on the EVP and leadership team's external presence (~80%), including industry keynotes, customer and partner events, media and analyst moments, and signature narrative platforms. It is complemented by internal communications (~20%) to keep the organization aligned and inspired. This role requires a senior communicator who is comfortable in various settings, from keynote rehearsals to product deep-dives and CEO-level briefings. You will own the executive narrative end-to-end: shaping the point of view, writing content, producing events, and coaching speakers. Technical curiosity is essential, as you will work on the frontier of technology across AI, products, and platforms, translating complex information into resonant stories for developers, customers, partners, and employees. Microsoft fosters a growth mindset and a learn-it-all culture, valuing collaboration and innovation.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Finance, or related field AND 4+ years communications, marketing operations, field operations, program management, project management, or related experience, OR equivalent experience.
4+ years of experience writing for, advising, or directly supporting C-suite or senior executive principals.
Demonstrated experience writing keynotes, scripts, or long-form speeches delivered to audiences of 1,000+ and to media/analyst audiences.
Experience communicating about technology — software, cloud, AI, developer platforms, or adjacent technical domains.
Deep familiarity with the developer, enterprise IT, AI, or cloud landscape — ability to hold your own in a technical review and know what questions to ask.
Proven ability to coach senior executives on delivery, presence, and message discipline — with the confidence to give a principal direct feedback.
Experience producing keynotes and demos for tier-one industry events (Build, Ignite, re:Invent, Google I/O, WWDC, Davos, or comparable) from a communications seat.
Track record of building thought-leadership platforms — LinkedIn presence, podcast strategy, op-eds, or signature blog franchises — that move industry conversation.
Sound judgment under pressure; fluency with reactive comms, sensitive moments, and ambiguity.
Effective cross-functional operator: ability to navigate Microsoft’s scale, build coalitions across PR, AR, Product, Brand, and Engineering, and move work forward without formal authority.
A genuine passion for technology — reading research, following launches, and having opinions about industry direction.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Public Relations, Marketing, or a related field AND 8+ years of executive communications, speechwriting, corporate communications, or journalism experience, OR equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Define and steward the EVP and select additional leaders’ external narrative architecture, including core points of view, proof points, and storylines that align with Microsoft’s broader product and AI strategy.
Translate complex technical strategy, product roadmaps, and engineering bets into clear, differentiated stories for developers, customers, partners, press, and analysts.
Build and devise key messages with supporting evidence for key product and industry news cycles, in partnership with product marketing and public relations.
Partner with product, research, and corporate communications teams to ensure message consistency across launches, milestones, and reactive moments.
Develop signature thought-leadership platforms such as blogs, op-eds, LinkedIn posts, podcast appearances, and long-form interviews to build a durable industry voice.
Own end-to-end keynote development for major industry and customer moments (e.g., M365 Conference, Power Platform, Inner Circle, Microsoft Build, Ignite, customer summits, partner events, third-party industry conferences).
Lead the keynote process from concept and outline through final script, including demo storytelling, customer proof, and the narrative that ties technical announcements to a human story.
Collaborate with engineering leaders, product marketing, design, and demo teams to deliver technically precise content with clarity on stage.
Iterate quickly on drafts, transforming outlines into full keynotes within days and rewriting as needed based on changes.
Build the EVP’s annual external moments plan in partnership with the Chief of Staff, communications leadership, and event teams, prioritizing executive presence and strategic impact.
Lead executive preparation for tier-one external events, including briefing decks, run-of-show, audience analysis, message maps, Q&A preparation, social amplification, and post-event measurement.
Partner with production, design, and AV teams to shape the on-stage experience, including visuals, demos, segment pacing, and stagecraft, to reinforce the message and the moment.
Manage customer councils and executive roundtables connected to event moments.
Serve as the primary speech and presence coach for the EVP and leadership team, running rehearsals, providing direct feedback, and partnering on delivery, pacing, and audience connection.
Build a briefing discipline to ensure the EVP is fully prepared for every external moment, understanding the audience, their interests, desired outcomes, and key talking points.
Anticipate and prepare for challenging questions, including those related to competition, regulation, AI safety, and customer concerns, with concise, on-strategy responses.
Craft the EVP’s voice for internal communications, including all-hands meetings, town halls, written notes to the organization, and culture-defining communications.
Ensure internal and external narratives are tightly aligned so employees receive strategic information from their leader before it is publicly released.
Partner with the Chief of Staff and HR communications on organizational announcements such as reorganizations, leadership changes, and milestone events.
Operate as a trusted advisor to the EVP and their leadership team, providing judgment, candor, and a strategic point of view.
Partner deeply with Product Marketing, Corporate Communications, PR, Brand, Social, and the broader Engineering Comms community.