Talent Manager

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

About The Position

The Experiences + Devices (E+D) organization at Microsoft is a dynamic, talent‑embedded group that partners closely with senior leaders to shape the direction, depth, and agility of our workforce. Within this environment, the Talent Manager provides strategic, enterprise‑level talent leadership across multiple of Microsoft’s most critical and fast-moving organizations. The role serves as the connective tissue across aligned major organizational layers of business units and/or leadership ensuring unified execution on shared transformation agendas, future‑ready talent pools, and AI‑first organizational needs. It operates at scale and requires enterprise judgment, horizontal leadership, and deep partnership with organizational layers of business leadership (L2 leaders, Human Resource Business Partners, and cross-company talent stakeholders). In this role, you will play a critical role in creating the conditions for talent outcomes across a large, complex organization. The team is deeply connected to leadership—often partnering multiple times per quarter—which requires business acumen, curiosity, and the ability to operate at pace. As a Talent Manager, you will design, guide, and manage end‑to-end talent management programs that address organizational needs and help leaders make informed, strategic people decisions. You’ll leverage data to drive insights, implement talent tools and methodologies, and provide thought leadership on best practices. You serve as a subject matter expert, advising HR and business leaders on workforce planning, evaluation, succession, forecasting, and organizational capability building. Key focus areas include: Designing and implementing scalable talent programs and processes Leveraging data and analytics to inform decisions and influence leaders Consulting as an SME on talent strategy, workforce planning, and evaluation Building tools, frameworks, and assessments that guide leaders to make effective talent decisions Reinforcing and contributing to Microsoft’s talent philosophy, strategy, and standards Supporting talent reviews, succession planning, capability building, and organizational forecasting Driving implementation of learning programs and manager guidance where applicable Ultimately, success in this role is defined by the ability to build deep relationships, act as a bridge between business and HR, and execute with clarity and pace in a dynamic organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Business, or related field AND 7+ years experience in HR practices or program/project management OR 10+ years experience in Human Resources practices, program/project management, Human Resources Business Partnership, Talent Management or equivalent experience
3+ years experience managing large-scale or complex projects/programs

Responsibilities

Strategically Identify and Deliver on Business-Aligned Talent Priorities
Own and drive a talent strategy grounded in business outcomes, leveraging quarterly horizontal planning and sprint-based execution.
Derive & Integrate insights from workstreams such as In-Business Talent Talks, AI persona mapping, and critical roles frameworks to inform business impactful talent priorities and actions.
Proactively manage talent knowledge outside the HRBP remit, enabling cross-org visibility and strategic decision-making.
Measures of Success, examples include: Quality and impact of talent discussions, exercisable succession or split plans, acceleration of critical talent pools, extended depth and breadth of TM work, reduction of fire drills, and seamless integration of talent motions across orgs.
Accelerate Business Outcomes through Talent Management Rhythms
Establish and leverage new team rhythms (e.g., adaptive whiteboarding, stacked 1:1s, quarterly horizontals) to surface and address high-impact, cross-org priorities.
Drive horizontal workstreams aligned quarterly
Foster intentional movement of talent within and across orgs to unlock readiness, broaden successor pipelines, and drive organizational agility.
Integrate enterprise-wide programs and local initiatives for maximum value and business impact.
Measures of Success: Timely, high-quality deliverables for EVP, LT, SLT/BOD; connected talent and org talks; aligned succession scenarios; and improved talent movement outcomes.
Enable Organizational Agility and Future-Ready Talent Pools
Lead boundaryless succession planning, shifting from role-based to skills-based, scenario-ready talent pools.
Identify, map, and manage critical roles and talent, with a focus on broadening various aspects of diversity, external leadership, and future business needs.
Promote bold, adaptive leadership and intentional talent movement to build readiness and unlock business value.
Measures of Success: Robust, diverse succession plans; increased external leadership diversity; accelerated development of critical talent pools; and expanded talent pools for future readiness.
Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis and Application
Designs and/or implements talent management tools, methodologies, and principles (e.g., skills assessments, organizational diagnostics, successor talent assessments) to improve benchmarking, evaluation, forecasting, decision-making, and management of talent.
Exchanges information with partners and peers in other disciplines on organizational diagnostics, analysis, interpretation, and presentation techniques.
Talent Management Consulting
Acts as a subject matter expert to consult internal clients on talent management solutions and best practices in the industry; proposes data-based recommendations to business leaders, leveraging knowledge of best practices and company policies and procedures, as well as related laws and regulations.
Communicates talent management approaches (e.g., talent planning, succession planning) to leaders and stakeholders (HR and business), often at the executive level, utilizing data to educate and influence buy-in and implementation of solutions.
Follows, contributes to, reinforces, and may help to develop philosophy, strategy, and standards for how Talent Management helps businesses respond to talent-related opportunities and demands (e.g., succession management, talent discussions); helps to develop tools and/or assessments that guide managers to make effective talent-related decisions.
Drive Accountability, Ownership, and Strategic Partnership
Clarify ownership across Talent Management, HRBPs, and business leaders, ensuring alignment and accountability throughout all processes.
Use Executive Succession Planning and People Succession Planning (ESP/PSP) language and frameworks to unify talent management concepts and documentation. SPTool utilization & validity of critical talent.
Collaborate across teams to identify and prioritize emerging talent and business needs, shaping horizontal actions and strategic levers.
Measures of Success: Clear role accountability, improved performance differentiation, rigorous evaluation of partner population health, and effective succession planning.
Change Management
Evaluates business drivers to make a case for change adoption; assesses risks and benefits of the changes, develops effective change-management strategies, and ensures communications and readiness materials are in place to facilitate the transition of Talent Management programs/processes.
Proactively anticipate future business needs, balancing immediate priorities with long-term success. Adapt and reprioritize work relentlessly to maximize impact and maintain sharp business focus.
How We Work
Talent Management Model
Champion and operationalize the “lightly pinned and pooled” talent management model—serving as the strategic talent lead for aligned orgs while collaborating horizontally to deliver on shared priorities, drive innovation, and enable scalable impact across E+D.
What Is the Lightly Pinned and Pooled Talent Management Model? This hybrid approach balances intentional business alignment (“pinned”) with scalable, horizontal impact (“pooled”).
Pinned Resourcing:
Each Business-Aligned Talent Manager is the face of talent management for specific organization GM/CVP and below leaders.
Accountable for driving horizontal priorities across those orgs.
Owns select horizontal priorities as DRI, leveraging pooled team resources.
Curates intentional business engagement, without duplicating the HRBP’s “know the talent” remit.
Pooled Resourcing:
Talent Managers collaborate on cross-org work products to deliver shared priorities.
Operate as a team (not siloed by org) to execute deliverables like Boundaryless Succession Planning, Critical Roles, and In Business Talent Talks.
Enables flexibility, efficiency, and innovation—especially for urgent needs or strategic pivots
Attributes
Embody our culture and values, championing inclusion, growth mindset, and leadership excellence.
Win fans - Foster advocacy and engagement by cultivating buy-in, amplifying partner impact, and driving meaningful business outcomes.
Demonstrate curiosity for emerging trends and innovations, while applying business acumen to talent strategies.
Operate with agility and urgency, prioritizing actions according to evolving business needs.
Balance immediate talent priorities with long-term strategic workforce planning to ensure sustained organizational success. Keep both short term & long-term talent plans in balance.
Build partnerships across HR and business stakeholders to influence and implement talent priorities effectively.