Cloud AI Platform Manager - Retail

Overview

The Cloud & AI Platform M1 role in Retail & Consumer Goods is a people-manager, platform specialist leadership position responsible for driving Azure and AI consumption outcomes across Microsoft's most strategic retail and consumer goods customers.

Unlike IC Solution Engineering roles that focus on individual opportunity execution, the M1 Cloud & AI Platform leader owns platform health, consumption strategy, and execution across a portfolio of accounts, often with large, committed MACCs and Unified Agreements.

This role sits within the Cloud & AI Commercial Solution Unit (CSU) and works in close partnership with:

• ATU / STU sellers
• CSAMs
• Specialists and Solution Engineers
• Industry leadership (RCG)

The role is not quota-carrying in the traditional sense; instead, success is measured by Azure consumption, MACC health, Unified Health, and sustained platform adoption.

Responsibilities

1. Azure & AI Consumption Ownership (Primary Accountability)

• Own CSU accountability for Azure Health within assigned Retail & Consumer Goods accounts.
• Drive MACC consumption in committed and existing MACC + Unified accounts.
• Share responsibility with CSAMs for Unified Health, SBR outcomes, and consumption acceleration.
• Focus on land-and-expand motions that increase Azure, Data, and AI usage-not net-new MACC creation.

2. Platform Strategy & Account Orchestration

• Partner with ATU/STU leadership to co-own Azure horizon planning and platform roadmap alignment.
• Contribute to account planning and execution frameworks, especially where consumption is underperforming or complex.
• Help define coverage models, stakeholder maps, and execution plans across multiple "rooms of the house" in large enterprise retailers and CPGs.

3. Industry-Specific Cloud & AI Leadership (Retail & CPG)

• Lead Cloud & AI conversations anchored in Retail & Consumer Goods industry priorities, including:
  • AI-driven personalization and customer engagement
  • Data platform modernization and analytics
  • Secure AI and Copilot adoption at scale
• Align Microsoft Cloud & AI platforms with industry transformation initiatives, often involving ERP, data, AI, and security modernization.

4. Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Manage and develop Cloud & AI Platform specialists (ICs) aligned to Retail & Consumer Goods accounts.
• Coach teams on:
  • Technical depth (Azure, AI platforms, security, data)
  • Consultative selling and executive engagement
  • Platform-first thinking vs. workload-by-workload execution
• Ensure team readiness through role immersion training, solution play execution, and continuous skilling.

5. Executive Engagement & Influence

• Serve as a trusted Cloud & AI platform advisor to senior customer leaders (CIO, CDO, CISO, Digital & Transformation leaders).
• Lead executive-level platform strategy discussions, positioning Microsoft as the long-term AI and cloud foundation.
• Influence internal leadership by setting clear priorities and driving disciplined execution across extended virtual teams.

6. Governance, Security & Platform Trust

• Guide customers on cloud security, governance, compliance, and identity strategy across SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS.
• Ensure AI and data platform adoption aligns with enterprise security, regulatory, and data governance requirements-a critical focus in Retail & CPG

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Information Security, or related field AND 6+ years experience in technology-related sales or account management OR equivalent experience.

Other:

• Microsoft is unable to sponsor a work visa for this role due to the nature of the role's job duties.

Preferred qualifications:

Master's Degree in Business Administration (i.e., MBA), Information Technology, Information Security, or related field AND 8+ years experience in technology-related sales or account management OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Information Security, or related field AND 12+ years experience in technology-related sales or account management OR equivalent experience.

6+ years solution or services sales experience.

3+ years people management experience.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

Solution Area Specialists M5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $133,000 - $222,700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $170,300 - $239,800 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
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This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.