Software Development Company Team Leader

Are you passionate about transforming social impact organizations through technology and partnerships? As the Software Development Company (SDC) Team Leader for Microsoft Elevate, you will lead the strategy, execution, and growth of the SDC ecosystem. You will ensure high potential startups focused on Education, Nonprofit and Sustainability tech are taking full advantage of the Microsoft Cloud to accelerate Azure consumption and AI diffusion.

As the Software Development Company (SDC) Team Leader for Microsoft Elevate, you will drive the strategy for identifying, recruiting, and growing startup companies focused on Elevate's core customer segments, namely education and nonprofit tech. You will leverage both commercial programs as well as Elevate sales teams, marketing engines and routes to market. You will lead a team of technical, business development, and GTM-focused team members, and ensure the team is driving toward shared goals and accountabilities. You'll coordinate closely with Microsoft Elevate's sales and marketing leadership to ensure SDCs are aligned to the current sales plays and customer engagements, as well as marketing and demand gen investments. You will lead the SDC "Recruit" strategy and execution, including: recruiting net-new SDCs from other cloud competitors, managing negotiations, and landing new Azure contracts and partnership commitments. You will also prioritize "Growth" SDC investment, guiding the team to ensure the highest-potential Azure growth SDCs are provided the migration assistance, cloud adoption support, and GTM investments to accelerate their Azure consumption. Finally, you will be accountable for business outcomes aligned to AI adoption, cloud platform consumption, and team performance and culture. This leadership role is your opportunity to amplify sharp strategic planning, deep partner ecosystem expertise, and a partner-first mindset to accelerate Azure and AI adoption.

This role is well-suited for a strategic, collaborative leader with deep experience in partner management, program design, and AI transformation.

Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities:

SDC Business Leader

• Ensures team members maintain a deep understanding of partner and Microsoft priorities, strategies, and goals to build mutually beneficial plans that achieve strategic alignment and drive growth. Guides team(s) to establish trusted advisor relationships and expertise in partners' strategies and business imperatives. Influences and plays an active role across a complex stakeholder map.
• Uses strategies to convey the value of partnering with Microsoft over competitors in roundtables in front of broad audience. Guides and supports others on communicating the value of partnering with Microsoft.
• Delivers business impact and focuses the team on driving business outcomes.
• Ensures team members develop plans and strategies to capitalize on patterns, opportunities, and gaps in partner accounts by leveraging existing products or investing in building new solutions to drive business.
• Oversees the development of partner business plans that grow business and promote cloud consumption and digital transformation. Ensures high quality and rigor of the planning and execution process (e.g., ensures follow through, tracking of key metrics, etc.) for both Microsoft and partners.
• Establishes and maintains partner Rhythm of Business (RoB) across all levels and takes share as appropriate. Brings deep subject matter expertise to enrich designs and plans.

Partner Assessment and Qualification

• Establishes long-term partner recruitment strategies to identify and recruit new partners or expand current partnerships to create a balanced portfolio, grow business, and fill market opportunities.

Partner Performance and Impact

• Coaches team members on how to provide the right mix of incentives and offers to the partners.
• Drives shared accountabilities across Microsoft Elevate Sales Leaders, Marketing Leaders, and Partner Strategy leader.
• Orchestrates, regular business reviews, including Growth and Recruit rhythms of business (RoBs), in alignment with appropriate stakeholders.
• Actively seeks opportunities to demonstrate the value of the partner to other organizations within Microsoft.

Partner Sales and Consumption

• Leads GTM execution and ensures the team has the available resources to help structure planning, tactics, offers, and incentives for partners.
• Holds team members accountable for following up on the core sales activities and will guide resourcing efforts.
• Ensures sales targets are clear and that actions and accountabilities are being routinely followed up.
• Reviews and challenges marketing plans (e.g., campaigns, incentives, and promotions) developed by team members to ensure plans are aligned with sales goals and will help drive partner growth.
• Coaches, challenges, and leads team members to develop effective go-to-market and co-selling strategies across accounts.
• Coaches and challenges team to build and follow strategies towards transforming partner plans and strategies around AI opportunities.
• Coaches the team and builds processes to ensure team members are staying on top of the pipeline.

Impact Measurement

• Define and track KPIs that reflect partner performance, school reach, and education-aligned outcomes-grounded in data and insights.

Other

• Embody our culture and values

Qualifications:

Required/minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Business Operations, Computer Science or a related field AND 8+ years experience in partner management, sales, business development, or partner channel development in the technology industry or related experience
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 2+ years people management experience.
• 3+ years direct experience in developing partner ecosystems for cloud computing services or AI services in nonprofit or education sector driving revenue generation or workload consumption augmentation.

Additional or preferred qualifications

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Business Science, or an Advanced Degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) or a related field AND 10+ years experience in partner management, sales, business development, or partner channel development in the technology industry or related experience
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 5+ years people management experience.
• A proven track record of owning business topline metrics and delivering tangible business results.
• Analytical skills to analyze financial business performance, identify market trends to proactively discover opportunities and develop useful insights from data.
• Ability and high comfort degree to handle and thrive in ambiguous business situations.

Partner Development Management 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: ;br>
Microsoft will accept applications for the role until August 12, 2025.

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. 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.

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