Category Manager - Surface

Job Description

At Microsoft our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. In Consumer Sales Organization (CSO) our purpose is to create value with our partners, to market and sell innovative consumer solutions powered by Windows, M365, Surface, and Xbox. We are positioned right at the intersection of customers, hardware partners, and channel partners. Our team works with ecosystem partners and internal business groups to drive digital excellence and e-commerce capability, as well as accelerate cloud and subscription adoption. Together, we win by delivering compelling at-home and on-the-go experiences combining intelligent edge devices and services that create Microsoft fans for life.

We are looking for a Surface Category Manager for Microsoft’s Consumer Channels Sales & Marketing (CCSM) organization in the North territory (UK, Ireland & Nordics). This role drives the strategy, investment priorities and goals for our Surface portfolio in partnership with our Sales and Channel marketing team. The person in this role will also be responsible for managing the P&L and demand planning as well as leveraging insights to report on business performance and drive new growth opportunities. You will transform the business in partnership with our WW team, develop new business models to accelerate customer acquisition while growing revenue and gross margin.

This role will report to the Category Leader for the North territory.

Responsibilities

People and Culture

• Create clarity, explain thoroughly, and simplify the complex to mobilize teams and partners

• Role model and coach for development and business growth with a learner mindset

• Foster a diverse and inclusive workplace and lead efforts to positively impact our mission and culture

Plan

• Define & own implementation of product-specific channel strategy and investments, optimizing Go-To-Market (GTM) plans and Surface strategy landing across Channel and Partners

• Lead the seasonal category planning partnering across internal stakeholders such as Finance, Sales Excellence, Channel Sales, Partner Marketing and Online Stores

• Design strategic programs and incentives aligned to Microsoft vision and strategy

• Influence long range product and GTM planning

• Leverage industry knowledge, channel insights, and customer understanding to land joint business objectives with partners.

Execute

• Orchestrate portfolio of investments, channels, and motions to maximize short term results (revenue, scorecard) and customer Lifetime Value (LTV).

• Establish and drive growth initiatives, defining and tracking a consistent set of KPIs and reporting rhythms.

• Pilot new GTM & Sales motions to continue to evolve our business

• Create local enablement to execute the priorities including [i] tools, processes, stakeholder management, and alignment across functions [ii] partner pitch deck/storytelling creation and localization [iii] WW and regional seasonal guidance [iv] retail GTM readiness

• Act as the internal and external voice of the product / solution including to external media & press

Manage & Monitor

• Drive rhythm of business (ROB) framework orchestration and deliverables through performance and planning cycles

• Partner closely with Finance to ensure planning across revenue and investments is harmonized for budget and forecast cycles

• Define and implement annual success metrics, strategic indicators, and investment effectiveness across regional and corporate teams

• Take accountability for product revenue, P&L, and scorecard results including forecasting as well as leading investment and fiscal control and optimization

• Drive strategic and agile tactical communication process of business performance

• Generate business and competitive insights through data analysis & visualization, from product and partner perspectives

• Highly studied in the competitive landscape and possesses analytical prowess to understand multiple variables of the competition landscape leading to strategic and thoughtful planning impacting the business (e.g. configuration, price, and product lifecycles)

Key Competencies

• Strategic Business Planning - Create strategic business objectives and category plans, coordinate segment and partner prioritization, ability to set clear goals / timelines for the team to achieve or exceed on revenue and GM, influence assortment and volume builds, and execute against the product lifecycle

• Consultative Leadership - Influence partners with category subject matter expertise to support the sales motion across the channels

• Marketing Principles - Develop and orchestrate integrated marketing plans and strategic market objectives by channel partner, guide marketing execution and measure execution and return on investment (ROI)

• Collaborative – Demonstrate strong leadership skills across diverse groups and at all levels. Ability to easily navigate corporate stakeholders and communicate clearly in ambiguous situations

• Communication: Excellent and concise communicator with ability to leverage challenger sales model to describe situation and tension, and clear path to overcome and address opportunities.

• Analysis and Insight - Use internal and external data / research to assess industry / market trends, incorporate new concepts into marketing strategies and understand the relevance of Microsoft products in partner portfolios

• Tell the Product Story – Develop and land product and category stories globally and locally so sales teams can align partners to Microsoft priorities.

Qualifications

Experience & Skills

• Proven experience in Consumer Electronics, Category Management, Marketing or Sales

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing or related field. MBA is a plus.

• Proven success at business building (business/channel development, entrepreneur, change management)

• Executive communication skills

• Ability to lead in a complex, matrixed international environment

• Comfort with ambiguity and driving transformation

• An entrepreneurial spirit, passionate about building businesses, and thrives within a fast-paced environment.

• A Character that exemplifies the Microsoft values of respect, integrity and accountability

#CSO

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.