Job description

Overview Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. You can help us achieve our mission. The Azure Core & Infrastructure Business Development team drives strategic partnerships, inorganic growth opportunities, and new business models across the foundational infrastructure that powers the Microsoft Cloud. We work closely with product and engineering leaders to determine where Microsoft should build, buy, partner, or invest to accelerate the roadmap, close critical product gaps, improve platform economics, and create differentiated customer value. We are seeking a Senior Business Development Manager - Azure Dedicated & Networking to lead strategic partnerships and initiatives for Azure Networking . Azure Networking spans the physical and software-defined infrastructure, platform capabilities, and customer-facing services that connect, secure, deliver, monitor, and manage workloads at global scale. Its portfolio includes network foundations, hybrid and multicloud connectivity, application delivery, network monitoring, container networking, AI infrastructure networking, and the global network technologies that underpin Azure. In this role, you will: (1) develop a deep understanding of cloud networking, AI infrastructure, customer requirements, and the industry landscape; (2) identify external technologies and partnerships that can accelerate Azure Networking priorities; (3) work with senior product and engineering leaders to formulate build, buy, partner, and invest strategies; and (4) structure, negotiate, and execute partnerships that deliver measurable product, business, and customer outcomes. You will focus on strategic opportunities across areas such as multicloud and hybrid connectivity, AI and high-performance networking, network observability and intelligent operations, application delivery, container and cloud-native networking, network infrastructure and supply chain, and emerging capabilities that improve Azure’s performance, resiliency, security, cost efficiency, and global reach. This role requires a pragmatic strategist and deal leader who can operate across technical, commercial, and organizational boundaries. You will translate complex infrastructure needs into clear partnership theses, influence senior stakeholders, design innovative commercial structures, lead negotiations, and establish governance that converts signed agreements into delivered product outcomes. The Senior Business Development Manager - Azure Dedicated & Networking role offers a unique opportunity to shape the networking foundation of the Microsoft Cloud and help make Azure the most efficient, reliable, secure, and differentiated infrastructure platform for AI and enterprise workloads. Responsibilities Partner Focus & Strategy • Develop and maintain a comprehensive view of the cloud networking ecosystem, including hyperscale cloud providers, network technology vendors, carriers, colocation and interconnection providers, silicon and optical suppliers, network security companies, observability platforms, content-delivery providers, and emerging infrastructure start-ups. • Formulate partnership strategies that address product gaps, accelerate engineering roadmaps, improve cost or capacity, expand Azure’s global reach, and create differentiated customer value. • Work with Azure Networking product and engineering leaders to evaluate build, buy, partner, and invest options for priority initiatives. • Develop compelling business and technical value propositions based on Microsoft, partner, and customer needs, and secure stakeholder support for recommended opportunities. • Identify opportunities across Azure Networking’s major scenarios, including network foundations, hybrid and multicloud connectivity, application delivery, network monitoring and management, container networking, AI infrastructure networking, and underlying physical and software-defined network platforms. • Use customer signals, market data, industry analysis, financial analysis, and technical diligence to prioritize opportunities and recommend partners. • Position Azure’s value proposition relative to hyperscale and specialized competitors, and translate market insights into actionable partnership and product recommendations. • Build and manage a high-quality opportunity pipeline, balancing near-term product-gap deals with longer-term strategic initiatives. • Synthesize complex technical, commercial, and market information into clear, decision-oriented materials for senior executives. Strategic Initiatives • Develop and execute partnership strategies for high-priority Azure Networking initiatives, including secure cross-cloud connectivity, networking for distributed AI infrastructure, high-performance network fabrics, intelligent network operations, observability, container networking, and application-delivery capabilities. • Identify external technologies that can improve GPU utilization, network performance, reliability, security, deployment velocity, or cost efficiency for AI and cloud workloads. • Evaluate partnerships that extend Azure networking capabilities across customer datacenters, other clouds, edge locations, third-party infrastructure, and global connectivity ecosystems. • Partner with engineering to define technical requirements, integration models, support boundaries, service-level expectations, and productization plans. • Develop scalable business models and ecosystem approaches rather than one-off arrangements wherever possible. Negotiation • Lead complex deal opportunities across all approval and execution stages, including Strategic Approval, Approval to Negotiate, and Final Go/No-Go. • Represent Microsoft in senior-level partner interactions and lead negotiations involving technical integration, commercial models, intellectual property, support obligations, service levels, security, privacy, compliance, capacity, and go-to-market commitments. • Design durable deal structures that align partner incentives with Azure product adoption, engineering delivery, reliability, customer value, and long-term platform strategy. • Lead cross-functional deal teams spanning product, engineering, finance, CELA, security, privacy, operations, marketing, sales, and executive leadership. • Anticipate negotiation risks and develop fallback positions, escalation paths, and creative alternatives that protect Microsoft while preserving strategic value. • Drive negotiations to timely closure while maintaining high standards for decision quality, documentation, and stakeholder alignment. Deal Management and Governance • Develop and maintain workback plans, decision logs, milestones, dependencies, risk registers, and executive communications for strategic initiatives and deals. • Establish post-signature governance with partners and Microsoft stakeholders to ensure agreements translate into engineering delivery, product integration, launch readiness, adoption, and measurable business outcomes. • Track partner performance against contractual, technical, operational, and commercial commitments. • Identify execution risks early, escalate effectively, and lead cross-functional resolution of blockers. • Provide concise portfolio reporting on opportunity stage, strategic value, financial impact, dependencies, risks, and next steps. Other • Embody Microsoft’s culture and values. • Operate with integrity, accountability, a growth mindset, and a commitment to inclusive collaboration. • Contribute to the broader Azure Core & Infrastructure Business Development operating model, portfolio priorities, and team development. Qualifications Required/Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor's Degree in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, or related field AND 5+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field) OR equivalent experience. Additional or Preferred Qualifications • Bachelor's Degree in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, or related field AND 7+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field) OR Master's/Advanced Degree in Business, Sciences, or related field AND 5+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field) OR equivalent experience • Experience developing and executing strategic partnerships, complex commercial agreements, or cross-company initiatives in the technology industry. • Working knowledge of cloud infrastructure and networking concepts, such as virtual networks, routing, private connectivity, hybrid networking, load balancing, application delivery, network security, observability, software-defined networking, or datacenter networking. Business Development IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $106,400 - $203,600 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 $137,600 - $222,600 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: careers.microsoft.com 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.

Requirements

Must-haves

Partner Focus & Strategy
Formulate partnership strategies that address product gaps, accelerate engineering roadmaps, improve cost or capacity, expand Azure’s global reach, and create differentiated customer value.
Work with Azure Networking product and engineering leaders to evaluate build, buy, partner, and invest options for priority initiatives.
Develop compelling business and technical value propositions based on Microsoft, partner, and customer needs, and secure stakeholder support for recommended opportunities.
Use customer signals, market data, industry analysis, financial analysis, and technical diligence to prioritize opportunities and recommend partners.
Position Azure’s value proposition relative to hyperscale and specialized competitors, and translate market insights into actionable partnership and product recommendations.
Build and manage a high-quality opportunity pipeline, balancing near-term product-gap deals with longer-term strategic initiatives.
Synthesize complex technical, commercial, and market information into clear, decision-oriented materials for senior executives.
Strategic Initiatives
Identify external technologies that can improve GPU utilization, network performance, reliability, security, deployment velocity, or cost efficiency for AI and cloud workloads.
Evaluate partnerships that extend Azure networking capabilities across customer datacenters, other clouds, edge locations, third-party infrastructure, and global connectivity ecosystems.
Partner with engineering to define technical requirements, integration models, support boundaries, service-level expectations, and productization plans.
Develop scalable business models and ecosystem approaches rather than one-off arrangements wherever possible.
Lead complex deal opportunities across all approval and execution stages, including Strategic Approval, Approval to Negotiate, and Final Go/No-Go.
Design durable deal structures that align partner incentives with Azure product adoption, engineering delivery, reliability, customer value, and long-term platform strategy.
Lead cross-functional deal teams spanning product, engineering, finance, CELA, security, privacy, operations, marketing, sales, and executive leadership.
Anticipate negotiation risks and develop fallback positions, escalation paths, and creative alternatives that protect Microsoft while preserving strategic value.
Drive negotiations to timely closure while maintaining high standards for decision quality, documentation, and stakeholder alignment.
Deal Management and Governance
Develop and maintain workback plans, decision logs, milestones, dependencies, risk registers, and executive communications for strategic initiatives and deals.
Establish post-signature governance with partners and Microsoft stakeholders to ensure agreements translate into engineering delivery, product integration, launch readiness, adoption, and measurable business outcomes.
Track partner performance against contractual, technical, operational, and commercial commitments.
Identify execution risks early, escalate effectively, and lead cross-functional resolution of blockers.

Nice-to-haves

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

azureaigo

Platform: eightfold
Effort: medium