Job description

Overview At Microsoft, we’re building a modern, AI-forward marketing organization that learns faster, activates smarter, and drives measurable impact. Our approach blends human creativity with AI-powered insights to fuel bold, culturally inspired creative strategies at scale. We prioritize outcomes over outputs, embrace rapid learning loops, and operate in agile flight formations that unite disciplines across Commercial Brand, Creative, and Customer Marketing. As a Sr. Creative Director in Microsoft’s Design Studio for the Engines & Experiences (E&E) organization, you will lead the creative vision and execution across a portfolio of initiatives that span customer, partner, media, and marketer experiences. You will shape how Microsoft’s commercial brands show up in the world—visually, emotionally, and experientially—through bold, culturally resonant creative that drives advocacy, usage, and pipeline. This role places a premium on visual & motion design as foundational tools for brand expression and systems design. You will define visual systems that communicate identity, and bring clarity to complex ideas at scale leveraging AI tools. You’ll lead the development of visual systems that scale across platforms and audiences, ensuring consistency, flexibility, and emotional resonance. You will guide a multidisciplinary team of designers, motion artists, creative technologists and producers to deliver high-fidelity design system and creative across omni-channel campaigns, product demos, and brand activations. You’ll champion systems-driven design, AI-enhanced workflows, and storytelling that connects emotionally with priority audiences. You’ll also collaborate deeply across marketing, product, and engineering teams to ensure creative excellence and consistency across every touchpoint.  At Microsoft, our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth ‑ mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress, people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone.    Responsibilities • Set creative vision and strategy for major business priorities, translating goals into scalable brand, design, creative and content systems. • Lead and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary team, providing coaching, career growth, performance management, and organizational leadership. • Partner with senior stakeholders and executives to shape priorities, influence decisions, and align creative investments to business outcomes. • Develop and maintain brand guidelines and creative playbooks that empower internal teams and external partners to deliver consistent, high-quality work. • Build scalable operating models, processes, and frameworks that improve quality, efficiency, and organizational impact. • Lead creative reviews, provide actionable feedback, and foster a culture of craft, curiosity, and innovation. • Champion innovation and emerging technologies, including AI-enabled workflows, to increase creative effectiveness and unlock new opportunities. • Manage team health, resource planning, and talent strategy, ensuring the right capabilities, skills, and staffing are in place to meet business needs. Qualifications Required Qualifications • Bachelor's Degree or Certificate in Design, Fine Arts, Human Computer Interaction, Visual Communications or related art field AND 8+ years experience in art design or a related art field working on computer games or entertainment OR equivalent experience. • 5+ years people management experience (e.g., serving as a Lead Artist, Art Manager, Creative Director, etc.). Preferred Qualifications • 12+ years of experience leading world-class creative, brand, design, or content teams within large, highly matrixed organizations. • 4+ years people management experience (e.g., serving as a Design Manager, Art Manager, Creative Director, Design Director etc.). • Demonstrated expertise building and scaling brand systems, visual identities, design frameworks, and creative toolkits across multiple channels and audiences. • Deep understanding of AI-powered creative workflows and emerging technologies, with experience integrating AI tools into design and content production pipelines. • Proven success managing and developing high-performing multidisciplinary teams, with a strong track record of coaching, talent growth, and organizational leadership. • Attention to detail with the ability to balance strategic thinking and hands-on creative direction across complex initiatives. • Exceptional creative judgment with an uncompromising commitment to quality, design craft, and delivering best-in-class work at scale. • Extensive experience partnering across product, marketing, communications, engineering, and executive leadership to drive alignment and influence strategic outcomes. • Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to inspire teams and influence senior leaders through clear, compelling storytelling. Art M6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $296,400 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 $188,000 - $331,200 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

Set creative vision and strategy for major business priorities, translating goals into scalable brand, design, creative and content systems.
Lead and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary team, providing coaching, career growth, performance management, and organizational leadership.
Partner with senior stakeholders and executives to shape priorities, influence decisions, and align creative investments to business outcomes.
Develop and maintain brand guidelines and creative playbooks that empower internal teams and external partners to deliver consistent, high-quality work.
Build scalable operating models, processes, and frameworks that improve quality, efficiency, and organizational impact.
Lead creative reviews, provide actionable feedback, and foster a culture of craft, curiosity, and innovation.
Champion innovation and emerging technologies, including AI-enabled workflows, to increase creative effectiveness and unlock new opportunities.
Manage team health, resource planning, and talent strategy, ensuring the right capabilities, skills, and staffing are in place to meet business needs.
5+ years people management experience (e.g., serving as a Lead Artist, Art Manager, Creative Director, etc.).
12+ years of experience leading world-class creative, brand, design, or content teams within large, highly matrixed organizations.
4+ years people management experience (e.g., serving as a Design Manager, Art Manager, Creative Director, Design Director etc.).
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Nice-to-haves

Demonstrated expertise building and scaling brand systems, visual identities, design frameworks, and creative toolkits across multiple channels and audiences.
Deep understanding of AI-powered creative workflows and emerging technologies, with experience integrating AI tools into design and content production pipelines.
Proven success managing and developing high-performing multidisciplinary teams, with a strong track record of coaching, talent growth, and organizational leadership.
Attention to detail with the ability to balance strategic thinking and hands-on creative direction across complex initiatives.
Exceptional creative judgment with an uncompromising commitment to quality, design craft, and delivering best-in-class work at scale.
Extensive experience partnering across product, marketing, communications, engineering, and executive leadership to drive alignment and influence strategic outcomes.
Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to inspire teams and influence senior leaders through clear, compelling storytelling.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:

Application prep

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Keywords to mirror

aiagiledesign system

Platform: eightfold
Effort: medium

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