Job description

Overview The Windows Server team is responsible for building Microsoft's premier server operating system—trusted by customers and relied upon by teams and services across Microsoft to power critical infrastructure and applications. In this role, you will bring together customer, market, and data-driven insights to guide product decisions at the intersection of emerging technology, customer needs, and market opportunity. Containers have transformed how modern applications and services are built and operated. While many customers rely on mission-critical applications with large, established code bases, these solutions often lack the agility and extensibility of cloud-native architectures. Windows Containers play a critical role in helping customers modernize existing applications and adopt cloud-native and AI-ready technologies without requiring full-stack rewrites. As a Senior Product Manager , you will define and drive the strategy, roadmap, and execution for Windows Containers, helping shape the future of application modernization on Windows Server. This is an AI-first Senior Product Manager role. You will leverage AI, agents, automation, and data-driven insights alongside traditional product management practices to analyze telemetry, validate ideas, prototype solutions, and accelerate decision-making. You will translate complex technical concepts into clear business outcomes, influence priorities across engineering and leadership teams, and help deliver products with AI embedded in both the customer experience and the way the work gets done. 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 • Own and drive the strategy, roadmap, and execution for Windows Containers, including priorities, investments, milestones, and success measures. • Define and track key business and technical metrics to measure adoption, usage, reliability, customer satisfaction, and ecosystem growth across first- and third-party customers. • Build strong partnerships across engineering, cloud, and platform teams to understand customer needs, influence product direction, and drive alignment on strategic priorities. • Collaborate closely with Windows Server and operating system engineering teams to shape technical roadmaps and ensure customer requirements are reflected in future investments. • Represent Windows Containers within the broader cloud-native ecosystem, including Kubernetes, container runtimes, and industry organizations such as CNCF and OCI, to drive compatibility, innovation, and adoption. • Develop data-driven business cases and recommendations using telemetry, market insights, customer feedback, and operational data to influence product decisions and investment priorities. • Communicate complex technical concepts, tradeoffs, and strategy clearly to executives, customers, partners, and engineering teams. • Define success metrics, OKRs, and KPIs and regularly assess progress to ensure delivery against business objectives. • Leverage AI, agents, automation, and advanced analytics to accelerate product discovery, validate ideas, prototype solutions, and scale decision-making. • Mentor and support other product managers while fostering a culture of collaboration, customer obsession, and continuous learning. • Embody our Culture and Values. Qualifications Required/Minimum Qualifications: • Bachelor's Degree AND 5+ years experience in product/service/program management or software development. • OR equivalent experience. Other Requirements: Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: • Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. Preferred Qualifications: • 2+ years of experience as a product/technical program manager in development/operation of cloud scale services • OR 2+ years of experience as a product/technical program manager in operating systems. • Experience with containers (Linux and/or Windows), Kubernetes, and cloud-scale services, including container runtimes, orchestration, and the broader cloud-native ecosystem. • Demonstrated use and understanding of AI to automate processes and improve efficiency. • Understanding of platform architecture and distributed systems in cloud-scale services, including service metrics, cost models, reliability, and operational requirements. • Comfortable operating across both product strategy and technical program execution—defining roadmaps while driving technical delivery. • Strong systems-level problem-solving skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and align stakeholders across organizations. • Experience developing on or for Windows Server, enterprise applications (.NET, Java, etc.), and/or operating system platforms (Windows or Linux). #W+DJOBS Product Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 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 $160,200 - $261,000 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

Own and drive the strategy, roadmap, and execution for Windows Containers, including priorities, investments, milestones, and success measures.
Define and track key business and technical metrics to measure adoption, usage, reliability, customer satisfaction, and ecosystem growth across first- and third-party customers.
Build strong partnerships across engineering, cloud, and platform teams to understand customer needs, influence product direction, and drive alignment on strategic priorities.
Collaborate closely with Windows Server and operating system engineering teams to shape technical roadmaps and ensure customer requirements are reflected in future investments.
Represent Windows Containers within the broader cloud-native ecosystem, including Kubernetes, container runtimes, and industry organizations such as CNCF and OCI, to drive compatibility, innovation, and adoption.
Develop data-driven business cases and recommendations using telemetry, market insights, customer feedback, and operational data to influence product decisions and investment priorities.
Communicate complex technical concepts, tradeoffs, and strategy clearly to executives, customers, partners, and engineering teams.
Define success metrics, OKRs, and KPIs and regularly assess progress to ensure delivery against business objectives.
Leverage AI, agents, automation, and advanced analytics to accelerate product discovery, validate ideas, prototype solutions, and scale decision-making.
Mentor and support other product managers while fostering a culture of collaboration, customer obsession, and continuous learning.
Embody our Culture and Values.
Bachelor's Degree AND 5+ years experience in product/service/program management or software development. • OR equivalent experience.
Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
2+ years of experience as a product/technical program manager in development/operation of cloud scale services • OR 2+ years of experience as a product/technical program manager in operating systems.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
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

Experience with containers (Linux and/or Windows), Kubernetes, and cloud-scale services, including container runtimes, orchestration, and the broader cloud-native ecosystem.
Demonstrated use and understanding of AI to automate processes and improve efficiency.
Understanding of platform architecture and distributed systems in cloud-scale services, including service metrics, cost models, reliability, and operational requirements.
Comfortable operating across both product strategy and technical program execution—defining roadmaps while driving technical delivery.
Strong systems-level problem-solving skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and align stakeholders across organizations.
Experience developing on or for Windows Server, enterprise applications (.NET, Java, etc.), and/or operating system platforms (Windows or Linux).

Application prep

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

Keywords to mirror

aikubernetesjava

Platform: eightfold
Effort: medium