We are a multi-disciplinary team of over 60 user researchers, product planners, and customer advocates working on a breadth of user experiences across Microsoft 365. Working on M365 means influencing the experiences of hundreds of millions of people every day. Our team takes this influence seriously, and we are actively innovating our research practices to ensure all people using Microsoft products have a represented voice in what we build. Our success in doing so is dependent on building teams that include people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences who can challenge each other’s assumptions with fresh perspective. Your experiences and your demonstrated skill sets are far more important than your level. If you are interested, feel free to apply regardless of your years of experience.

About the role

To support our mission and strategy, we are looking to hire a Senior Business Manager for the XC (eXperience Collective) Planning & Research and Customer Driven team to drive and oversee team operations, research operations, and business operations. The Senior Business Manager acts as "COO" of our team, reporting to the Partner Director and serving as a trusted partner to the extended Leadership Team. You will also respond to the ongoing needs of our staff, enabling the team to operate efficiently end-to-end. Additionally, this role will be heavily integrated with and cognizant of the business rhythms across XC Operations, Finance, Recruiting, and external research suppliers. 

The successful candidate will be self-motivated, comfortable operating in a high volume, fast-paced environment, and experienced at building strong relationships with team members at all levels of the organization. This individual must work well in a team, in ways that drive impactful results, and upholds the team’s values. We're especially looking for someone who is forward-thinking who wants to learn, grow, and embody new ways of working.

If you embrace growth mindset, have a track record of delivering results, and light up collaborating with others across disciplines, this is the team for you. 

Location

The Studio is primarily based out of Redmond, WA however we are open to this position being remote.

Responsibilities

As the Senior Business Manager, you will: 

Design repeatable and scalable team operations processes in areas such as recruiting, hiring, and onboarding 

Set the strategy for and oversee execution of research operations processes such as 3rd party research tool license management and research supplier relationships 

Direct business operations in areas such as team budget management 

Manage the Rhythm of the Business (RoB), including setting agendas and actioning follow ups 

Plan and organize content of All hands, Offsites, LT meetings and business reviews 

Participate across the broader Business Manager/Studio Manager community in XC (the eXperience Collective) and collaborate on cross-organization projects and initiatives as appropriate 

Co-work on special / IC Projects 

Qualifications

Essential knowledge, skills, and experience: 

5 or more years of professional experience in business management and/or research operations      

4 or more years experience in financial management, business planning, operations management, strategy, project management, human resources, or business-related roles OR equivalent experience. 

Strong project/program management experience  

Strong collaboration skills. This team has intentionally designed a structure where we work together 

Practical and real-world problem-solving skills, as this team moves fast, and your role will be to help unblock barriers for the team, build and implement solutions   

Strong written, visual, and oral communication skills along with a desire and ability to communicate through all levels of the organization 

Experience managing simultaneous projects and coordinating the efforts of multiple teams  

Other preferred experience, but not required to apply:

Experience working in a UX Research or Market Research organization 

Bachelor's Degree in relevant field (e.g., Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Management, Computer Science)

#joinXC

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.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 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.