Job Information
Microsoft Corporation Senior Category Manager, Surface in Redmond, Washington
At Microsoft our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. In the Consumer Sales Organization (CSO), our purpose is to create value with our partners, to market and sell innovative consumer solutions powered by Windows, Office, Surface, and Xbox. We’re 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.
As a member of our Surface Category Americas team , you’ll be part of a growth business tasked with delivering growth of our Surface Devices and Accessories business with Retail Partners and Microsoft Store Direct motion. You will join a culture built on Authenticity, Accountability and Collaboration in our joint pursuit of Business Excellence and to have FUN!
As our Senior Category Manager, Surface, you will be responsible for developing our yearly business plan to drive profitable growth in the Americas including our Product Lifecycle and Investment plans across the channel. You will lead our Long Term planning framework with our top Market Maker accounts to ensure alignment and that we amplify the unique capabilities of each partner.
In Surface, our business goal is clear: Profitably Grow Surface Volume & Share. We accomplish this goal in two ways:
Selling to our retail partners: Use consumer insights, market data, store level analysis, and device sales information to evaluate our business performance and develop seasonal, launch & sustain plans to improve our partners business, win share, sell units, and drive revenue/ GM.
Selling through our retail partners: Plan and execute thoughtful and impactful promotions and full-funnel-marketing plans, focused on driving purchase intent, conversion & post purchase advocacy & consumer lifetime value for Surface devices & accessories.
Responsibilities
Be a Trusted Advisor to our Retailer Partners to create mutual growth for Surface partners
Leverage industry knowledge, channel insights, and customer understanding to drive strategic alignment with partners.
Create our Surface Channel strategy that optimizes Surface business across Direct, Market Makers, Strategic Accounts, and Disti partners.
Drive our Long Lead planning framework to ensure business plan alignment with our internal Business Groups and Retailer Partners.
Ensure alignment across our Eco-System across Microsoft, Silicon and Retailer Partners
Lead our Surface long term business plan
Ensure alignment across our Business Groups on Product, Investment and Strategic plan
Develop Quarterly/ Yearly business models which define our business product mix and scale (ST/SI/GM)
Ensure we have a path to profitability for Microsoft and our Retailer Partners.
Optimize your Portfolio with thoughtful assortment and maximizing variants at launch and beyond by
Identify Variants, Exclusives and Doorbusters to deliver differentiated value proposition to Consumers and retail partners throughout the product lifecycle
Land right device & accessory assortment in partnership with our retail buyers to optimize for those partners core customers
Plan variants with top accounts/ markets that drive differentiation, gain unit commitment and incremental Marketing Opportunities
Ensure device & accessory forecast accuracy
Drive Conversion & Key Beats by landing Strategic Offers when and where they count
Identify our Promotional Strategy across the year with focus on Key Beats of Consumer calendar.
Thoughtful planning of promotions like Financing, Trade-in, Student Offers to align with marketing messaging and drive engagement
Diversify and optimize promotional tactics while aligning promo efforts to upper funnel activities
Manage EOL inventory for product refreshes to ensure readiness for Launch and minimize inventory exposures.
Qualifications
Required/Minimum Qualifications
4+ years category management, product management, marketing strategy, business planning, product planning, or related work experience AND Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Economics, Public Relations, Engineering, or related field
OR equivalent experience.
Additional or Preferred Qualifications
4+ years experience managing and expanding a category and attaining sales and profitability targets within a complex (e.g., multinational or matrixed) organization
OR equivalent experience.
4+ years Consumer Electronics/IT ecosystem experience with a focus on devices and services sales across consumer segments
Understanding of consumer sales channels, as well as the retail landscape and digital marketplace
Experience with Portfolio LifeCycle Management to drive Launch, Sustain Momentum and effectively end-of-life (EOL) products.
Consumer channel management with proven business operational excellence and sales results through joint business planning and Account Mgmt.
Ability to navigate and optimize a profit/loss (P&L) to drive sustainable growth for MSFT and our Partners.
Category Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $103,800 - $200,300 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 $133,700 - $219,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
Microsoft will accept applications for the role until March 31, 2025.
#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 (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .