Business Manager

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There is a unique opportunity for a business manager to work across all of our gaming brands in International Gaming Marketing. As a team based in multiple regions of the world, the International Gaming Marketing team is uniquely placed to engage with fans and look at business opportunities in innovative ways. The team is composed of commercial and marketing professionals in EMEA, LATAM, and Asia and works closely with a varied cross functional team of professionals in Comms, Finance, Sales, CELA, and HR.

In Consumer Sales Organization (CSO) our purpose is to earn fans and drive growth by building emotional connections to delight and empower everyone. We engage with consumers globally throughout their shopping journeys, navigating both physical storefronts and digital visits across Direct and Partner Channels in Gaming, Windows, M365 and Surface. Together with our ecosystem partners, we strategize and implement plans for customer engagement and economic growth.

As a member of our team, you’ll be part of growing a multi-billion-dollar business, charting new areas of innovation, and impacting billions of lives around the world. You also will be a part of a culture centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. If that appeals to you, it’s an exciting time to be here in CSO.

You will be responsible for working on setting up and tracking marketing initiatives across Xbox, Activision, Blizzard, and Bethesda titles and supporting the wider business. This work could be as varied as tracking commercial performance, driving ways of looking at agency spend, and building workstreams that look at how we share best practice across the International Gaming Marketing team and partner organisations. Another area of responsibility will be setting up the right new leadership team structure in international and developing a rhythm of the business for the team linking closely with adjacent groups.

The Business Manager (BM) role manages the day-to-day running of the business for a function or team. The BM also drives planning, designing, and delivering initiatives that support the function or team, as well as its business and people objectives. This position is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the Leadership Team (LT) operating rhythm, including setting up and driving key processes to get work done. The perfect candidate is a strategic, business-minded candidate who has a bias for action, experience with change management, and the ability to motivate and lead people around them.

This role is flexible in that you can work up to 60% from home. There is a requirement to be in a London office (including the one on Wardour Street) 2 days per week with some travel needed.

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.

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in relevant field (e.g., Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Management, Computer Science) AND solid experience in financial management, business planning, operations management, strategy, project management, human resources, business-related roles OR equivalent experience.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

• Direct people management experience is advantageous but not a requirement, good virtual people management skills required.
• Must have proven skills in program management, financial planning and organizational planning.
• Advanced oral and written communication skills, planning and organizational abilities.
• Must be able to work independently, handle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment, as well as negotiate and collaborate effectively.
• Ambitious, self-starter, thrives in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, effectively manages priorities.
• Confident with an ability to work and build strong relationships with senior leaders, strong in influencing decision making, willing to take on big challenges, advocate a position, build a business case, and influence others required.
• Interpersonal and conflict resolutions skills that include exceptional cross-group collaboration skills to successfully and independently work across many teams and functions.
• Must be a person of integrity, capable of excellent judgement and decision-making skills, showing the utmost discretion in the management of confidential corporate information.
• Excellent understanding of Microsoft’s strategy, product, and service offerings, as well as company culture preferred.
• Desirable qualifications include formal training in project and process management, financial accounting, business strategy and operations and/or communications.

Working in a global sales and marketing organization at the intersection of customers, hardware partners, and channel partners, you’ll have the opportunity to help shape business rhythms and strategies that have global impact.

• Business Operations: Partner with the LT to drive the planning process, ensuring coordination with corporate planning processes, as well as planning integration across the broader org. Work with cross-company/org counterparts to manage team participation as needed for key business events, next fiscal year planning, running monthly/quarterly business reviews, business planning meetings, and other strategic business planning activities. May drive accountability managing business metrics such as scorecards and/or defining and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Organizational Health: Help make the team a great place to work. In partnership with HR and the LT, shape and drive the people agenda and lead team health initiatives. Plan and orchestrate International Gaming Marketing trainings and other learning solutions to contribute to ongoing development. Plan and create team communications, including executive comms, newsletters, all hands, and meeting presentations. Define, plan, and drive cross-team process improvements (e.g., team recognition). Demonstrate speed and urgency in function of work, adapting as needed to evolving business priorities.
• Special Projects/Programs and Initiatives: Work with the stakeholders, including Gaming Digital Sales, Gaming Retail Sales, WW Sales Operations, and other functions to lead and coordinate the organization Rhythm of the Business (ROB), improving processes to run the business efficiently as the organization scales. Partner with HR and Business Leaders to ensure Blueprint is in place for Org to operate at highest efficiency. Partner with finance and procurement to ensure effective budget management, headcount management, and forecasting. Partner with HR and recruiting team to gain approvals, meet hiring requirements, and elevate staffing conversations with the LT. Partner with WW Incentive & Compensation teams to educate and support managers in employee compensation set up and day to day queries.

If you have a passion for and curiosity about creating clarity, generating energy, and delivering success, and are looking for a role that provides an opportunity to influence cross-company, enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, and are ready to identify opportunities for growth and drive scale, we’d love to hear from you.