Communications Manager in Multiple Locations, United States

As a Communications Manager, you will join a team of professionals on the Issues Management communications team to develop and implement communications and strategy for key audiences that include internal stakeholders, employees, media and customers.

The team’s responsibility is to develop communication strategies that address and reduce negative sentiment and coverage, supporting the company’s communications agenda and safeguarding the Microsoft brand. The Issues Management team aims to influence the trust and perception of Microsoft, as well as the reputation of its products and services.

Your work will be focused on setting context for internal and external audiences during situations that require, and benefit from, timely and effective communications. The position involves managing issues for a diverse array of products, services, and topics on a global scale. Additionally, the role requires engagement with internal stakeholders to provide strategic counsel to proactively prevent issues or complications.

The Communications Manager will create and adapt coordinated communications that are ready for use in a variety of channels and audiences, both internal and external. The position requires effective communications experience and a proven track record of collaboration across internal teams, subject matter experts and senior executives.

By joining one of the most influential and prominent teams at Microsoft, you will have the chance to connect with collaborators across the company and gain experience with a diverse range of Microsoft teams, products and disciplines.

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.

In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute communications strategies for issues across a broad array of topics that may have significant corporate and/or product brand impact.

• Implement messaging and strategy for a variety of audiences that include employees, customers and media.

• Provide counsel and strategy to communications group partners, engineering and executives during an issue or crisis.

• Proactively provide response best practices to avoid potential pitfalls. This type of preventative consultation is the “proactive” avoidance expertise inherent in “reactive” issues management.

• Partner with communications groups across Microsoft to develop and implement response communications processes and procedures.

• Provide executive communications and analysis to leaders and various stakeholders across the company during the lifecycle of the issue.

• Respond to intermittent and unexpected issues that may occur and result in work activity occurring outside the hours of 8am – 6pm.

• Embody our culture (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/home.html) and values (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about)

Qualifications

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Finance, or related field AND 2+ years Communications, Marketing Operations, Field Operations, Program Management, Project Management, or related experience

• OR equivalent experience.

• Understanding of media relations and success in dealing with complex, strategic communications challenges.

• Previous experience managing issues or crisis.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

• 3-5 years of public relations, or communications and/or product marketing and product management experience

• Sound problem identification, judgment, resolution and decision-making skills, often in ambiguous situations.

• Effective written communication skills, maintained to a high standard during times of extreme time pressure.

• An ability to assess the severity and priority of multiple incoming inquiries from press, customers and internal stakeholders.

• Ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders across many disciplines (HR, Legal, Engineering, security) and to work effectively with executives and senior leaders.

• Demonstrated capacity to lead others collaboratively, under pressure, to reach cross group consensus in short periods of time.

• Experience working in the information technology industry or a similar industry, where the ability to understand complicated technologies and intersections is a regular requirement.

• The ability to grasp the dynamics of an issue, creatively think through possible approaches and articulate the way in which a situation can be explained and contextualized for various audiences.

Communications IC3 – The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $83,400 – $167,800 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 $108,900 – $183,000 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 December 30, 2024

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) .