Business Strategy and Continuous Improvement

Business Strategy and Continuous Improvement at Microsoft

With over 45,000 employees and partners globally, Microsoft's Customer Experience and Success (CE&S) organization is dedicated to empowering customers to achieve business value through exceptional experiences that leverage Microsoft's products and services. Ignited by our people and culture, we ensure consistent excellence in every interaction, whether in-product, digital, or human-centered. CE&S oversees all company services, including consulting, customer success, and support across Microsoft's comprehensive portfolio. Joining CE&S means contributing to the acceleration of AI transformation for customers worldwide.

The Global Customer Success (GCS) organization, a vital part of CE&S, spearheads customer success on the Microsoft Cloud. This is achieved by harnessing leading, AI-powered capabilities and human expertise to deliver innovative solutions that drive business value, foster operational excellence, and nurture long-term loyalty.

As a Business Strategy and Continuous Improvement professional within the AI Transformation and Continuous Improvement team in GCS, you will lead strategic initiatives to boost operational efficiency, accelerate digital maturity, and embed a culture of innovation across the organization. This role emphasizes reengineering processes for AI-first environments, applying Lean Six Sigma methodologies, and delivering measurable improvements in performance and customer outcomes. You will collaborate extensively with field leaders, operations, engineering, and data teams to design and implement scalable solutions, optimize KPIs, and ensure successful adoption through structured change management and capability building. Success in this position demands strong analytical rigor, transformation leadership, and the ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced, and often ambiguous environment where tangible impact is paramount.

Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. Employees embrace a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to reach shared goals. Our daily actions uphold values of respect, integrity, and accountability, cultivating an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive.

Responsibilities

Strategic Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Champion Lean and Six Sigma or similar methodologies to drive enterprise-wide efficiency, reduce waste, and optimize end-to-end workflows.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives using advanced tools such as SIPOC, DMAIC, and Value Stream Mapping to deliver measurable quality improvements and defect reduction.
• Facilitate high-impact workshops, root cause analyses, and structured problem-solving sessions to accelerate performance gains.

AI-Enabled Process Innovation

• Architect AI-first process reengineering strategies, moving beyond automation to fundamentally redesign workflows for scalability and intelligence.
• Integrate cutting-edge technologies—including Microsoft Copilot, predictive analytics, and Power Automate—to enhance operational decision-making and streamline execution.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and role owners to embed AI capabilities into core business processes.

Digital Transformation & Change Leadership

• Spearhead transformation programs aligned with strategic business objectives and customer-centric outcomes.
• Design and implement change management frameworks to ensure stakeholder alignment, adoption, and long-term sustainability of improvements.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on digital maturity and organizational readiness.

Capability Development & Culture Building

• Develop and deliver enterprise-level Lean Six Sigma or similar training programs, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Mentor emerging leaders and teams through structured learning paths, hands-on coaching, and experiential learning.
• Promote agile experimentation and iterative improvement using frameworks such as Plan-Do-Check-Adjust (PDCA).

Performance Management & KPI Optimization

• Define and operationalize key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with strategic goals and drive accountability.
• Leverage AI and analytics to monitor, refine, and elevate performance metrics across functions.
• Conduct post-implementation reviews and success audits to ensure sustained impact and continuous feedback loops.

Qualifications

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Business Administration or a related field AND 3+ years of experience in marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization OR
• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Liberal Arts, Computer Science, or a related field AND 4+ years of experience in marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization OR equivalent experience.

Additional Or Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Business Administration or a related field AND 6+ years of experience in marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization OR
• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Liberal Arts, Computer Science, or a related field AND 8+ years of experience in marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization OR equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of experience in Strategy, Management Consulting, and/or Finance.
• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-wide process improvement initiatives using Lean Six Sigma or similar methodologies, with a track record of measurable impact on cost, quality, and cycle time.
• Six Sigma Black Belt certification (or equivalent), with hands-on experience in statistical analysis, structured problem-solving, and process optimization at scale.
• Proven ability to facilitate executive-level workshops, conduct detailed efficiency and gap analyses, and implement structured, data-driven action plans.

AI & Technology Leadership

• Deep expertise in integrating Microsoft AI technologies (Copilot, Azure AI, Power Automate, predictive analytics) into business processes for measurable impact.
• Experience architecting and implementing AI-first process redesigns, moving beyond automation to create intelligent, adaptive workflows.
• Familiarity with AI governance, data integrity, and ethical deployment practices in operational contexts.

Transformation & Change Management

• Demonstrated success leading digital transformation initiatives aligned with strategic business goals, delivering tangible outcomes in customer experience, operational efficiency, and employee engagement.
• Deep experience in organizational change management, including stakeholder engagement, communication planning, resistance mitigation, and adoption measurement.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to mentor, coach, and upskill teams in Lean Six Sigma, Agile, and continuous improvement methodologies.

Executive Communication & Influence

• Exceptional executive-level communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex technical concepts and transformation outcomes into compelling narratives for senior audiences.
• Demonstrated influence skills, with a history of driving alignment and impact at scale in organizations similar to Microsoft Customer Success.
• Skilled in visualization and storytelling techniques that clarify strategic impact, build alignment across stakeholders, and support informed decision-making at the leadership level.

Performance Management

• Expertise in KPI design, optimization, and governance, including the use of dashboards, scorecards, and post-implementation reviews to ensure sustained performance and continuous feedback loops.

Additional Certifications/Skills

• Certifications in Agile, Project Management (PMI, PRINCE2), ITIL, or Prosci/ADKAR change management frameworks.
• Experience designing and delivering enterprise-level Lean Six Sigma training programs and structured learning paths.
• Practical application of advanced process design, including the ability to reimagine workflows from the ground up to fully leverage digital technologies, unlock new efficiencies, and drive scalable innovation.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to build and interpret ROI models, effort estimates, and impact assessments.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and driving clarity through structured analysis and storytelling.
• Experience building business cases for business/technology initiatives with measurable outcomes and stakeholder buy-in.

Key skills/competency

• Lean Six Sigma
• Operational Excellence
• AI Integration
• Process Reengineering
• Digital Transformation
• Change Management
• KPI Optimization
• Strategic Planning
• Microsoft Copilot
• Power Automate