Principal Program Manager

Principal Program Manager at Microsoft

Microsoft is a company where passionate innovators come to collaborate, envision what can be, and take their careers further. This is a world of more possibilities, more innovation, more openness, and sky-is-the-limit thinking in a cloud-enabled world.

Microsoft’s Azure Data engineering team is hiring a Principal Program Manager. We are leading the transformation of analytics in the world of data with products like databases, data integration, big data analytics, messaging & real-time analytics, and business intelligence. Our portfolio includes Microsoft Fabric, Azure SQL DB, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure PostgreSQL, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Service Bus, Azure Event Grid, and Power BI. Our mission is to build the data platform for the age of AI, powering a new class of data-first applications and driving a data culture.

Within Azure Data, the messaging and real-time analytics team provides comprehensive solutions and a robust platform that enables users to ingest high granularity signals (real-time & observability) and complex data, converting those into a competitive advantage in real-time for both end users and modern applications.

In the era of AI, real-time data and semantic context on this data powers the accuracy and effectiveness of human and AI agents. Microsoft's Customer Advisory Team (CAT) for Real-Time Intelligence and Fabric IQ are leading this wave of transformation across the world, every segment and every enterprise. This team focuses on 3 core areas: driving product adoption, building community, and improving product differentiation.

We do not just value differences or different perspectives. We seek them out and invite them in so we can tap into the collective power of everyone in the company. As a result, our customers are better served.

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.

Responsibilities

• Engage with customers throughout all phases, from pre-sales to post-sales, ensuring their technical and business needs are understood and met.
• Prepare and deliver high-impact, customer-facing presentations, demonstrations, and training sessions (including classroom-style workshops).
• Collaborate and communicate regularly across the organization and with senior stakeholders to drive alignment and share insights.
• Exhibit exceptional program management skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously, effectively prioritizing tasks and meeting competing timelines and milestones.
• Leverage technical expertise to advise on Microsoft and competing products, providing hands-on guidance and recommendations.
• Utilize influence without direct authority to achieve objectives, foster collaboration, and drive innovation within diverse teams.
• Embody our culture and values.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Math, Business, or a related field AND 6+ years of experience in engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development OR equivalent experience.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the following specialized security screenings: Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Math, Business, or a related field AND 8+ years of experience in engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Math, Business, or a related field AND 12+ years of experience in engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development OR equivalent experience.
• Proficiency in knowledge graphs, ontologies, semantic knowledge models, and equivalent technologies like Neo4j, Palantir Ontology, among others.
• Working knowledge of programming languages, including Python, Pyspark, GQL, KQL, SQL.
• Familiarity with competing data platforms such as Google Big Query, Snowflake, Databricks, AWS Redshift, AWS Timestream, Elastic Search, and AWS Opensearch.
• Experience with visualization tools such as PowerBI or equivalent platforms.
• Hands-on technical experience in any relevant technology within the data and analytics ecosystem.
• Solid understanding of big data concepts, data modeling, data engineering, and data transformation methodologies.
• Ability to engage with customers across various stages, including pre-sales, solution design, and post-sales support.
• Experience preparing and delivering engaging presentations, demos, and workshops to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated capability in engaging and influencing senior stakeholders at all levels.
• Proven program management skills, with experience executing multiple concurrent projects with tight deadlines.
• Ability to influence outcomes without direct authority, promoting teamwork and shared goals.
• Customer-centric approach, with a passion for delivering value and fostering long-term relationships.
• Adaptability, eagerness to learn, and openness to embracing new technologies and methodologies.

Key Skills/Competency

• Program Management
• Customer Engagement
• Real-time Analytics
• Azure Data Platform
• Stakeholder Management
• Technical Advisory
• Big Data Concepts
• Knowledge Graphs
• Data Visualization (Power BI)
• Cloud Technologies