Strategic Account Executive

Strategic Account Executive

Overview

The Microsoft Defense Team is seeking a Strategic Account Executive for the Air Force Account Team. This role is responsible for empowering customers on their digital journey, from envisioning new possibilities to delivering solutions that result in targeted business outcomes, revenue growth for Microsoft, and an excellent customer experience. The Strategic Account Executive builds and leverages close relationships with senior leaders and C-level executives within the assigned account and broader ecosystem to shape long-term strategic direction and influence business metrics. You will expand strategic customer relationships to drive larger impact for the customer and spread into other areas of the organization, anticipating issues/risks on customer satisfaction, determining root causes, removing blockers, and establishing recovery action plans. This position owns the development of strategies showcasing the value of Microsoft's innovative cloud offerings, grounded in a deep understanding of industry trends and account needs. You will leverage an internal network of industry experts to strengthen knowledge of the industry, competitors, and customer business priorities, and apply in-depth knowledge of Microsoft's offerings to influence customer capabilities, drive competitive solutions, and enhance account team growth.

Responsibilities

Account Management

• Manages the development and application of a mature, dynamic multi-year customer account plan using proven methodologies for a sustainable, long-term business portfolio.
• Leads strategies for the assigned account, aiming for high-volume sales and new opportunities for Microsoft and partners, aligned with goals, budgets, and forecasts.
• Proactively solicits feedback on additional needs, products, and features to develop targeted customer strategies.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the customer's business model to articulate growth opportunities, leveraging industry expertise to shape the ecosystem.
• Influences relevant internal and external stakeholders and resources to drive change for the customer and enhance team capabilities, improve Microsoft offerings, and adapt messaging.
• Leads efforts with key internal and external partners, including vertical industry partners and technical decision makers, to develop, share, and promote mutually beneficial, long-term, tailored account plans to grow sales and partner impact.
• Collaborates across the organization and with partners to impact the broader ecosystem.
• Proactively expands a strategic network of key internal and external partners and decision makers, including vertical industry partners, to ensure execution of core tasks and transactions.
• Orchestrates the execution of strategies for the assigned account to ensure engagements yield high-volume sales, drive plans to increase revenue potential, and open new opportunities.
• Leads and coordinates a diverse team on plan execution and drives accountability to deliver on account plans and grow the account.

Competitive Knowledge

• Leverages internal networks of industry experts to strengthen knowledge of the industry, competitors (e.g., AWS, Salesforce), and customer business priorities.
• Applies in-depth knowledge of Microsoft's offerings to share internally, influence customer business capabilities, drive competitive solutions, and enhance account team growth.

Customer Engagement

• Proactively develops a strong, comprehensive understanding of customer's business needs, priorities, strategies, and industry insights.
• Anticipates customer needs to deliver new insights on their business strategy and educates customers on joint solutions.
• Shows long-term differentiated value for the customer, leveraging industry expertise, and guides colleagues on developing deeper customer knowledge.
• Proactively elevates stakeholder relationships and uses Microsoft sales strategies across customer organization levels to secure buy-in and execution.
• Expands strategic customer relationships to drive larger impact and spread into other areas of the organization.

Sales Excellence

• Orchestrates high-impact solutions enabling digital transformation and driving business value for customers.
• Owns the development of strategies showcasing the value of Microsoft's innovative cloud offerings, grounded in industry trends and account expectations.
• Brings the greater ecosystem together with the customer to enrich customer's value to their customers.
• Orchestrates the creation of long-term strategies aimed at building customer loyalty.
• Anticipates issues/risks on customer satisfaction, determines root causes, removes blockers, and establishes recovery action plans.
• Builds trust and loyalty by providing up-to-date insights, challenging when necessary, and introducing innovative ideas.
• Enables customers to provide feedback directly to executives to help transform account space through open channels and executive sponsorship.
• Leverages understanding of customer business and engages Microsoft decision makers to drive customer's strategy, goals, and optimization.
• Engages and influences account decision makers to increase customer's budget allocated to Microsoft and tailor solutions that satisfy KPIs.
• Earns and maintains status as a trusted advisor to C-level business decision makers by bringing innovative ideas and leveraging industry expertise.
• Mobilizes and mentors the account management team and internal stakeholders with deep industry expertise to build deep partnerships.
• Leverages best-in-class sales and communication strategies and tools to meet business needs and identify new opportunities.
• Builds new relationships to create new opportunities and expand existing ones within the customer.
• Creates and qualifies new opportunities by identifying strategic opportunities within accounts and guiding the customer.
• Drives new business opportunities across the team by creating a partner ecosystem and empowering team members.
• Uses business cases to develop and present compelling value proposition presentations and specialized business plans showcasing Microsoft's products and solutions.

Strategic Thinking

• Articulates Microsoft's and partners' point of view and creates deep connections with decision makers throughout multiple levels of the customers' organization to drive purchase decisions.
• Leverages relationships to address complex political blockers and drive execution for the customer.
• Leverages unique, strategic, industry-focused business insights and opportunities to create long-term, competitive advantage for the customer.
• Engages in strategic discussions by articulating ideas to evolve and facilitate evolution of customer business model, using Microsoft capabilities to solve customer's complex business problems.
• Drives strategic initiatives to promote a more holistic digital approach between Microsoft and the customer.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree AND 10+ years experience in an industry (e.g., financial services, government, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR Master's Degree AND 9+ years experience OR 13+ years equivalent experience.
• 6+ years experience making recommendations to and/or collaborating with mid-to-senior level executives.
• 8+ years experience closing large, complex agreements/deals.

Other Requirements

• Candidates must be able to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements.
• The successful candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Security Clearance.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role.
• Failure to maintain or obtain the appropriate clearance and/or customer screening requirements may result in employment action up to and including termination.
• This position requires successful verification of the stated security clearance to meet federal government customer requirements.
• This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
• This position requires verification of U.S. citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions.
• Citizenship will be verified via a valid passport, or other approved documents, or verified US government Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree AND 13+ years experience working in an industry (e.g., financial services, government, technology) and/or driving digital transformation OR Master's Degree AND 11+ years experience OR equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated experience supporting the U.S. Air Force either while serving in uniform or through industry engagement.
• Strong background in sales combined with a solid understanding of technology solutions and their application in mission-critical environments.
• Ability to confidently engage with senior leaders, build trusted relationships, and influence decision-making at the highest levels.
• Proven success working in team-oriented environments, with the flexibility to navigate dynamic landscapes and perform under pressure.
• Capacity to manage competing priorities and adapt quickly to evolving customer needs and organizational objectives.

Key skills/competency

• Strategic Account Management
• Digital Transformation
• Government Sales
• Top Secret Clearance
• Relationship Building
• Executive Engagement
• Cloud Solutions
• Business Development
• Competitive Analysis
• Sales Strategy