Job Description

Overview

MCAPS-Core accelerates customer outcomes and business growth. By uniting product, engineering, marketing, sales, customer success, and partners around a common customer mission, we help customers realize value faster and turn innovation into measurable business impact. Through deep technical expertise and differentiated go-to-market execution, we win competitively, capture market share, and scale repeatable growth motions. We differentiate through value creation - delivering world-class, AI-powered customer experiences that accelerate adoption, strengthen loyalty, and create sustainable strategic advantage, driving growth that outpaces the market.

The International & Emerging Markets Consumer Channel Sales team earns fans and drives profitable growth by building meaningful connections that delight and empower customers. Across physical and digital channels, the team partners with retailers, distributors and the broader device ecosystem to scale Surface, Windows, Microsoft 365 and Copilot experiences across IEM.

The IEM Surface Category Manager shapes and lands the Surface consumer strategy across International & Emerging Markets. The role translates worldwide priorities into an integrated regional portfolio, pricing, channel, investment, launch and lifecycle plan, while representing the voice of IEM customers, markets and partners in worldwide decision-making.

The role provides end-to-end category leadership, orchestrating sales, marketing, finance, supply, operations, digital sales and partner teams to profitably grow Surface revenue, units, share, gross margin and customer relevance across IEM.

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

• Own the end-to-end IEM Surface category strategy across portfolio, pricing, promotions, placement, investment and product lifecycle.
• Define priority markets, customer segments, products, price bands and channel plays based on customer opportunity, business economics and execution readiness.
• Lead the Surface business plan and performance rhythm across revenue, units, share, gross margin, sell-through, forecast accuracy, inventory health and accessories attach.
• Design and scale the Surface channel model across strategic retailers, e-commerce partners, Essential Device Retailers and distributor-managed channels.
• Lead regional product launches and seasonal readiness, aligning assortment, pricing, supply, inventory, marketing, digital content, merchandising, training and partner commitments.
• Drive portfolio transition and inventory decisions to protect profitability, minimize ageing exposure and maintain trusted customer and partner experiences.
• Build joint business plans with priority partners, aligning assortment, demand generation, seller readiness, digital conversion, merchandising, promotions and execution accountability.
• Translate customer behavior, partner feedback, market data, pricing and market intelligence into regional category decisions.
• Represent the collective voice of IEM with worldwide category and product teams, influencing product roadmap, supply, pricing, programs and investment decisions.
• Orchestrate opportunities across Surface, Windows, Microsoft 365 and Copilot to increase customer value, ecosystem relevance and commercial attach.
• Create repeatable regional playbooks, governance mechanisms and performance scorecards that improve execution and accelerate learning across markets.
• Ensure category investments, programs, incentives and partner plans meet Microsoft financial, compliance, governance and brand requirements.

Qualifications

Required/minimum qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Economics, Public Relations, Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years category management, product management, marketing strategy, business planning, product planning, or related work experience OR equivalent experience.

Additional or preferred qualifications

Master's Degree in Business Administration, Business, Marketing, Communications, Economics, Public Relations, or related field AND 12+ years category management, product management, marketing strategy, business planning, product planning, or related work experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Economics, Public Relations, Engineering, or related field AND 15+ years category management, product management, marketing strategy, business planning, product planning, or related work experience OR equivalent experience.

8+ years experience managing and expanding a category and attaining sales and profitability targets within a complex (e.g., multinational or matrixed) organization OR equivalent experience.

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. 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 with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.