Job Description

Overview

We are seeking a highly collaborative, energetic, and business-oriented finance professional to lead headcount planning, forecasting, and governance for the GES FP&A team, driving global impact through strong partnerships, cross-functional influence, and effective Headcount management.

GES FP&A supports the Global Enterprise Sales organization by managing both revenue and P&L rhythms across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia.

The successful candidate will bring a proven track record in finance business partnering and extensive experience leading Headcount planning, forecasting, budgeting, and close processes. This role is a critical member of the GES FP&A team and plays a central role in financial controller rhythms, providing business leaders with actionable insights to support strategic decision-making. Success in this role requires strong analytical and forecasting capabilities, expertise in financial modeling and reporting, and the ability to translate complex data into clear, concise executive-level narratives. A growth mindset, intellectual curiosity, analytical rigor, and the ability to influence and drive action across a diverse stakeholder community are essential.

As a member of the GES FP&A team, you will partner closely with GES HR, GTA, Regional Headcount Controllers, and Finance stakeholders to deliver accurate Headcount planning and forecasting, optimize hiring investments, and drive alignment against business priorities. You will play a key role in month-end close and forecast rhythms, support worldwide finance initiatives, and continuously identify opportunities to simplify processes, standardize reporting, improve forecast accuracy, and strengthen governance and controls across the organization.

Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. That’s what inspires us, drives our work and pushes us to challenge the status quo every day. Through our Cloud-first strategy, we strive to deliver solutions that are optimized for the world and enable customers to drive their business more successfully.

Responsibilities

Partnership

• Develop trusted partnerships with business leaders, HR, GTA, BSO, and Finance stakeholders to drive effective Headcount planning, people investment decisions, and hiring execution across the GES organization.
• Translate complex Headcount data, hiring trends, and forecast risks into clear and actionable narratives for leadership.
• Partner with business leaders to optimize hiring strategies, align Headcount investments with productivity objectives and blueprint targets, and balance business priorities with resource constraints.
• Influence leadership decision-making by highlighting Headcount risks, opportunities, and tradeoffs related to hiring plans, productivity goals, and organizational priorities.
• Leverage advanced analytics and AI-enabled solutions to improve forecast accuracy and decision-making.
• Drive alignment across the GES organization by establishing consistent Headcount planning assumptions, forecasting methodologies, and governance processes.

Prioritize

• Lead end-to-end Headcount processes including Budget, Forecast, and Actuals.
• Analyze Headcount performance, hiring trends, attrition, hiring execution, and forecast performance to identify key drivers, root causes, and opportunities to improve forecast accuracy.
• Develop and manage weekly Headcount outlooks, proactively identifying hiring gaps, forecast risks, and execution challenges while recommending mitigation plans.
• Drive Headcount reporting simplification, standardization, and automation initiatives to improve operational efficiency and scalability.
• Lead Headcount reviews during month-end close and forecast cycles, facilitating discussions with business leaders and driving accountability for hiring commitments and Headcount outcomes.
• Provide consolidated Headcount analysis and recommendations to support investment decisions, forecast accuracy, and resource prioritization.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for Headcount management, forecasting methodologies, reporting frameworks, and planning processes.

Protect

• Reviews, analyzes, and interprets financial, budgetary, and Headcount reports to ensure accuracy, integrity of planning assumptions, and support of internal controls. Monitors control processes and procedures regarding accounting, Headcount governance, non-financial disclosures, and regulatory filings. Recommends and executes corrective measures.
• Ensures collaboration between business stakeholders and internal audit teams. Meets with internal and external auditors to discuss audit procedures, respond to questions, and provide information, records, and supporting documentation related to financial and Headcount management processes.
• Manages accounting and financial compliance, including the collection of data, accurate record-keeping, and coordination with local Finance, Regional, Corporate, HR, and GTA teams to implement reporting processes and ensure compliance with company policies, local legislation, and statutory requirements. Advises and consults with peers and stakeholders regarding documentation, policy adherence, financial and Headcount data governance, and information sharing to minimize risk.
• Understands and adheres to financial compliance standards, Microsoft privacy, security, and ethical standards. Translates accounting, statutory, regulatory, and policy changes to address impacts on business operations, Headcount planning processes, and hiring governance.
• Where appropriate, reviews reports and filings for country, federal, state, and local regulatory agencies (including SEC filings and disclosures) and ensures compliance with internal policies, controls, and reporting requirements.

Other

• Embody our culture and values.

Qualifications

Required/minimum qualifications

• Master's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science or related field AND 2+ years experience in financial analysis, accounting, controllership or finance, or related field OR Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science or related field AND 4+ years experience in financial analysis, accounting, controllership or finance, or related field OR equivalent experience.

Additional or preferred qualifications

• Masters Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science or related field AND 6+ years of post-graduate financial analysis, accounting, controllership, or finance work experience OR Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science or related field AND 8+ years of post-graduate financial analysis, accounting, controllership or finance work experience OR equivalent experience.
• 1+ year(s) experience in multinationals with multi-product/multi-segment finance roles.
• 1+ year(s) work experience in matrix-based organization.
• 1+ year(s) work experience in the technology or software industry.

Financial Analysis IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $97,600 - $188,400 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 $125,000 - $206,400 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

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.