Job Description

If you love the pursuit of excellence and are inspired by the challenges that come through driving innovations that impact how the world lives, works and plays, then we invite you to learn more about Microsoft Operations - and the value we deliver across Microsoft and to our customers and partners. We offer unique opportunities to work on interesting global projects in an environment that appreciates diversity, focuses on talent development and recognizes and rewards great work.
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This role is part of the Microsoft Global Trade and Operations team where you will proactively plan to address immediate Trade Compliance regulatory updates, compliance needs for changing regulations, and build longer term plans to address emerging regulatory measures. You will take a strategic view to help build a robust plan for today, and for the future while implementing and driving for continuous improvements in processes and structure to pave the way for innovation and growth by setting standards and priorities.
The Trade & Compliance Operations Manager drives the execution and continuous optimization of Microsoft’s Global Trade Sanctions and Export Program, ensuring unwavering compliance with international trade regulations and internal policy standards.
This role provides strategic and operational leadership across governance, process, and system capabilities for the Global Trade function—championing efficiency gains, advanced tool enhancements, and superior data integrity. The position is pivotal in navigating the most complex trade sanctions regulations, ensuring our systems and processes remain agile, resilient, and ready to respond to a rapidly evolving global trade landscape.
As a key partner to Operations, Legal, Engineering, and business teams, this role strengthens the effectiveness of Trade Sceening and Export operations through robust list management, adjudication excellence, system optimization, and control performance improvements.
Additionally, the Trade & Compliance Operations Manager leads the development of dashboards, KPI frameworks, operational processes, audit readiness, and driving continuous improvement across Microsoft’s global trade processes.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more. As employees, we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realise 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

The responsibilities of the Trade & Compliance Operations Manager include:

• Support oversight and management of Trade processes and tools.
• Partner with operations, legal, engineering and others to implement process improvements, system improvements, and AI-enabled Trade screening enhancements.
• Lead initiatives that reduce operational overhead while improving compliance precision and partner experience.
• Define and implement key performance indicators (KPIs) and service-level agreements (SLAs) for trade screening operations.
• Help define and maintain system requirements for Trade list integrations, entity enrichment, and matching logic improvements to ensure global scalability.
• Lead initiatives that reduce operational overhead while improving compliance precision and partner experience.
• Lead periodic health checks and risk assessments to ensure effective control design, data accuracy, and procedural compliance.
• Partner closely with and support the Microsoft Global Trade business engagement and trade screening / export teams on any risks, gaps or opportunities identified through their processes.
• Manage, analyze, and coordinate the trade sanctions and screening risks through the trade risk repository, consult with key stakeholders (e.g., Legal, business/cohort partners, engineering) and monitor the associated remediation action plans to closure.
• Identify and escalate issues which may not be addressed by current policies or standards, and support the development and implementation of possible solutions, especially emerging regimes, and programs.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide consultation, communications, direction, roadmap objectives, and awareness to stakeholders in various business functions to ensure Trade compliance covering Sanctions & Embargoes, Export controls and Customs.
• Partner with global business stakeholders to ensure compliance with export and import control laws and regulations in Microsoft's numerous jurisdictions. Facilitate an environment of inclusion that leverages diverse perspectives and talent, to better represent and understand global customers.
• Help the team provide appropriate data-collection efforts for regulatory obligations.
• Manage trade related risk analysis, setting metrics and KPIs, and defining the requirements for trade solutions.
• Establishe standardized reporting frameworks and dashboards to enhance visibility across trade screening operations.
• Conduct Executive Briefings and deliver concise, actionable reporting to Trade leadership, highlighting trends, compliance risks, and system efficiency insights.

Process Improvement

• Drive efficiencies for trade processes by monitoring feedback (e.g., from internal controllership), determine needed updates, institute policy changes by overseeing updates for Procedures, and provide executive communication updates. Challenge the norms; test and verify. Drive innovation across the organization to support process improvement.

Training

• Identify business training needs and aid in developing training pertaining to government controlled programs.
• Coordinate and facilitate Trade/compliance training and change management training for internal business partners.
• Oversee the identification of the team's training needs and the content development process.

Leadership Capabilities

• Demonstrate a strategic mindset — balancing operational efficiency with regulatory rigor.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation in compliance operations.
• Communicate with clarity and influence across technical, legal, and business audiences.
• Embody Microsoft’s values.

Qualifications

Minimum/Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Law, International Relations or related field and Compliance, Trade, or Operations experience
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Project management or operational experience.
• Working understanding of risk and compliance frameworks.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PMI, prince II or other project management qualification.
• Familiarity with AI-driven compliance solutions.
• Demonstrated use of business data to identify and quantify risks and prioritize remediation and mitigation.
• Good knowledge of Financial Crime, Trade Sanctions, Export and broader compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrated communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex challenges, influence cross-functional teams, and drive solutions that deliver results.
• Highly organized and adaptable, with the ability to manage multiple projects, maintain attention to detail, meet deadlines, and respond effectively to evolving business needs.

Business Program Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across Ireland is € 80,000.00 - € 136,400.00 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation.

Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/corporate-pay/ireland-corporate-pay.html

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.