The Worldwide Learning (WWL) organization is re-imagining learning and development with the objective of building deep technical capabilities within Microsoft and externally and creating a world class learning program that spans modalities and skills for critical job roles. Our product development approach is learner obsessed, data driven, innovative, and business aligned, and places the learner at the core of our various initiatives.   

As part of the Global Technical Learning organization, you will work across not only Worldwide Learning, but with engineering and business teams across Microsoft, and with customer/partner groups to refine and grow our training business to ensure that Microsoft has a rich ecosystem of skilled employees, partners, and customers to aid digital transformations. As our Product Planning Product Manager, you will think big about opportunities to re-invent our online learning strategy and platforms for Microsoft. You will be responsible for capturing Worldwide Learning’s business needs and technical capabilities for our online learning platforms, and act as the unified voice when partnering with the Microsoft Learn organization. This work directly supports our world class certification and credentialing program, making bold bets on the most promising ideas, prioritizing them, and delivering results that shape the business. You will partner with other Global Technical Learning product management and content development team members, along with key internal and external stakeholders, to accelerate the adoption of our lab platforms, defining key success metrics, measuring impact, and tracking business results of a robust framework to skill our customer, partners and employees.   

Responsibilities

• Demand management, prioritization and integration of features into Learn product roadmap 
• E2E accountability for the WWL product planning with Learn team and adherence to shared roadmap  
• Input into the overall strategic vision and plan for the Microsoft Product Planning. 

• Develop a WWL Product strategy to ensure Microsoft meets our business goals, with a high priority on increasing the number of individuals and organizations that are trained and skilled on Microsoft’s cloud technologies.   
• Evolve the all-up business model and the product value prop/messaging across audiences.  
• Define/support product specs and minimum requirements for various modalities and release channels.    
• Define objectives and key results and analyze customer feedback and usage metrics to identify key pain points and opportunities to address.  
• Continuously enhance the product and learner experience through an iterative product development model.    

• Partner with Business Planning Lead and other Product Managers to define how WWL Product experiences fit our product business models, and appropriately support the cost/operating model.   
• Partner with Training and Certification Product Managers to drive a unified strategy, associated set of principles and clear prioritization for WWL Product experiences.    
• Work with our Microsoft Certified Trainer and Learning Partner communities to understand the needs of our learners and our trainers ensure that the program aligns to those needs.  
• Support pricing, promotions and/or packaging decisions.   
• Work with marketing teams to create customer and partner facing content and land key messages with analysts and the market.  

• Advocate for the training and certification program across Microsoft and to our customers and partners, ensuring the learning and certification “story” is clear and understood as it pertains to our WWL Products.  
• Work with our psychometrician and our exam development team to identify opportunities to revolutionize skills validation and exam delivery so that Microsoft remains the leader in our approach to learning and certification and support the design and implementation of those opportunities.  
• Present to senior management, external clients, and other large audiences.  
• Represent Microsoft at learning and certification industry digital events, helping maintain Microsoft’s position as an industry leader.   
• Continuously track industry trends, drive competitive research and customer research, and partner with training and certification product managers, to help define the desired learner experience and drive innovation.  

Qualifications

Requirements: 

• 5+ years' in product or program management, with demonstrated business impact delivered by strong product or program management skills. 
• 3+ years' experience in writing business or technical requirements for new capabilities and features.  
• 2+ years' experience developing product vision and strategy based on data and business objectives.   

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Experience working with learning products and content in prior roles (content product management, content development, technical training delivery).  
• Deep understanding of training content including different modalities, ecosystem and market trends.  
• Proven experience at innovating and program execution to drive programs to the next level.  

• Experience working with technical teams to enable deployment of products or capabilities in an agile environment.  
• Excellence at developing and articulating vision and strategy that meet business goals.  
• Ability to handle challenging situations and difficult conversations with poise.  
• Ability to drive cross-group collaborative efforts on multiple projects simultaneously.  
• Strong collaborator with demonstrated track record of building alignment between product and subject matter experts across a large company.  

• Drive for results. "Can-do" attitude and persistence. Proven track record of success, determination, and curiosity.  
• Adept at collaborating within a highly matrixed environment.   
• Excellent communication skills and ability to present to senior management, stakeholders and at events internally and externally.  
• Successful candidate will possess the maturity and experience needed to manage complex programs and projects and solving problems with minimal coaching.  
• Bachelor's Degree or master’s degree in relevant field or equivalent work experience.  

• Ability to interact with and understand technical subjects and emerging technologies and their relevance to the marketplace.  

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.