GDS Microsoft Alliance Operations Specialist - Partner Programs - Associate Director

• The Microsoft Alliance Operations Specialist will function out of EY's Alliances & Ecosystem Center of Excellence and will be responsible for providing ongoing operations & enablement support for the EY-Microsoft Alliance. This role will codevelop and execute the support model for EY's participation in Microsoft partner programs.

• Own EY's Partner Program orchestration and management in relation to EY's strategic Alliance with Microsoft, and inclusive tools associated therewith.
• Global lead for administration of Microsoft Partner Center, which includes access management, commercial marketplace solution management, lead tracking, referral submissions, claim submissions, Azure revenue tracking and more.
• Manage Partner Center issue resolution, access requests, and ad hoc queries from the global business
• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior management, providing insights and recommendations on Partner Center benefits and other Microsoft partner programs.
• Coordinate Microsoft Advanced Specialization processes, collaborating with EY Global Microsoft Practice.
• Manage Microsoft revenue recognition processes - PAL and CPOR (plus others as needed) to translate influence Azure consumption and BizApps licensing into recognized partner metrics
• Own Microsoft Partner Program knowledge and act as Subject Matter Resource, reviewing key program changes, updating leadership, and supporting communication of updates
• Analysis of trends, top deals, etc. to identify business insights for leadership and stakeholders.
• Work with the EY Microsoft Co-Investment Team to manage all requirements related to requesting and reimbursing Incentives and other $ funding programs, helping to build awareness of programs, track and monitor compliance to process, manage platform and resolve issues with Microsoft
• Collaborate with the onshore Microsoft Alliance Enablement contacts on strategic projects and initiatives as and when required.
• Manage onshore stakeholder expectations, plans and communication.

• Exposure to partner portals and programs where administration, basic understanding of programs such as Partner Center referrals, CPOR and Partner Admin Link.
• Familiarity with Microsoft technologies, cloud services, and the Partner Center platform is required.
• Sales and pipeline exposure - understanding of concepts, opportunity life cycles and reporting.
• Should have a technology aptitude, technology exposure through experience or academics.
• Good at problem solving, should be capable of evaluation, root cause analysis and mitigation, good interpersonal skills, analytical thinking and research capabilities, comfortable interacting across multiple groups & collaborating with various other teams towards the appropriate solution or resolution.
• Proficient at number crunching and presenting data.
• Excellent communications and organizational skills
• Meticulous and eager to analyze and solve complex process cases.
• Exceptional customer service skills, including responsiveness and commitment to quality.
• Strong and initiative-taking work ethic
• Ability to perform well prioritized tasks in a challenging environment.

• A proficient understanding of how Microsoft's partner programs are executed and have individually contributed towards assessing, managing, and owning such partner programs at an organizational level.
• Experience working for a global system integrator (GSI) and/or Big Four firm with exposure to complex partner programs, incentives, and investment programs from top tier software companies - ideally Microsoft
• Proven ability to contribute to teams to operationalize complex partner program requirements, processes, reporting, compliance, and portal management.
• Ability to leverage knowledge of programs to advise senior business leaders on how to maximize partner program benefits and minimize risks.
• Ability to work and influence multiple stakeholders in matrixed structures of large global partners.
• Strong skills to engage with senior leadership at partner organizations.
• Strong English speaking at negotiation level, strong influencing, and communication skills
• Enthusiastic, curious, high-energy individual, team motivator, uses a thought leadership approach.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft products and technologies
• Exposure to continuous process improvement and automation initiatives (and technologies), experience with process mapping, process documentation, internal audit preparation, facing audits, etc.

• Direct experience of working for Microsoft or in the Microsoft partner ecosystem
• Ability to collaborate with senior onshore stakeholders, excellent relationships, and stakeholder management skills, should have the ability to develop trusted business advisor relationships with onshore stakeholders.
• Should have experience with virtual work, preferably across multiple geographies, including cultural sensitivity, with a global mindset.
• Good at problem solving, should be capable of evaluation, root cause analysis and mitigation, good interpersonal skills, analytical thinking and research capabilities, comfortable interacting across multiple groups & working with various other teams towards the appropriate solution or resolution.

• Excellent with MS Excel and PowerPoint, Power Bi skills would be an added advantage.
• Good project management skills - project budgets, execution and tracking, reviews, strong time management skills including prioritizing, organizing, and tracking details and meeting a series of aggressive deadlines of multiple projects or assignments with varying completion dates.

• Bachelor's Degree preferably in Commerce
• Postgraduate preferably MBA (Business, Finance)
• 15+ years of total experience working in technology and professional services environments
• 10+ years directly supporting relevant technologies, alliances, and partner programs
• Proven experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders (both internal and external) in a virtual environment, across geographies.
• Location: India

• Continuous learning: You will develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
• Success, as defined by you: We will provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
• Transformative leadership: We will give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the world needs.
• Diverse and inclusive culture: You will be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.

EY