OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Lead for Microsoft in East & Southern Africa

Please contact Odette Engelbrecht (i-odenge at microsoft.com) for more information, or to submit an application.

More about the role:

The OEM Lead will be responsible for developing sales strategies and plans to drive Microsoft software adoption by OEMs. As defined above, the OEM community includes MNA, Named Accounts and the System Builder Channel.

In some areas/subs, there may be some accountability for MNA, as appropriate and in all areas there will be accountability for Named and System Builder customers. This person will also drive the execution of these plans by hiring, developing, directing and empowering sales and marketing professionals. He/she will be accountable for the business goals relating to these partners, including revenue, unit, gains against unlicensed PC, product attach and mix and other metrics. The person in this role will lead the effort with OEMs of all sizes to ensure that products shipped by these partners will support and take advantage of current and future Microsoft technologies.

Job Functions:

*Business management: Analyzing and reporting accurately on the business is necessary to keep executive management and peer groups up to speed. It is also important when gathering support for new programs to give proper consideration to our partners large and small.

*Strategic planning: Timely market intelligence gathering is essential in reporting trends and potential business influencers. This person will lead the effort in understanding the market situation well enough so that a solid strategy can be built to accomplish Microsoft’s goals in the market and retain observance of global governance for the OEM business. The person must be good at developing clear, unambiguous strategies to achieve key goals such that sales and marketing people know what they have to achieve in order for them to be successful and as a result for Microsoft to be successful. A holistic understanding of the Microsoft business and customer oriented ‘One Microsoft’ approach is necessary.

Deliverables for this role will include:

• Analysis and reports to executive management and sales peers to apprise them of the state of the business and market trends
• Develop scorecards and use these to document and evangelize business successes and best practices.
• Sets financial and design win metrics
• Sets forecasts and tracks progress against FY quota, Design Wins, reduction of Unlicensed PC (UPC) and Customer Partner Experience (CPE)

*Relationship management: This person must be able to develop high level relationships both internally and externally. Close collaboration with local and Regional Microsoft leaders is crucial to the success of this job, as well as with the OEM customers. Must be credible in articulating a desire to have respectful, trusting relationships with the top decision makers within these OEM companies and demonstrate active listening to facilitate joint planning/investment. This requires that this person be experienced, have a mature presence and a well-rounded background.

*Results Oriented: Actions without results will not get by in this job. He/she should have the desire to be the point person for the metrics in the geographic space he/she is accountable for. It is expected that all tactics to drive results will support the strategic business plan set in place and will be done in full consideration of long term ramifications as well as short term metrics. At no time will action be taken without consideration of the entire OEM ecosystem.

*Governance: Careful observance and adherence to World Wide Microsoft OEM Policies is mandatory to this position. This person must be able to track and enforce that policies are fully followed by his/her team and able to identify potential liabilities. It is expected this position will act to preclude activities that expose Microsoft to unconsidered risk. And, with global governance, set strategy and coordinate our marketing message and implementation.

Requirements:

• 8-10 years of related experience
• MBA / Master degree preferred
• A degree in marketing field is a plus

This position requires strong industry knowledge, including: hardware standards (processors, displays, storage, and networking), operating systems, PC software, distribution and sales channels. Ability to translate MS product, program, and service offerings into meaningful value as it pertains to the customer’s business metrics, diffusing competitor's value statements. To leverage MS products and services to help the customers develop complex business and market opportunities. Must have strong, demonstrated, presentation skills to groups of all sizes and levels and a successful track record of sales and negotiation skills, including advanced sales knowledge.