Overview
Commercial Engineering & AI (CEAI) partners closely with stakeholders to accelerate the transformation of Microsoft’s commercial business into a frontier organization. We bring together AI‑native engineering, modern platforms, and deep commercial insight to reimagine how work gets done, at scale and with impact. Our mission is to unlock new ways of operating through intelligent systems while creating the conditions for our teams to do the most meaningful work of their careers. If you’re excited to build, experiment, and shape the future of commercial execution with AI at the core, we invite you to apply.
We are looking for a Principal Design Manager to lead a high-performing team shaping the tools that power Microsoft’s commercial business. This is a unique opportunity to design experiences used by the people who sell, support, and grow Microsoft’s customer relationships around the world—and to connect directly with those users to understand their needs and see the impact of your work firsthand. In this role, you will create products that matter, move fast, and make a visible difference at commercial scale.
#CEAIJobs
Responsibilities
- Provide oversight and strategic guidance to a team of product designers, acting as a steward of creative work, and influencing product direction beyond the design organization
- Attract, retain, and develop great designers by modelling our culture, defining clear team objectives, investing in individual growth, and enabling success
- Communicate compelling product stories that inspire excitement and secure buy-in from executives and cross-functional stakeholders; coach teams on storytelling and executive maturity
- Architect end-to-end design systems and strategies that teams can build upon, driving adoption of company-wide standards for consistency, accessibility, and trust across multiple product areas
- Lead the full design lifecycle—from user-insight synthesis and ideation through prototyping, visual design production, and ship-readiness approval
- Direct interactions with engineering to ensure implemented designs meet design and security specifications, negotiating trade-offs and iterating during implementation to achieve optimal outcomes
- Innovate with and model AI-native engineering practices, leveraging AI tools and workflows to accelerate design processes, enhance team productivity, and push the boundaries of what is possible in product design
- Foster a collaborative and inclusive work culture where every team member feels supported and empowered to act, unlocking bold thinking and high-quality craft
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience in product/UX design, interaction design, or a related field
- 3+ years of experience managing and developing design teams
- Proven track record of shipping complex, large-scale products with cross-functional teams
- Strong portfolio demonstrating systems-level design thinking and end-to-end product design leadership
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills with the ability to influence senior leadership
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with design systems at enterprise scale
- Background in security-conscious design and building trust into user experiences
- Experience leading design for hardware and software-based experiences
- Advanced degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related discipline
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.**