Overview
We are hiring a Senior Business Development Manager in the Seattle or San Franciso area to lead Microsoft’s global Maps and Local data partnerships, a strategically important set of deals across Bing, Windows, LinkedIn, Copilot, and other core products. This role operates at the intersection of strategic partnerships, product strategy, and AI readiness, requiring a leader who can manage a high-impact portfolio while guiding Microsoft’s transition from traditional licensed data models to AI-driven approaches across maps and local data.
You will manage and negotiate high-value, technically complex, and regulated partnerships across mapping platforms, points-of-interest (POI) data, and rich local content. These deals directly shape Microsoft’s geospatial and grounding capabilities across consumer and enterprise products, as well as key local datasets for businesses and events.
This is a senior role with frequent exposure to executive leadership. You will structure first-of-kind partnerships, align Product, Engineering, Legal, Finance, and leadership stakeholders, and help guide the portfolio’s shift from owned and licensed data toward API-based and AI-grounding models.
Responsibilities
- Own and grow Microsoft’s strategic mapping & local platform relationships and a portfolio of additional API and data partnerships across local and maps.
- Navigate niche data rights, technical requirements, and cross-Microsoft and affiliate coordination to ensure deals support Bing, Ads, Azure, Windows, LinkedIn, Copilot, and more.
- Provide regional partner oversight in markets within regulatory and market constraints
- Structure complex deals spanning AI/ML rights, grounding/display rights, and cross-org execution.
- Drive analysis and execution of portfolio optimization, including local content expansion into priority markets, in partnership with our international BD team.
- Apply deep technical fluency to drive partner-led product design and align partnerships with engineering and product roadmaps.
- Significant business development, partnerships, or strategic deal-making experience, including ownership of large platform agreements.
- Demonstrated ability to structure novel, first-of-kind partnerships and lead complex negotiations.
- Technical fluency. Ability to engage credibly on data rights, APIs, AI/ML, and partner-led product design.
- Proven cross-functional leadership across Product, Engineering, Legal/CELA, Finance, and senior leadership, and extensive experience in working across matrixed organizations.
- Experience managing regulated and/or international partnerships, with regional market awareness.
- Background in geospatial / maps / location data, local content/POI ecosystems, or AI grounding and search.
- Experience managing a multi-deal portfolio with active spend reallocation and lifecycle decisions.
- Expansive cross-functional and matrixed organizational experience.
Qualifications
Required/minimum qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, or related field AND 5+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field)
- OR equivalent experience.
Additional or preferred qualifications
Bachelor's Degree in Business, Liberal Arts, Sciences, or related field AND 7+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field)
- OR Master's/Advanced Degree in Business, Sciences, or related field AND 5+ years relevant work experience (e.g., investment banking, consulting, finance, marketing, corporate strategy, sales, venture capital, legal, business development, product management, project management, software development, or related field)
- OR equivalent experience.
6+ years experience in the technology industry OR in a technical role (e.g., IT, Engineering).
Business Development IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $106,400 - $203,600 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $137,600 - $222,600 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
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.**