Overview
We are seeking a Senior Product Manager to drive product strategy, execution, and operational readiness for the SDN (software defined networking)Control Plane and associated SDN buildout responsibilities. This PM will be accountable for turning control-plane capabilities and buildout execution into repeatable, well-documented, automation-first delivery that scales across regulated and sovereign environments reducing timeline risk, improving predictability, and enabling dependent platform services to onboard safely and consistently.
This role sits at the intersection of service onboarding, buildout automation, and release/health validation for SDN infrastructure, ensuring the control plane and its dependent experiences can be delivered with reliable processes (rather than ad-hoc manual execution) in environments where buildouts historically carry schedule and documentation risk.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond
Responsibilities
- Define SDN Product Strategy:Drive roadmap development for software-defined networking constructs including virtual routing domains, policy-driven segmentation, programmable forwarding planes, and dynamic service chaining across Azure virtual network environments.
- Enable Cloud Network Virtualization at Scale:Deliver platform capabilities that support multi-region deployments, customer-isolated topologies, and automated onboarding patterns for enterprise and government customers leveraging Azure’s connectivity stack.
- Partner with Engineering on Control Plane Innovation:Translate customer and platform requirements into scalable orchestration models supporting intent-based networking, route convergence automation, failover domains, and software-managed edge connectivity.
- Drive Parity Across Sovereign Clouds:Ensure SDN feature alignment between Public Azure and sovereign instances by reducing onboarding friction and accelerating deployment timelines for regulated workloads.
- Improve Network Deployment Automation:Lead initiatives to standardize network instantiation procedures using SDN primitives, enabling repeatable deployment of connectivity zones, routing intents, and virtualized service insertion without manual configuration.
- Customer-Facing Architecture Engagement:Work directly with internal field teams and strategic customers (e.g., federal agencies, IC partners) to define software-defined connectivity patterns that support secure, high-availability WAN modernization initiatives.
- Operational Excellence & Reliability:Establish health and telemetry frameworks for SDN-managed services, improving observability into route health, traffic steering decisions, and failover triggers across software-defined transport layers.
- Embody our culture and values.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree AND 5+ years experience in product/service/program management or software development OR equivalent experience.
**Other Requirements: **
- Security Clearance Requirements: Candidates must be able to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: • **Candidates must have an active TS/SCI and be willing and eligible to upgrade to TS/SCI (with ****polygraph). **This role will require candidates to maintain the TS/SCI (with polygraph) clearance. Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required pre-offer and post-hire for this role. Failure to maintain or obtain the appropriate clearance and/or customer screening requirements may result in employment action up to and including termination. • Clearance Verification: This position requires successful verification of the stated security clearance to meet federal government customer requirements. You will be asked to provide clearance verification information prior to an offer of employment. • Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. • Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This position requires verification of U.S. citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions. Specifically, this position supports United States federal, state, and/or local United States government agency customer and is subject to certain citizenship-based restrictions where required or permitted by applicable law. To meet this legal requirement, citizenship will be verified via a valid passport, or other approved documents, or verified US government Clearance.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience in cloud networking, SDN, or network virtualization platforms
- Familiarity with routing protocols (e.g., BGP), overlay/underlay architectures, and network policy enforcement
- Background in distributed systems or infrastructure orchestration
- Exposure to government or regulated cloud environments
- Understanding of intent-based networking or network automation frameworks
Product Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 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 $160,200 - $261,000 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.**