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At Microsoft Gaming, we aspire to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. Gaming, the largest and fastest growing category in media & entertainment, represents an important growth opportunity for Microsoft. We are leading with innovation across our entire business, highlighted by our platform, which spans Xbox PC; Xbox Console; Xbox Cloud Gaming; alongside our world-class gaming studios: Activision, Blizzard, King, Bethesda, Mojang, and Xbox Game Studios.

The Gaming Strategy team is a specialized group serving as the corporate strategy function for Microsoft’s Gaming Division. We work closely with the Gaming CEO and Leadership Team to identify and evaluate transformative growth opportunities, helping shape the division’s direction in partnership with Microsoft’s CEO, Senior Leadership Team, and Board of Directors. We focus on:

+ Drivingresearch, analysis, and framing ofcompetitiveand audience dynamicswithin the gaming industry and broader media & entertainment;

+ Supporting the Leadership Team in definingand articulating strategic direction forGaming;

+ Leading project-basedquantitative and qualitativedecision support oncritical business questions and strategic initiatives across MicrosoftGaming;

+ Supporting Microsoft’s corporate strategy rhythm of business.

We are looking for a Senior Manager of Gaming Strategy with distinctive analytical, financial, problem solving, and communication capabilities to lead high-impact projects in collaboration with senior leaders. Candidates should bring experience from management consulting, investment banking, private equity, or equivalent roles. Success in this role requires the ability to frame and analyze complex problems, uncover insights, problem-solve creatively, communicate clearly, and collaborate across a diverse set of stakeholders.

This role reports to the Senior Director of Gaming Strategy and partners closely with leaders across Product, Engineering, Finance, Business Planning, Business Development, Corporate Development, Legal, Marketing, and more. It requires comfort navigating ambiguity, building trusted relationships, and driving strategic impact across a dynamic, cross-functional environment.

Responsibilities

+ Lead developmentofforward-looking, high-ambiguitycompetitive and market analyses to inform strategic planning, including modeling player behavior, evaluating industry shifts, andidentifyingwhitespace opportunitiesacross console, PC, cloud, and mobile

+ Own the definition, framing, and execution of large strategic initiatives for Gaming with cross-division impact, including evaluation of new business models, partnerships, and M&A opportunities that could shape Microsoft’s gaming portfolio over the next 3-5 years

+ Lead cross-functional strategic initiatives that shape Microsoft Gaming’s long-term direction, spanning platform, player engagement, and monetization; conductcomprehensiveoperational and financial modeling of strategic initiatives, in close partnershipwith Finance and other partner teams across the division

+ Frequently present and influence decision making with seniordivision- and corporate-level leadership(GM level, CVP, etc.), including crafting executive-level narratives, communicating trade-offs, risks, and opportunities in concise memos, briefings, and presentations;synthesizing complex data into clear insights and recommendations that influence decision-making at the highest levels

+ Support strategic planning cycles by coordinating cross-functionally, driving alignment on priorities, and ensuringtimelydelivery of high-impact materials

+ Champion a player-first mindset by integrating player insights, behavioral data, and cultural trends into strategy development, ensuring our work reflects the evolving needs of global gaming audiences

+ Mentor and guide other strategyand planningteam members;establishframeworks / process for our organization and lead by example

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: 

+ Master's Degree in Business Administration or related field AND 3+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization experience

+ OR Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Liberal Arts, Computer Science, or related field AND 4+ years marketing, strategy, business planning, consulting, banking, finance, economics, and/or partner organization experience

+ OR equivalent experience.

+ Proficiency driving strategic insight, considering product, technology, marketing, business model, and third-party/partner perspectives

+ 2+ years of experience identifying and advocating for transformative growth initiatives, including building business cases for major internal investments and conducting strategic & financial evaluations of inorganic opportunities.

Preferred Qualifications: 

+ Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Liberal Arts, Computer Science, or related field AND8+ years strategy, business planning, consulting, banking,and/orfinance experience

+ ORMaster's Degree in Business Administrationor related field AND6+ years strategy, business planning, consulting, banking,and/orfinance experience

+ OR equivalent experience.

+ Instincts for portfolio management, sound business judgment, and proven framing skills to support key trade-offs and decisions.

+ Demonstrated hypothesis-driven, problem-solving orientation with the ability to leverage both quantitative and qualitative analyses for decision-making.

+ Proven ability to engage, influence, and manage positive relationships with key stakeholders, includingexecutivecommunities across engineering, marketing, finance, corporate strategy, business development, etc.

Business Strategy 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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until October 9, 2025.

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Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .