Solutions Alliance Director

For more than two decades, Avanade has been at the forefront of driving innovation designed to create a genuine human impact. Created in April 2000 by two industry giants – Accenture and Microsoft – Avanade has one goal: deliver innovative services and solutions to enterprises worldwide using the Microsoft platform. Collaboration is at the heart of our culture, and as the industry’s most successful joint venture, partnering with Microsoft is literally in our DNA. As the global leader in the Microsoft Partner Ecosystem, we’ve earned countless partnership accolades, but the most powerful evidence of what the partnership is capable of – and what we’re most proud of – is the success of our joint clients.

As the Avanade Global Microsoft Alliance Director - Solutions , you will:

• Be responsible for driving deeper collaboration between Avanade’s Global Solution Areas and Microsoft to support Avanade’s position as the #1 partner to Microsoft in the market
• Advocate for Avanade’s interests with Microsoft, ensure strategic positioning for us in Microsoft’s ecosystem, nurture relationships that promote co-innovation, and champion activities that support sustained growth of Avanade’s Microsoft Solutions
• Act as Trusted Advisor to Avanade’s Global Solution Areas – bringing deep strategic, technology, and organizational insights to provide visibility and guidance on Microsoft direction and priorities, executive relationships, technology roadmaps, and investment programs
• Maintain a cross-functional view across Solution Areas to help identify areas of strategic opportunity for Avanade to grow and expand our differentiated offerings with Microsoft
• Bring the value of the partnership to our Area and Regional stakeholders through targeted Joint GTM initiatives, sales programs, and proactive joint field engagement.

Accountabilities

· Drive governance and interlock between Avanade Solutions Stakeholders and Microsoft

· Ensure Avanade is well-positioned as #1 GSI partner to Microsoft for each of our Global Solution Areas for Direct & Indirect/Accenture channels

· Support Regional execution of Solution GTM Initiatives and Programs

Responsibilities

• Drive deep relationships within and between Avanade, Accenture, and Microsoft for Avanade’s Global Solutions
• Act as trusted advisor for Microsoft’s Solutions and Product strategy – apprising Avanade global and field leadership on Microsoft programs, initiatives, priorities, strategic direction, etc.
• Identify, develop, confirm support for, and support execution of key joint sales plays and/or GTMs to support Avanade’s direct and indirect growth aspirations for our target Solution Areas
• Support and guide Area and Regional field teams to drive growth and GTM execution with Microsoft in each of our target Solution Areas
• Ensure alignment of Avanade into all appropriate Microsoft GTMs and Initiatives for the Solution Areas
• Drive clear value proposition and differentiation for the Avanade Microsoft partnership around the target Solution Areas
• Drive sales enablement to grow Microsoft’s awareness of Avanade position, value prop and capabilities in each of the target Solution Areas
• Support healthy upstream co-innovation / ‘build with’ agenda by ensuring regular engineering / technical cadence between Avanade and Microsoft in support of the designated Solution Areas
• Help drive development of delivery capability to support our Solutions capabilities

Your technical and non-technical skills include;

• Established network in Avanade and MSFT at relevant levels
• Ability to align Avanade strategic goals to MSFT mission and KPIS and identify collaboration areas that are relevant and impactful for both organizations
• A tenacious operator, able to spot opportunities and drive details to strong results
• A capable negotiator, able to drive agreements in complex, multi-party negotiations with a natural win-win approach
• Gravitas to operate at the most senior level with seat ‘at the table’
• Deep understanding of our full business to drive opportunities and add value to conversations with MSFT and clients
• Deep understanding of MSFT strategy, capabilities, goals, KPIs and operating model
• Ability to create and operate in an eco-system in which all partners can benefit
• Track record of leading large-scale relationships, excellence in delivery and people management, in global environments
• Proven ability to grow sales in a direct and partner model at scale and pace
• Team-player, able to work with area/ region sales/opportunity leads without conflict
• Strong knowledge of channel partner's networks

Metrics & KPIs

Carry Global Scorecard Targets:

· YoY Growth Targets for Solution Areas

· Attainment of joint scorecard metrics for Solution Areas

· Success metrics (Majors Program)

· Attainment of Avanade Microsoft KPIs in support of Avanade’s rank in MS Partner Ecosystem

Preferred Experience

· Bachelors or equivalent experience

· 15+ years of relevant experience

· 10+ yeas of management experience

Avanade requires all new hires to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Avanade will consider requests for medical or religious accommodation to this vaccination requirement on an individual basis.