Director - AI Capacity Business Development

Microsoft · Washington · $130,900–$251,900 (stated in the posting)

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Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As AI transforms every product, service, and industry, access to world-class AI infrastructure has become one of Microsoft's most critical strategic priorities. The scale, efficiency, and flexibility of our AI capacity investments directly impact our ability to serve customers, accelerate innovation, and maintain leadership in the AI era.

The Azure Core & Infrastructure Business Development organization drives strategic partnerships, ecosystem development, and new business models across the infrastructure that powers Microsoft's cloud and AI platforms. We work closely with engineering, product, finance, supply chain, and strategy leaders to determine where Microsoft should build, buy, partner, or invest to accelerate growth, improve economics, expand capacity, and deliver differentiated customer value.

We are seeking a Director, AI Capacity Business Development to lead Microsoft's external strategy and partnership ecosystem for AI capacity. This leader will shape how Microsoft sources, acquires, deploys, and optimizes AI infrastructure capacity across a rapidly evolving market that includes hyperscalers, neocloud providers, GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) platforms, model developers, datacenter operators, and emerging AI infrastructure companies.

This role sits at the intersection of technology strategy, capacity planning, business development, and executive decision making. The successful candidate will help define Microsoft's long-term AI capacity strategy, manage key ecosystem partnerships, evolve Microsoft's approach to neoclouds and alternative infrastructure providers, and influence some of the company's most important decisions regarding where and how AI workloads should be deployed.

In this role, you will:

• Develop a deep understanding of AI infrastructure markets, capacity constraints, emerging technologies, customer demand signals, and indusrty dynamics.
• Shape Microsoft's multi-year AI capacity sourcing and partnership strategy.
• Drive strategic assessments of build, buy, partner, and invest opportunities across the AI ecosystem.
• Lead complex commercial negotiations involving infrastructure capacity, compute platforms, and strategic partnerships.
• Influence executive decision making related to AI infrastructure deployment, capacity optimization, supply management, and ecosystem strategy.
• Ensure Microsoft makes the best possible decisions regarding how AI capacity is deployed internally and made available to customers.

This role offers a unique opportunity to influence the future of Microsoft's AI infrastructure strategy and help determine how the company scales the next generation of AI services globally.

AI Capacity Strategy

• Develop Microsoft's strategic roadmap for external AI capacity acquisition and ecosystem engagement.
• Create and maintain a comprehensive view of the global AI infrastructure landscape, including hyperscalers, neoclouds, GPUaaS providers, model companies, datacenter operators, infrastructure startups, and hardware vendors.
• Evaluate capacity supply, technology trends, cost structures, performance characteristics, and partner capabilities to inform executive decision making.
• Drive strategic recommendations regarding how Microsoft should allocate AI workloads across internal and external infrastructure environments.
• Develop frameworks for assessing long-term capacity requirements, market opportunities, and infrastructure investment priorities.
• Partner with executive leaders to shape Microsoft's AI capacity and ecosystem strategy.

GPUaaS and Strategic Partnerships

• Co-develop Microsoft's business development strategy for GPUaaS and external AI infrastructure providers.
• Manage relationships with strategic AI infrastructure partners and emerging ecosystem players.
• Evaluate partnership opportunities that improve Microsoft's access to capacity, increase operational flexibility, reduce costs, or accelerate deployment timelines.
• Develop innovative commercial structures that align partner incentives with Microsoft's long-term strategic objectives.
• Establish and execute multi-year partnership roadmaps with key ecosystem participants.
• Identify opportunities to leverage external capacity providers while maintaining Microsoft's leadership position in cloud and AI infrastructure.

Neocloud Strategy

• Co-lead Microsoft's strategy and engagement model for neocloud providers.
• Assess the role that specialized AI cloud providers should play within Microsoft's broader capacity strategy.
• Evaluate opportunities for strategic partnerships, commercial relationships, investments, and ecosystem development.
• Analyze industry dynamics and emerging business models across the AI infrastructure landscape.
• Develop recommendations regarding Microsoft's approach to specialized AI infrastructure providers and alternative capacity sources.
• Partner with engineering and planning teams to determine optimal integration and engagement models.

Build, Buy, Partner, and Invest Analysis

• Lead strategic assessments across the AI infrastructure value chain.
• Identify capability gaps and evaluate options including internal development, partnerships, acquisitions, and investments.
• Conduct comprehensive technical, financial, operational, and strategic diligence.
• Develop executive-level recommendations supported by market analysis, financial modeling, and market intelligence.
• Partner with Corporate Development, Finance, Strategy, and Engineering organizations to evaluate major strategic opportunities.
• Influence investment decisions that impact Microsoft's long-term AI infrastructure position.

Commercial Negotiation and Deal Leadership

• Lead highly complex partnership discussions and commercial negotiations.
• Structure agreements involving capacity commitments, infrastructure utilization, strategic investments, joint development initiatives, and ecosystem partnerships.
• Drive alignment across Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, CELA, Security, Product, and Executive stakeholders.
• Represent Microsoft in executive-level discussions with CEOs, founders, investors, and senior leaders across the AI ecosystem.
• Develop creative deal structures that balance strategic flexibility, economics, risk management, and long-term value creation.
• Lead transactions from opportunity identification through final execution and implementation.

Executive Influence and Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives across Microsoft.
• Develop decision frameworks that help leadership navigate complex AI capacity tradeoffs.
• Translate technical and operational considerations into clear business recommendations.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives spanning Azure, AI Platform, Infrastructure, Finance, Supply Chain, and Corporate Strategy organizations.
• Build alignment among diverse stakeholders and drive decisions in highly ambiguous environments.
• Mentor and develop members of the broader Business Development organization.

Deal Governance and Operational Excellence

• Establish governance mechanisms for strategic partnerships and capacity agreements.
• Monitor partner performance against commercial, technical, and operational commitments.
• Ensure agreements deliver intended business outcomes and strategic value.
• Develop executive reporting and performance management processes.
• Identify emerging risks and proactively drive mitigation strategies.
• Continuously improve Microsoft's operating model for AI ecosystem management.

Other

• Embody Microsoft's culture and values.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and inclusion.
• Contribute to the growth and development of the Azure Core & Infrastructure Business Development organization.
• Serve as a visible leader within Microsoft's AI and infrastructure ecosystem.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, Finance, Sciences, or related field AND 10+ years of relevant experience in business development, strategy, product management, finance, engineering, consulting, venture capital, private equity, investment banking, corporate development, or related disciplines; OR equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience leading strategic partnerships, commercial negotiations, ecosystem development, or corporate strategy initiatives in the technology sector.
• Experience influencing executive-level decision making and driving strategic outcomes across large organizations.
• 12+ years of experience in cloud infrastructure, AI, semiconductors, datacenter technologies, networking, or enterprise technology markets.
• Direct experience with GPUaaS providers, neocloud providers, hyperscalers, AI infrastructure companies, or semiconductor ecosystems.
• Deep understanding of GPU economics, AI training and inference workloads, cluster management, and capacity planning.
• Experience evaluating investment, acquisition, and strategic partnership opportunities.
• Track record of negotiating and executing large-scale commercial agreements.
• Experience working directly with CEOs, founders, investors, and executive teams.
• Proficient financial modeling, market analysis, and strategic planning capabilities.
• Understanding of emerging AI infrastructure architectures, capacity optimization techniques, and evolving AI deployment models.

Business Development IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $130,900 - $251,900 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 $165,600 - $272,300 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.

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