Job: BizTalk Server Product Planner Needed

Is this an abuse of blogs? Well maybe, but this has to be one of the coolest jobs
in the IT world; surely someone with the right set of skills (currently working as
a product planner for an IT firm, MBA a plus) will apply.

I was the product planner for BizTalk Server 2004 and now I'm managing folks
I need someone super clever to take the reins. Right now is an ideal time to join
as we get into thinking about v+1.

Job Title: Product Planner    Req#/Job Code: 101899 

Job Category: Product Management  Location: WA - Redmond 

Hiring Manager: Me

Want to help define Microsoft’s vision for integration technologies and shape Microsoft’s
e-business server product strategy? If you are passionate about creating new products,
the BizTalk Server Team has the perfect opportunity for you. We are one of the newest
and fastest growing strategic investments Microsoft is making in the enterprise software
market. As Product Planner, you will help define and deliver the next generation of
integration technologies and e-business products to accelerate the growth of these
products in the market.

You will have the opportunity to impact product and business strategy by: defining
and validating market trends, customer segments, and user needs; identifying and prioritizing
product requirements; and ultimately delivering both strategic and tactical recommendations
to product development. You will regularly engage with and establish strategic relationships
with customers and partners to identify their needs and requirements, understand their
future usage scenarios, and identify the direction of the market. You must have the
ability to communicate with customers and partners effectively and professionally,
as well as with industry analysts, and with trade and business press.

The skill set required to excel as a product planner includes strong analytical and
problem solving skills and excellent written and verbal communication skills. In addition,
candidates should be able to think strategically about business issues and the role
of technology in solving business problems, understand new technologies and their
benefits to customers and end users, understand solution architectures and the need
to deploy multiple products in an enterprise solution, synthesize large amounts of
information into succinct recommendations, collaborate with the development team to
translate scenarios into product requirements, discuss feature tradeoffs with program
management with a deep understanding of the technical and customer implications, present
and defend recommendations to a variety of audiences such as executives, group managers,
and program managers, manage multiple working relationships and interactions with
customers, senior executives, technical leaders, and other product and marketing groups
within Microsoft, and work across Microsoft product groups to enable embedding of
integration technologies into their products or use/share our technologies.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 5-7 years of experience in the high tech
industry, preferably in enterprise application software as an architect, product manager,
product planner, program manager, or management consultant. We are looking for someone
who is a motivated self-starter, creative, passionate about customers, technologies
and products, and energized by the ability to develop products. A sense of humor and
desire to have fun is required. Candidates should also possess a bachelor’s degree,
and advanced degree is preferred. Experience with market research is a plus. 
Deep understanding of technology is a requirement.

Send your CV to: scottwoo at microsoft dot com.

Note: our application bar is high, and please don't flood my mailbox with CVs if you
don't think you fit the criteria.  For all other ms jobs take a look at https://www.microsoft.com/careers