Senior Technical Program Manager - Gaming

At Team Xbox, we are on a mission to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. We deliver on that vision by putting players at the center, enabling you to play the games you want, with the people you want, anywhere you want. The Xbox STaR team, part of Gaming Player Services and Operations (GPSO), is committed to growing trusted, safe, and inclusive global player communities, assuring regulatory compliance, and enabling foundational data services for Gaming through delivery of core products and services for Platform and Studios. Within the Gaming Safety team, our mission is to grow and protect global player communities. We believe wherever you play, it should be a fun, safe, and inclusive environment, and it is our job to provide the services, expertise , and support to make accessible, world-class player experiences. We champion transparency, compliance, and the responsible use of AI. Data is our foundation, and trust is at the core of how we operate . We leverage and evangelize the use of experimentation to help us reach more players, drive business decisions, and improve our ability to understand and fulfill customer & player needs. Through fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, we support and challenge one another to perform at our best. Our team is dedicated to developing and delivering cutting-edge Community Management solutions for companies worldwide, with a focus on online safety, moderation, engagement, and using AI to build insights we partner with Data Foundations to harness the full spectrum of data to enable innovation for our customers. We strive for innovation, collaboration, and excellence, empowering our team members to achieve their full potential and drive positive change in the world. Our product, Community Sift, is the most fully featured community moderation and engagement offering available for companies that need to manage player communication, aka User Generated Content (UGC). By prioritizing safety and inclusivity, we set the standard for world-class player experiences that delight customers and protect global player communities. Gaming Safety TPM's are passionate about efficiently aligning resources and removing blockers in support of delivering products and functionality that amplify the positive aspects of online communities while eliminating toxicity. They have an eye for quality and simplicity, understanding the needs of our customers and the operational aspects of maintaining a rapidly evolving platform .

As a collaborative partner in the development process, Senior Technical Program Manager 's are responsible for understanding , evaluating, and advancing the foundational technology underpinning our product ambitions . Partnering with cross-functional teams of product managers, software developers, data scientists, and customer experience from planning through execution, Senior Technical Program Manager 's are expected to lead interdependent programs to successful outcomes . This person works closely with all stakeholders and contributors to establish expectations, set aspirational targets, anticipate and resolve potential blockers, and hold the team accountable to meeting all commitments.

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.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree AND 4+ years experience in engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 2+ years of experience managing cross-functional and/or cross-team projects.

Perferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with multiple cloud infrastructure platforms (AWS/Azure)

• 5- 7 + years working software engineering environments or equivalent technical aptitude

• 3+ years working on an Agile team in a Scrum Master/Project Manager/Producer capacity

• Collaboration and communication: mature cross-group collaboration, interpersonal, and communication skills, with the ability to rally teams to deliver great user experiences on time and at quality.

• Advanced technical aptitude and the ability to understand technical designs, challenges, and risks. Cross functional team members enjoy working closely with you and you with them .

• Developed organizational skills to manage multiple, competing priorities simultaneously, without losing sight of the highest priority items .

• Critical thinking: Intellectual curiosity and specific track record of structuring and solving complex problems

• Change management: Experience driving new tools, processes, and culture change across teams and organizations.

Technical Program Management IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $117,200 - $229,200 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 $153,600 - $250,200 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until October 15, 2024.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form .

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

Responsibilities

Successful candidates will be responsible for :

• Translating Vision to Action

• Working closely with cross functional teams to identify , refine, and scope business & technical requirements . Experience and a proven track record with technical product management a plus.

• Leading the delivery team through the development of an aspirational (yet achievable) plan through kickoff , development , and deployment.

• Prioritization of Work

• Owning backlog management , ensuring a reliable stream of the highest priority work is flowing organized and ready to action.

• Coordinating cross-functionally to advocate prioritization of product requests, platform advancements, and defects .

• Seeking and validating customer and partner feedback .

• Delivery

• Driving the project/product to success: within budget, on schedule, and inclusive of committed scope.

• Driving to decisions and outcomes. Whether during a project kickoff or upon uncovering a potential issue, TPM's are responsible for bringing the team together and reaching alignment on a recommended path forward.

• Looking for opportunities to accomplish more with less.

• Maintaining a spirit of flexibility that responds to changing priorities (and the ambiguity that comes with it) with grace.

• Communication and Leadership

• Leading by example. Working with cross functional teams to instill a culture of accountability, creativity, and humility.

• Maintaining focus and collective efforts against the objective at hand. Keeping the team on task.

• Communicating relevant, salient, and succinct updates that drive to desired outcomes (resolution, action, etc.).

• Possessing mastery of the details while understanding the importance of brevity.

• Acting as the central hub of communication for each initiative, ensuring information is flowing seamlessly in both directions.

• Leveraging failure as an opportunity to learn.

• Ability to navigate, manage, and resolve conflict.

• A passion for mentorship - c oaching peers though challenging situations to successful outcomes

• Quality

• Releasing products and solutions that the team will take pride in.