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Job Details
Posted date: Aug 15, 2025
Category: Marketing
Location: Redmond, WA
Estimated salary: $201,600
Range: $130,900 - $272,300
Employment type: Full-Time
Travel amount: 50.0%
Work location type: Up to 50% work from home
Role: Individual Contributor
Description
We are seeking a strategic and experienced Director of Event Venue Strategy, Contracts, and City Engagement to lead all aspects of venue sourcing, contract negotiations, and city and convention and visitor authority relationships for Microsoft’s key events worldwide. This role is ideal for someone with deep experience in the convention and hospitality industry, particularly someone who has worked at or with major convention centers, city visitor authorities, or in event sales and contracting roles in large markets.As the Director of Event Venue Strategy, Contracts, and City Engagement, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the physical and strategic foundation of Microsoft’s most influential global events. This is a leadership position that blends operational excellence, strategic negotiation, and civic partnership to deliver world-class event experiences that reflect Microsoft’s brand and business priorities. You will lead the end-to-end process of venue sourcing and contracting for high-profile events, including major conventions, executive summits, and global showcases. Your expertise will guide the selection of venues that not only meet technical and logistical requirements but also elevate the attendee experience and align with Microsoft’s innovation-driven identity. This role demands a seasoned professional with deep roots in the convention and hospitality industry - someone who understands the nuances of venue operations, union labor dynamics, and city-level economic impact.
You’ll be the primary liaison between Microsoft and city convention bureaus, tourism boards, and local government stakeholders, forging partnerships that unlock value for both Microsoft and host cities. You’ll also be responsible for negotiating complex contracts with venues and hotels, ensuring favorable terms and seamless execution. Your ability to think creatively about non-traditional spaces and your fluency in economic impact modeling will be key to identifying innovative opportunities that enhance brand visibility and community engagement. In this highly cross-functional role, you’ll collaborate with internal event teams, external vendors, and executive stakeholders to align on timelines, budgets, and strategic goals. You’ll present plans to leadership, manage detailed workback schedules, and ensure that every venue decision supports Microsoft’s broader marketing and business objectives. You will also be the central hub to be able to look across at contracts and venue opportunities to connect the dots within Microsoft, and be able to recommend opportunities to various teams for event moments. This is a rare opportunity to influence how Microsoft shows up in the world, through the spaces we choose, the partnerships we build, and the experiences we create.
Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. You can help Microsoft achieve our mission. The Microsoft Commercial Cloud and AI Marketing team is responsible for accelerating Cloud products and services across the Global Industry and Azure portfolio of Infrastructure, Data and AI, and Digital Applications, and Event Experiences.
Lead end-to-end venue sourcing and contracting for large-scale events, including convention centers, hotels, and event spaces.Negotiate complex contracts with venues, hotels, and city partners, ensuring favorable terms and alignment with event goals.Understand and manage venue-specific requirements such as load-in/load-out timelines, union labor rules, and space configurations.Collaborate with city convention and visitor authorities to align on economic impact goals and secure support for events.Build and maintain relationships with city executives, tourism boards, and local government stakeholders. Contribute to economic impact studies and reporting in partnership with internal teams and external consultants.Develop and manage detailed workback schedules with operational rigor related to signing and agreement deadlines Present plans and contract details to executive audiences.Cross-collaborate with event teams, internal teams, vendors, and venue partners.Think creatively about non-traditional venues and space utilization to enhance attendee experience and brand impact.Evaluate and recommend innovative venue options that align with event themes and audience needs.
Qualifications
Required/minimum qualifications5+ years business to business, business to consumer, digital, or experiential/event marketing experience OR equivalent experience.Experience with convention centers, hotel resort properties or convention / visitor authorities.Additional or preferred qualificationsBachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Liberal Arts, Performing Arts, or related field AND 10+ years business to business, business to consumer, enterprise technology, digital, or experiential/event marketing experience in the technology industry OR equivalent experience.8+ years marketing experience in a large multinational organization or creative/media agency.Events 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
Microsoft will accept applications for the role until August 22, 2025.
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.
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