AE role card — account-level customer relationship owner and strategic orchestrator. Covers customer-centric growth, pipeline precision, operational and commercial excellence, and cross-team account leadership. Triggers: Account Executive, AE, account planning, customer relationship ownership, MACC execution, account team orchestration, executive sponsor, strategic planning, pipeline generation, commercial excellence.
Role Card: Account Executive (AE)
Mission
Lead Microsoft's most valued customers end-to-end — own the customer relationship, drive strategic planning and pipeline generation, and orchestrate the account team to understand customer business outcomes and execute to solve their challenges.
Core Accountabilities
1. Customer-Centric Growth
Own customer relationship end-to-end: accountable for strategic planning, pipeline generation, and orchestrating the account team.
Deepen customer centricity by strengthening executive relationships: expand engagement with CxOs and demonstrate Microsoft business value leveraging Executive Sponsors. Ensure every strategic account has a clear, active engagement plan with executive sponsors.
Create high-quality account plans: document and apply customer strategic priorities to shape pipeline and opportunity creation, including partner engagement, ensuring plans are actionable and measurable.
Establish ROB: lead governance meetings with the customer team, including partners, to ensure alignment and accountability.
2. Pipeline Precision
Use internal AI tools and agents: identify and act on customer needs and opportunities, including inbound partner leads, to build qualified pipeline.
Maintain pipeline robustness: build accuracy in pipeline and milestone commitments for both consumption and revenue targets.
Ensure balanced portfolio coverage: apply consistent focus across all accounts to drive equitable growth.
3. Operational and Commercial Excellence
Drive consumption accountability: every MACC must be supported by a consumption plan, validated with the customer and reflected in MSX.
Integrate Unified into customer strategy: embed Unified Support value proposition in customer conversations and planning.
Proactively manage risk: identify and mitigate business risks for the customer and Microsoft, ensuring long-term success.
Key Outcomes and Measures of Success
1. Customer-Centric Growth
Maintain a high-quality, regularly updated customer plan for every account.
Improve Net Satisfaction (NSAT), Relationship Momentum, and Account Team Quality (ATQ) scores year-over-year.
2. Pipeline Precision
Help customers achieve their strategic outcomes, evidenced by: creation of new opportunities; growth in AI Transformation and Security-qualified pipeline; revenue growth measured in FRA and ACR.
Ensure sufficient qualified pipeline across all solution areas to meet or exceed quarterly and annual targets.
Leverage internal AI tools, Agents, and partner-sourced opportunities to maintain pipeline health, forecast accuracy, and hygiene.
3. Operational and Commercial Excellence
Drive MACC execution to meet or exceed FY26 MACC targets, with Unified Support attached to every customer.
Close all eligible new and renewing cloud deals on MCA-E for Azure and Per User.
Proactively support customers in scoping Azure resiliency and crisis management strategies.
Strengthen business, industry, and technical acumen through continuous learning to enhance customer centricity and business growth (e.g., TRW completing all skilling plan requirements).
Key Habits
1. Customer Advocacy and Strategic Planning
Lead a collaborative, insight-driven account planning ROB, ensuring plans are regularly updated and infused with customer, partner, and internal team insights.
Anchor account plans in customer strategic priorities, with a clear focus on AI Transformation and Security opportunities.
Run QBRs with customers to track progress against the Account Plan, Customer Success Plan, and Consumption Plan — adjusting as needed to meet agreed outcomes.
Own the Executive Sponsor strategy and relationship plan for each strategic account, ensuring meaningful engagement and alignment with customer business goals.
Build deep trusted relationships with CxOs and BDMs through 3-Horizon storytelling and ROTH collaboration, expanding the breadth and depth of stakeholder relationships.
2. Commercial Excellence and Deal Execution
Secure and grow renewals (EA and MACC), and drive midterm upsell motions — leveraging New Commerce (MCA-E) where applicable.
Ensure Unified Support is attached to every solution offer and clearly positioned as part of the value proposition.
Maintain accountability for the commercial viability of all deals, partnering with ATS to ensure technical soundness and delivery feasibility.
Actively lead commercial negotiations, including pricing, terms, and value articulation — ensuring alignment with customer outcomes and Microsoft's commercial strategy.
3. Pipeline Creation and Industry-Relevant Selling
Drive Stage 1 pipeline velocity across all solution areas, ensuring 2–3x quota coverage and forecast accuracy.
Leverage internal AI tools and Agents alongside partner-sourced opportunities to prioritize customer needs and generate qualified pipeline.
Demonstrate industry fluency by engaging in customer-specific experiences (e.g., plant tours, supply chain walkthroughs) and applying insights to pipeline shaping.
4. Operational Excellence and Team Leadership
Orchestrate a high-performing One Microsoft account team, running a disciplined ROB that includes partners and the extended account team.
Partner with ATS or SSP to ensure every MACC deal has a fully built consumption plan in MSX — with a rolling 12-month qualified pipeline tied to customer priorities, Azure regions, in alignment to the account plan to meet MACC targets.
Share customer success stories and best practices across the ATU to elevate solution quality and inspire peer learning.
Key Business Partners
The Account Executive at Microsoft leads our most valued customers, embracing a cross-industry approach to orchestrate and lead teams to understand customer business outcomes and execute to solve their challenges. Orchestration and rigor around shared account resources, including:
Partner
Category
Executive Sponsor
Internal Microsoft
Guest Executives
Internal Microsoft
Sales Manager
Internal Microsoft
ATS
Internal Microsoft
CSAM
Internal Microsoft
Commercial Executive
Internal Microsoft
IA (Industry Advisor)
Internal Microsoft
DSE
Internal Microsoft
PDM
Internal Microsoft
TS
Internal Microsoft
Solution Area Specialist
Internal Microsoft
FastTrack
Internal Microsoft
CET
Internal Microsoft
SPT
Internal Microsoft
Consulting Account Executive
Internal Microsoft
CxOs and Line of Business Leaders
External Customer
ISVs
External Partners
GSIs
External Partners
Advisory
External Partners
MCEM Stage Accountability
Stage
Role
Stage 1
Lead — own customer relationship, drive account planning, qualify needs, orchestrate team
