Alliances Manager - Microsoft in Manchester

People always come first at Columbus. We’re a global digital consultancy with a local presence, helping businesses transform and thrive through technology, data, and human insight. Just as importantly, we’re a workplace where careers are nurtured and development is supported through clear, structured career paths.

Our culture is built on trust, collaboration, curiosity, and a shared commitment to delivering customer success. Whether you’re an experienced professional or just starting out, you’ll find the freedom to explore ideas, challenge convention, and shape your own path.

We provide equal opportunities for everyone, ensuring a level playing field for all candidates. We actively encourage applications from all backgrounds to apply for positions across our organisation.

The role of Alliances Manager – Microsoft

As Alliances Manager – Microsoft, you’ll be responsible for leading and developing Columbus’s strategic partnership with Microsoft across the UK.

This role plays a key part in strengthening our market position, aligning go-to-market activity, and ensuring our partnership delivers meaningful value for customers, Microsoft and Columbus alike. You’ll work closely with internal sales, delivery and leadership teams, as well as Microsoft stakeholders, to turn strategy into consistent, high-quality results.

• Owning and leading the Microsoft alliance strategy in line with Columbus’s business priorities
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with Microsoft stakeholders across UK, EMEA and global teams.
• Driving joint planning, co-sell activity and go-to-market alignment across priority accounts
• Working closely with the Columbus sales and delivery teams to enable effective and intentional partnership execution
• Supporting growth across Azure consumption and strategic solution areas, including Data & AI, Security, Modern Work and Copilot.
• Improving internal alliance maturity by enabling teams on Microsoft programmes, incentives, deal registration and partner governance
• Supporting the development and promotion of customer successes, use cases and industry narratives to raise Columbus’s profile within the Microsoft ecosystem

Travel and Hybrid Working

We have an environment that gives you the flexibility to achieve an effective work-life balance for you and your family, whether you want to work from home or at one of our luxury Cubo offices around the UK.

We continue to offer our customers onsite consultancy time if requested, so flexibility around travel and overnight stays is expected, dependent on the project requirements. On-site time is planned ahead of time, within 2-week blocks, so you know well in advance where you will be working.

We encourage those in customer-facing roles to aim to come into the office at least once a month, and also team meetings and client meetings; however, you can work from Nottingham HQ or any Cubo office regularly if you prefer, whichever suits you.

About you (The Essentials)

• Experience managing a strategic technology alliance, ideally within the Microsoft partner ecosystem
• A clear understanding of Microsoft partner programmes, co-sell models and governance
• Confidence working with senior and executive stakeholders across partner and customer organisations
• The ability to align multiple teams and priorities while keeping communication clear and purposeful
• A customer-focused mindset with the ability to connect partnership activity to real business outcomes
• Full driver’s licence and access to a vehicle
• Curious, looking to challenge the status quo and improve
• Collaborates well with both internal and external colleagues
• Committed to personal development and becoming a Trusted Advisor in your field.

What we can offer

At Columbus you will get

• 25 Days Annual Leave (Increasing with Service)
• Columbus Benefits Hub – Discounts on Tickets, Shopping, Car leasing, Holidays, Food and More
• Enhanced Maternity Pay
• Access to Free Training Courses Delivered by Columbus Academy
• Free Microsoft Certifications and access to Microsoft Learn
• Modern Airconditioned Office Spaces fully managed by Cubo (multiple UK locations)
• Free Barista Coffee and hot drinks made in-house
• Free Beer and Fizz every day (2 – 5pm)
• Casual Dress Code in our Offices
• Personal Pension Plan
• Life Assurance x4 Salary
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme
• £2,500 payment for successful candidate referrals (if eligible)
• Flexi-phone upgrade scheme (if eligible)
• Plus many many more (check out our careers pages for details)

Employee Wellbeing Program (terms apply)

• Free 24/7 Access to Cubo Gym(s)
• Vitality Medical Insurance
• Westfield Health Cash plan (includes an Employee Assistance Lines)
• Mental health first aiders
• Virtual suggestion boxes