Accessories Category Manager - EMEA in Reading

The Gaming Marketing & Sales organization (GMS) is at the core of the Microsoft Gaming division, consisting of a passionate team of marketers, sales professionals, and innovators who are committed to advancing storytelling, partner excellence, and marketing technology. GMS connects and engages with players and partners at scale across our diverse portfolio of experiences, games, and screens through a wide variety of marketing and sales channels. As a member of our team, you will be part of a multi-billion-dollar business, focused on delivering value throughout the entire player journey and collaborating with team members in over 20 markets. You will also be part of a culture that embraces a growth mindset, inspires excellence, and encourages teams to bring their best each day.

Within Gaming, we accomplish Microsoft’s mission in two ways:

• Drive consumer engagement and revenue at retail: Use consumer insights, market data, store level analysis, and sales information to evaluate our business performance and develop seasonal, launch, & sustain plans to improve our partners’ business, win share, sell units, and drive revenue.
• Amplify the Xbox brand through our retail partners: Plan and execute thoughtful and impactful through-line-full-funnel-marketing, focused on driving purchase intent, conversion & post purchase advocacy and consumer lifetime value for Gaming devices, content, accessories, and services.

At the core, we are a customer-focused team that encourages a diverse & inclusive culture. We are respectful, collaborative, accountable and approach work with a fun, positive attitude. The right candidate can expect to have opportunities for career growth and development while shaping our strategic approach to the rapidly changing transactional video and advertising environments.

As Accessories Category Manager – EMEA within GMS you will lead the management of the Gaming Accessories portfolio to achieve annual Retail Sales revenue & GM goals. Leading the category strategy, business operations and investments from end to end and serving as a subject matter expert on Gaming Accessories. Build and drive GTM strategy and KPIs at the regional and/or sub-regional level to deliver upon the priorities and initiatives cascaded from Worldwide Category. Drive Accessories category leadership through revealing and pursuing white-space opportunities for growth. This role is flexible in that you can work up to 90% from home.

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.

Responsibilities

• General Management: Leads business operations within a category from end-to-end, serving as a subject matter expert on the product(s) or service(s), and provides expertise on the broader category and industry. Partners with cross-organizational category management to create alignment between sectors and develop complementary priorities and strategies to support the One Microsoft approach within the region(s). Reports data-driven product channel insights from partners back to the Worldwide Category team and/or the business group and product team(s) to support product strategy, maximize revenue, and help define future product development.
• Financial Accountability: Manages or owns full accountability for top-line and bottom-line profit and loss for the Gaming Accessories category. Ensures efficient use of organizational resources to execute marketing and promotional plans within the category. Manages the category management team in fiscal year forecasting, planning, and budgeting, and ensures financial compliance.
• Business Planning & ROB: Builds and drives go-to-market (GTM) strategy and key performance indicators (KPIs) for a category at the country and/or sub-regional level to deliver upon the priorities and initiatives cascaded from Worldwide Category. In partnership with key stakeholders, defines and owns product specific channel strategy and investments, supports development of execution plans, and drives longer-term initiatives for the region. Leads and orchestrates end-to-end rhythm of the business (ROB) cadence for the product(s) or service area(s).
• Execution: Manages execution of category strategy and investments with partners. Adjusts programs and investments, and ensures alignment of execution plans as needed using guidance from corporate and performance data. Drives executional excellence through identifying and implementing efficiencies to produce higher impact.
• Measuring and Monitoring: Leverages deep knowledge of analyses and results to simplify data and report results. Translates data analytics into actionable business insights. Disseminates insights to ensure that key stakeholders understand the factors driving performance and what course corrections or resources are needed to enable categories to hit their targets.
• Growth Opportunity: Drives category leadership through revealing and pursuing white-space opportunities. Defines and implements solutions that drive strategic impact for Microsoft and partners. Leverages performance data and voice of the customer (VOC) information to create and integrate new strategies.

Qualifications

• Experience: 6+ years of experience in category management, product management, marketing strategy, business planning, product planning preferably within the consumer electronics or gaming industry.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Commerce, Economics or similar work experience.
• Analytical Thinking: The ability to collect information and identify fundamental patterns/trends in complex data.
• Change Management: The ability to define and implement procedures and/or technologies to deal with changes in the environment.
• Market Knowledge: Knowledge of the market context in which the business operates; this includes the understanding of market trends and how they will impact customers and the business.
• Sales Management: The ability to develop and implement sales techniques that allow the business to consistently hit, and even surpass, its sales targets.
• Strategic Thinking: The ability to examine and understand the organization's competitive strengths and weaknesses.

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances.