Senior Services Account Executive

Job description

Overview State and Local Government and Education (SLED) Role purpose Lead the Microsoft Services sales engagement for assigned State and Local Government and Education customers, connecting customer priorities to consulting and support solutions that accelerate transformation, adoption, operational resilience, and long-term value realization. Role OverviewThe Services Account Executive is the account-aligned owner for Microsoft Services sales. This role develops trusted relationships with customer executives and business and technology leaders, translates mission and operational priorities into actionable services strategies, and orchestrates Microsoft teams and partners across the full sales lifecycle. The successful candidate balances strategic opportunity creation with disciplined management of a high-volume territory and a durable portfolio of consulting, Microsoft Unified Services, renewal, and expansion opportunities. Responsibilities Key ResponsibilitiesLead consultative services sales by listening to customer priorities, shaping a clear point of view, and aligning Microsoft consulting and support capabilities to measurable business and mission outcomes. Own the services sales lifecycle across assigned accounts, including account planning, opportunity identification, qualification, solution shaping, pipeline generation, forecasting, negotiation, close, renewal, and expansion. Build and maintain relationships with customer executives, procurement leaders, business decision-makers, technology leaders, and other stakeholders who influence strategy, funding, acquisition, delivery, and adoption. Create and execute territory and account plans that balance large, strategic consulting and Microsoft Unified Services pursuits with the operational rigor required to progress a broader volume of strategic and transactional opportunities. Identify, qualify, lead, and close strategic cloud, artificial intelligence, security, data, business applications, consulting, and Microsoft Unified Services opportunities connected to customer priorities. Orchestrate a One Microsoft approach across account teams, solution specialists, customer success teams, consulting teams, customer success, delivery resources, legal, finance, operations, and partners. Integrate consulting and Microsoft Unified Services into a single customer value proposition, including implementation, adoption, operational health, risk management, and long-term platform success. Develop high-quality close plans for qualified opportunities; manage commercial terms, contracting dependencies, approvals, risks, and customer commitments through formal agreement. Maintain accurate and timely opportunity, pipeline, forecast, renewal, and account-planning information; use data and sales process discipline to identify risk, focus resources, and improve execution. Serve as a trusted advisor who brings industry insight, Microsoft capabilities, and relevant customer patterns to help customers make informed transformation decisions. State and Local Government and Education Business AcumenDemonstrate knowledge of public-sector buying and contracting environments, including requests for information, requests for qualifications, requests for proposals, invitations to bid, procurement rules, cooperative contracts, funding cycles, and stakeholder governance. Understand the distinct missions, operating models, and buying patterns across state government, local government, and education customers. Apply relevant industry knowledge across Health and Human Services; Public Safety and Justice; Transportation; Public Finance; higher education; University athletics; academic research; and Academic Medical Centers. Recognize how policy, funding, procurement timing, incumbent relationships, delivery capacity, and organizational readiness affect opportunity strategy and sales-cycle progression. Position consulting and Microsoft Unified Services as connected components of the customer journey, creating seamless paths from strategy and implementation through adoption, operational health, and ongoing value realization. Key Foundational CharacteristicsGrowth mindset, grit, and calm leadership: Sets the tone through realistic optimism, resilience, curiosity, and composure under pressure. Uses a clear problem-solving framework when challenges or recurring themes arise, distinguishes between issues that can be resolved independently and those requiring escalation, and escalates with appropriate context, options, and a recommended path forward. Strategic hunting and disciplined account management: Demonstrates the experience or ability to create and pursue large, complex consulting and support opportunities while maintaining the operational rigor needed to manage renewals, expansions, and a steady volume of transactional deals. Allocates time and resources intentionally so near-term execution supports, rather than displaces, long-term growth. State and Local Government and Education fluency: Understands public-sector procurement, competitive solicitations, stakeholder complexity, and the operating priorities of major sub-verticals. Can explain how consulting and support should be positioned together to reduce risk, accelerate outcomes, strengthen adoption, and create durable customer value. Executive presence and influence: Communicates with clarity, credibility, and sound judgment. Builds alignment across senior customer stakeholders and complex internal teams without relying on formal authority. Business ownership and operational excellence: Runs the territory as a business, establishes priorities, maintains pipeline and forecast discipline, identifies risks early, and follows through on commitments with urgency and accountability. Customer and mission orientation: Starts with the customer mission and desired outcomes, not the portfolio. Connects technology and services decisions to the operational, constituent, student, patient, workforce, or community impact the custo