Senior Director Global Defense & National Security Policy

Microsoft’s Cybersecurity and Trust team seeks an experienced leader to align and advance CST’s global defense and national security work, strengthening coordination, strategic focus, and external impact. Governments and allied defense industries are modernizing for a security environment in which cloud, AI, cyber resilience, information integrity and secure digital infrastructure are increasingly central to operational readiness and national resilience.

The Senior Director, Global Defense and National Security Policy will integrate policy, strategic partnerships, thought leadership and commercial enablement within CST. The role's primary FY27 purpose is to ensure that Microsoft's defense and national security work advances CST's priority government cybersecurity partnerships, strengthens CST's external impact and narrative, and closes a strategic coordination gap across the company. The role will develop shared strategy, clarify ownership, establish repeatable operating rhythms and align external narratives across CST, OCISO/Microsoft Security, WWPS, engineering, communications and regional CELA teams.

Based in Washington, D.C. or Redmond, WA, the role would be positioned close to the world's most dynamic allied defense growth markets and defense industrial ecosystems, while retaining a global remit and supporting executive and customer engagement in Redmond, including Executive Briefing Center engagements. The successful candidate will operate as a senior individual contributor and run a global v-team with the Asia and Europe/MENA Defense and National Security leads to coordinate regional work, connect it to CST priorities and ensure that CST is showing up externally in a globally consistent way that reflects the organization’s priorities and values.

• Ensure defense and national security work directly advances CST's priority government cybersecurity partnerships, building and operationalizing formal partnerships with trusted and allied governments on defense modernization, crisis and conflict resilience, cyber protection and secure cloud and AI adoption, working with regional Defense and National Security leads.
• Develop and lead CST's global strategy for defense and national security, aligned with Microsoft's priorities on innovation, diffusion, trust, cybersecurity and digital sovereignty, so the company presents a more coherent, credible and effective external posture.
• Run a global defense and national security v-team with the Asia and Europe/MENA Defense and National Security leads, creating shared strategy, clear ownership, repeatable operating rhythms and consistent external narratives across CST, OCISO/Microsoft Security, WWPS, engineering, communications and regional CELA.
• Serve as CST's senior defense and national security partner to MTAC and related Microsoft security capabilities, translating threat intelligence into policy-relevant government engagement and supporting trusted information exchange with defense, intelligence, cybersecurity and law-enforcement stakeholders.
• Shape policy that enables secure adoption of commercial cloud, AI, cybersecurity and data capabilities across defense, intelligence and national security environments — addressing sovereignty, accreditation, procurement, resilience and information-sharing — and advance allied interoperability with systems used by the United States and other trusted partners.
• Develop policy and partnership models for protecting critical digital infrastructure, including subsea cables, telecommunications, datacenters, identity systems and the continuity of cloud and data services during crisis or conflict.
• Deepen engagement with the global and allied defense industrial base — primes, shipbuilders, suppliers and technology partners — to support secure collaboration, cyber resilience, and trusted supply chains.
• Lead thought leadership and policy engagement on the role of AI, cybersecurity and commercial technology in defense and national security, particularly in contemporary case studies and looking to the future, in coordination with MTAC, DCU, Trust and Safety, Communications and regional teams.
• Shape markets before formal requirements are established by connecting CST's government partnerships, policy engagement, third-party advocacy and executive engagement to emerging defense and national security customer needs.
• Provide strategic counsel to senior Microsoft leaders and regional teams on geopolitical, policy and regulatory developments affecting defense technology, cybersecurity, AI, sovereignty, resilience, the defense industrial base and allied cooperation.
• Represent Microsoft in high-level engagements with defense and national security leaders, international organizations, embassies, think tanks and major defense and security forums, and support Redmond-based executive and customer engagements, including EBC engagements.
• Leadership Attributes
  • Strategic and globally minded, with the ability to connect geopolitical developments, policy choices and commercial technology trends.
  • Trusted and diplomatic, with sound judgment in sensitive government and national security environments.
  • A disciplined internal leader who strengthens regional leadership, creates shared ownership and coordinates execution across organizational boundaries without creating parallel structures.
  • Execution oriented, able to close coordination gaps by converting broad strategy into clear ownership, repeatable operating rhythms, partnership plans, executive materials and consistent external narratives.
  • Externally credible and internally effective, equally comfortable with senior government leaders, technical experts, customers and Microsoft executives.

Required/minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 8+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement OR equivalent experience.

Additional or preferred qualifications

• Master's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 12+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement OR Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 15+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement OR equivalent experience.

• Extensive experience in defense, national security, intelligence, diplomacy, cybersecurity, technology policy, government affairs or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute policy strategies and government partnerships across multiple countries or regions.
• Deep understanding of defense and national security institutions, allied security relationships, the defense industrial base and the policy environment surrounding cloud, AI and cybersecurity adoption.
• Experience working across senior government, military, intelligence, industry and policy stakeholders on complex and sensitive issues.
• Record of operating effectively in a large, global and highly matrixed organization, with the ability to lead through influence rather than formal authority.
• Excellent writing, judgment and executive communication skills, including the ability to translate technical and geopolitical issues into clear policy and business implications.
• Ability to travel internationally and engage across time zones.
• Senior experience in government, the military, intelligence, diplomacy, a major technology company, the defense industrial base or a leading policy institution.
• Experience developing national-level cybersecurity, digital resilience, critical infrastructure or defense technology partnerships.
• Knowledge of allied defense modernization and industrial cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.
• Experience supporting customer and executive engagements that connect policy trust and strategic partnerships to commercial opportunity without direct sales ownership.
• Established external profile as a credible speaker, author and/or convener on defense, cybersecurity, AI or national security technology policy.

Business Program Management IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $130,900 - $277,200 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 - $303,600 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

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. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.