Principal Customer Experience Program Manager

Job ID: 200045465Posted: 2026-09-16Location: United States, Washington, RedmondSalary: USD $142,800 - $274,800 per yearEmployment type: Full-TimeWork site: 3 days / week in-officeRole type: Individual ContributorTravel: Less than 25%Profession: Program ManagementDiscipline: Customer Experience EngineeringCompany: MicrosoftOverviewAre you a customer-obsessed, AI-curious problem-solver who thrives in an inclusive, collaborative global team? Join Engineering Operations (EngOps) – the organization driving operational excellence across the Microsoft Cloud to strengthen quality, reliability, security, and customer trust. As part of EngOps, you’ll design solutions that prevent issues before they happen, embed AI-powered automation, and turn signals into actions that deliver measurable customer impact. Our culture of empowerment, inclusion, and growth mindset defines how we work.You will have ample opportunities to participate in all stages of our engineering lifecycle - from initial research and discovery, quick iteration on promising concepts, solution prototyping, and development, all the way through successful service rollout and Live Site support.Every day, customers stake their business and reputation on our cloud. You can help EngOps keep them secure, resilient, and ready.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.ResponsibilitiesDevelop and execute the operational demand strategy and roadmap to make Azure the most stable, reliable, and performant cloud.Influence and drive product investments that eradicate operational demand, improve supportability and product quality, and enhance customer and engineer experiences.Provide technical and strategic leadership across Product Groups, CSS, and Engineering teams to solve complex, cross-organizational challenges.Lead AI-first transformation through AI agents, copilots, automation, and predictive insights to improve diagnostics, self-help, productivity, and support outcomes.Ability to operate with urgency and deliver results in a fast-paced, highly ambiguous environment. Define success metrics, establish accountability, and drive execution against measurable business outcomes.Apply systems thinking and standardized approaches to solve problems at scale, accelerate automation, and continuously improve operational efficiency.Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture while embodying Microsoft's Culture and Values.QualificationsRequired Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology (IT), Data Analytics/Science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), or related field AND 6+ years experience in technology industry, cloud, technical support, and/or customer experience engineering OR equivalent experience.1+ year(s) of customer facing experience.Other RequirementsAbility to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.Additional qualifications Master's Degree in Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years experience in technology industry, cloud, technical support, and/or customer experience engineering OR Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology (IT), Data Analytics/Science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), or related field AND 12+ years experience in technology industry, cloud, technical support, and/or customer experience engineering OR equivalent experience.3+ years of customer facing experience.5+ years people management experience.Familiarity with Large Language Models (LLMs), agent development, model evaluation techniques, or human‑in‑the‑loop workflows.Experience designing and delivering solutions using modern software engineering practices and cloud technologies in ways that support accessibility, scalability, and customer needs.Effective communication and inclusive leadership skills, enabling clear partnership with diverse teams, stakeholders, and customers.Commitment to continuous learning, including exploring emerging technologies and applying them to address business and customer challenges.Familiarity with program‑management practices across different software development services, methodologies, and delivery models.Understanding of engineering best practices used in cloud‑based services.Experience applying structured problem‑solving approaches, including pilots, prototypes, experimentation frameworks, or iterative testing.Experience implementing Supportability‑by‑Design principles to enhance customer experience and support service reliability.#EngOps #EngOpsACESCustomer Experience Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 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 $188,000 - $304,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: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.