OverviewYour work here will ripple across industries, communities, and lives creating impact at a global scale.As a Cloud and AI Director, Solution Area Specialist in the Japan Global Downstream Accounts team, you will have a unique opportunity to lead dynamic and challenging engagements with global accounts across the Industrials & Manufacturing industry. In this role, you will work closely with high-value customers on their transformation journey, leveraging your expertise and collaboration with team members and executives to deliver strategic impact and generate real business outcomes that matter. You will help shape and execute the AI transformation story by building integrated, cross-solution strategies—spanning infrastructure, data, artificial intelligence, and security—and partnering with business solutions teams to maximize customer success.This opportunity will elevate your skills as a strategic leader, empower you to cultivate trusted partnerships, and drive meaningful results as you enable customers to realize their vision. You are invited to join us on this journey as we advance industry innovation and reshape the future for our customers. At Microsoft, our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth‑mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress, people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone.ResponsibilitiesLead partnerships and cross-organizational collaboration to design and deliver solutions for AI- and cloud-driven transformations across existing and new customers in the region.Drive strategy and whitespace analysis, leveraging market intelligence and AI-driven tools to identify opportunities and align with emerging trends in the industrial and manufacturing sector. Cultivate customer engagement by qualifying sales opportunities, developing tailored strategies for high-value, complex deals, and orchestrating seamless execution across internal and partner teams to ensure successful business outcomes.Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, aligning their artificial intelligence transformation vision with business priorities, and driving end-to-end adoption of Microsoft solutions.Tailor customer success plans to address security, innovation, and AI-powered transformation goals, building lasting relationships that foster long-term value realization. Embody our culture and valuesQualificationsRequired/Minimum QualificationsBachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Information Security, or related field AND 6+ years experience in technology-related sales or account management OR equivalent experience.Preferred QualificationsMaster's Degree in Business Administration (i.e., MBA), Information Technology, Information Security, or related field AND 8+ years experience in technology-related sales or account management OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Information Security, or related field AND 12+ years experience in technology-related sales or account management OR equivalent experience.6+ years solution or services sales experience. Solution Area Specialists IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $133,000 - $222,700 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 $170,300 - $239,800 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-payThis 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.