AI Transformation Alliance Lead – Frontier GTM

Avanade Inc.; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Avanade Inc. is seeking a Senior Manager, Industry Technology Strategist to lead the Microsoft Frontier alliance and drive AI-powered transformations across the United States. This hybrid role requires up to 75% travel and work authorization in the U.S., reporting to Avanade's security and go-to-market leadership teams.

You'll coordinate executive relationships, shape joint GTM plans, and accelerate pipeline growth through strategic partnerships in a complex, global environment.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to manage executive relationships across large enterprises.
• Experience leading alliance-driven sales and go-to-market motions.
• Track record in driving AI-enabled transformation initiatives.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity services and cloud offerings.
• Ability to influence across multiple partner ecosystems.

Responsibilities

• Lead joint GTM strategy and execution with Microsoft and Accenture for Avanade Security.
• Build and manage a healthy indirect-channel pipeline and opportunities.
• Develop relationships with senior stakeholders across Avanade, Accenture, and Microsoft.
• Shape pursuits from qualification through deal closure and coordinate cross-company teams.

Skills

Executive relationships

Alliance management

GTM leadership

Cybersecurity knowledge

AI transformation

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Microsoft Frontier Sales and Go-to-Market Alliance Lead

Avanade is seeking a strategic alliance and go-to-market leader to drive our relationship with Microsoft's Frontier Sales and GTM organization and accelerate joint AI transformation opportunities worldwide.

This role sits at the intersection of alliance management, sales, business development, and AI innovation. The successful candidate will be responsible for strengthening executive relationships across Microsoft and Avanade, identifying and developing joint market opportunities, influencing go-to-market strategy, and helping customers realize business value through AI-powered transformation.

The ideal candidate brings deep experience within the Microsoft ecosystem, a proven enterprise sales track record, strong executive presence, and the ability to lead through influence across complex global organizations.

Associate Director, Industry Technology Strategist - Enterprise

United States

At Avanade, the best dealsaren'tjust sold —they'reengineered. As an Associate Director, Industry Technology Strategist, you siton the front lines of our growth, working shoulder to shoulderwith clients and our most senior sellers to shape pursuits, sharpen our story, and turn ambition into signed business. This is a role for someone who loves being in the room where deals are made, who thinks like a strategist and acts like a closer, and who wants their fingerprints on how Avanade goes to market.

Youwon'tbe supporting the sale from the sidelines.You'llbedriving it— translating client challenges into compelling solutions, guiding pursuit teams through complex opportunities, and serving as a trusted advisor clientsactually wantat the table.

There is one in every group - the person who dreams big and has the motivation to bring their ideas to life, even as others might roll their eyes and prefer to play it safe. Are you that person?

Are you the one who isn’t afraid to break the mold and who gets passionate about the power of digital to transform organizations and ways of working? Because we are building teams of people like that to help our clients unlock the power they need now and own what is next. Together we do what matters.

What you’ll do

• Lead from the front line of sales.Partner directly with clients and account leaders to scope, shape, and win high-value opportunities — bringing clarity, creativity, and momentum to every pursuit.
• Be the connective tissue of the deal.Orchestrate the people, assets, and decisions that move a pursuit forward, ensuring pursuit teams have exactly what they need, exactly when they need it.
• Shape how we sell.Design the playbooks, differentiators, and cross-sell motions that give our sellers an edge — and continuously raise the bar on how Avanade competes and wins.
• Influence our offerings and go-to-market.Bring the voice of the client and the market back into the business, helping evolve our solutions, industry plays, and territory strategy so we stay ahead of where demand is heading.
• Own the growth picture.Drive account planning, territory analysis, pipeline health, and revenue forecasting that leadership relies on to make the big calls.
• Champion selling excellence.Embed best-in-class pursuit discipline (DEEPR) and enablement tools so every team operates at the top of its game.
• Spot the next opportunity first.Anticipate shifting client and market needs and proactively reshape how we engage — staying one step ahead of expectations.

About you

Characteristics that can spell success for this role:

• You love to workcollaborativelywithenergy,driveanddedicationto overcome obstacles to achieve your goals.
• You takeownershipandencourageothers to make a positive impact.
• You havesuperb interpersonal skillsand canestablish strong relationships.
• You anticipate andneutralize obstacles and objections.
• You are askilful influencerof internal and external resources.

Enjoy your career

Some of the best things about working at Avanade:

• Opportunity to work for Microsoft’s Global Alliance Partner of the Year (20 years in a row), with exceptional development and training (minimum 80 hours per year for training and paid certifications)
• Real-time access to technical and skilled resources globally
• Dedicated career advisor to encourage your growth
• Engaged and helpful coworkers genuinely interested in you

A great place to work

As you bring your skills and abilities to Avanade, you’ll get distinctive experiences, limitless learning, and ambitious growth in return.As we continue to build our diverse and inclusive culture, we become even more innovative and creative, helping us better serve our clients and our communities. You’ll join a community of smart, supportive collaborators to lift, mentor, and guide you, but to also lean on your expertise. You get a company purpose-built for business-critical, leading-edge technology solutions, committed to improving the way humans work, interact, and live. It’s all here, so take a closer look!

We work hard to provide an inclusive, diverse culture with a deep sense of belonging for all our employees. Visit our Inclusion & Diversity page.

Create a future for our people that focuses on

• Expanding your thinking • Experimenting courageously • Learning and pivoting

Inspire greatness in our people by

Accelerate the impact of our people by

• Amazing the client • Prioritizing what matters • Acting as one

**Open to all candidates within the United States**

Join us as an Account Technology Strategist (ATS) and help shape the future of digital transformation for some of our most strategic clients. In this role, you'll serve as a trusted technology advisor, partnering with senior customer executives to align business priorities with innovative technology strategies that accelerate growth, drive business outcomes, and unlock the full potential of the Microsoft ecosystem.

We're looking for a strategic thinker and relationship builder who combines business acumen with deep technology expertise. You'll collaborate closely with Microsoft Account Executives, Customer Success Managers, Solution Specialists, and Avanade Business Development leaders to drive cloud adoption, AI innovation, and digital transformation across a portfolio of Small, Medium & Corporate (SMC) clients. You'll identify growth opportunities, develop executive-level technology roadmaps, and help customers realize measurable business value while strengthening long-term partnerships.

At the intersection of business and technology, you'll help customers navigate complex transformation journeys and maximize the value of their Microsoft investments.

As a trusted advisor, you'll lead strategic conversations, influence executive stakeholders, and drive adoption of cloud, data, AI, security, and modern workplace solutions.

Working alongside Avanade and Microsoft teams, you'll develop innovative technology strategies that accelerate Azure consumption, support Microsoft solution adoption, and create opportunities for Avanade consulting services. Together we do what matters.

What you’ll do

Executive Technology Leadership

• Build trusted advisor relationships with CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, CISOs, business executives, and line-of-business leaders across a portfolio of 8–10 accounts.
• Facilitate strategic discussions on business transformation, AI adoption, cloud modernization, cybersecurity, data platforms, and workplace productivity.
• Develop executive-level technology visions and multi-year transformation roadmaps aligned to customer business objectives.
• Lead technology conversations that position Microsoft as the preferred strategic partner.

Account Planning & Growth

• Create and maintain comprehensive technology strategies for assigned accounts.
• Identify opportunities to expand Microsoft cloud consumption and platform adoption.
• Develop account technology plans that support revenue growth, customer retention, and long-term value realization.
• Influence customer investments toward Azure, Microsoft 365, Security, Fabric, Data & AI, and Business Applications solutions.

Industry & Business Consulting

• Understand industry trends, regulatory challenges, and competitive pressures across multiple sectors.
• Translate industry-specific challenges into business and technology solutions.
• Share leading practices, industry benchmarks, and AI-enabled innovation opportunities.

AI and Innovation Strategy

• Lead executive conversations around generative AI, Copilot, intelligent agents, and emerging technologies.
• Identify high-value AI use cases and establish adoption roadmaps.
• Help customers define governance, security, and change management strategies for AI deployment.
• Collaborate with technical specialists to accelerate AI solution adoption.

Technical Strategy Development

• Guide customers through:
  • Cloud migration and modernization initiatives
  • Data platform modernization
  • Security transformation programs
  • Digital workplace strategies
  • Application modernization
  • Hybrid and multi-cloud architectures
  • Align technical architectures to business outcomes and investment priorities.
• Act as the virtual CTO for the account team.
• Coordinate Microsoft specialists, architects, customer success managers
• Drive alignment across pursuit, solutioning, implementation, and adoption activities.
• Ensure customer engagements are coordinated and outcome-focused.

Business Value Realization

• Support the development of business value cases, ROI analyses, and executive presentations.
• Establish measurable success criteria for transformation initiatives.
• Track business outcomes and customer success metrics.
• Demonstrate realized value from Microsoft technology investments.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Customer Success

• Customer satisfaction and relationship health
• Technology strategy completion and quality
• Customer referenceability

Business Growth

• AI and Copilot adoption rates

Transformation Outcomes

• Business value assessments completed
• AI opportunities identified and implemented
• Strategic roadmap execution progress

Skills and experiences

Required Experience

• 8+ years of technology consulting, enterprise architecture, account management, or technology strategy experience.
• Experience engaging executive stakeholders and business decision makers.
• Demonstrated success managing complex customer relationships.
• Experience driving cloud, data, AI, security, or application modernization initiatives.

Technical Knowledge

Strong understanding of at least three of the areas below, with a willingness to develop deeper knowledge across the remaining areas:

• Microsoft 365
• Security and Compliance solutions
• Business Applications (D365)
• Cloud architecture and modernization strategies
• Generative AI and intelligent agents

Business Skills

• Executive presence and communication skills
• Strategic thinking and business acumen
• Account planning and opportunity development

The Copilot Studio Technical Lead is responsible for leading enterprise clients through the strategy, design, architecture, governance, implementation, and adoption of Microsoft Copilot Studio solutions, serving as a trusted advisor who bridges technical expertise with strategic business outcomes. This role combines deep AI and Power Platform knowledge with consulting leadership to help organizations responsibly integrate intelligent copilots across their Microsoft 365, Azure, and enterprise digital ecosystems.

Come Join Us

Join Avanade's AI Workforce practice and be at the forefront of enterprise AI transformation — architecting the next generation of intelligent Copilot solutions on Microsoft's most cutting-edge technologies. This is your opportunity to shape how global organizations adopt AI at scale, working alongside world-class practitioners on engagements that truly matter.

What you'll do

• Lead end-to-end architecture of Copilot Studio solutions including copilots, plugins, connectors, data sources, and governance frameworks
• Translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and compliant architectures using Copilot Studio, Power Platform, Azure services, and Microsoft 365
• Lead AI use case assessment and platform fit analysis across Copilot Studio, Microsoft 365 Copilot, Azure AI Foundry, Power Platform, and related enterprise tools
• Design conversational flows, orchestration logic, and integration patterns for enterprise copilots
• Define data models, lifecycle policies, and environment strategies using Dataverse and Azure resources
• Establish architecture patterns that balance business value, technical feasibility, security, compliance, and operational readiness

2. Deployment & Implementation

• Lead technical implementation across development, testing, deployment, and operationalization
• Configure Copilot Studio environments, connectors, authentication, and integration endpoints
• Build and deploy plugins, custom connectors, and automation using Power Automate, Azure Functions, Logic Apps, and API Management
• Establish CI/CD pipelines, ALM processes, and environment governance for Copilot solutions
• Support production readiness by defining testing approach, monitoring needs, escalation paths, and documentation.

3. Client Engagement & Leadership

• Facilitate workshops, discovery sessions, and roadmap planning with business and technical stakeholders
• Advise clients on AI adoption, responsible AI practices, and enterprise governance models
• Lead delivery teams, manage workstreams, and ensure high-quality deliverables
• Communicate complex technical concepts to executive audiences with clarity and confidence
• Serve as the bridge between business users, IT, security, data owners, platform teams, and engineering teams to move ideas from concept to approved implementation

4. Security, Compliance & Responsible AI

• Define enterprise Copilot Studio operating models, including intake, triage, approval workflows, environment strategy, connector governance, DLP alignment, lifecycle management, and production readiness criteria
• Implement identity, access, and data governance controls using Entra ID, Dataverse, and Microsoft 365
• Ensure copilots adhere to responsible AI, privacy, and compliance requirements
• Conduct risk assessments, security reviews, and architectural validation
• Partner with client security, compliance, legal, platform, and business stakeholders to ensure solutions are approved, supportable, and aligned to enterprise AI standards
• Help clients define what copilots should and should not do, including boundaries for autonomous actions, human-in-the-loop review, sensitive data access, and system-of-record updates

5. Operational Readiness & Change Management

• Support user adoption, training, and operational readiness activities
• Develop documentation, runbooks, and governance artifacts
• Partner with change management teams to ensure successful rollout and sustained usage
• Define adoption measures, usage reporting, feedback loops, and continuous improvement processes to help clients move beyond pilot/demo efforts into sustainable enterprise adoption

6. Thought Leadership & Practice Development

• Contribute to Avanade's AI and Power Platform communities through reusable assets, accelerators, and best practices
• Mentor junior consultants and support capability development across the practice
• Stay current with Microsoft AI innovations and emerging technologies
• Support internal offering development by contributing lessons learned, delivery patterns, governance templates, and client-ready accelerators
• Strong technical foundation and hands-on experience in Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Platform, and enterprise AI solution design, with the ability to lead complex client conversations with confidence.
• Passionate about emerging AI technologies and committed to responsible, ethical AI practices
• Skilled at simplifying complex technical concepts for non-technical and executive audiences
• Collaborative mindset with an unwavering focus on client success and delivering measurable outcomes
• Proven ability to mentor and develop junior consultants, fostering a culture of continuous learning
• Holds or actively pursuing relevant Microsoft certifications including AI-102, PL-600, and AZ-305, demonstrating a commitment to technical excellence
• Demonstrated track record of delivering AI and Power Platform solutions in complex enterprise environments, from initial strategy through to sustained adoption
• Comfortable operating at the intersection of advisory, architecture, governance, delivery leadership, and hands-on technical validation

United States

Senior Manager, Industry Technology Strategist

At Avanade, the best dealsaren'tjust sold —they'reengineered. As a Senior Manager, Industry Technology Strategist, you siton the front lines of our growth, working shoulder to shoulderwith clients and our most senior sellers to shape pursuits, sharpen our story, and turn ambition into signed business. This is a role for someone who loves being in the room where deals are made, who thinks like a strategist and acts like a closer, and who wants their fingerprints on how Avanade goes to market.

Youwon'tbe supporting the sale from the sidelines.You'llbedriving it— translating client challenges into compelling solutions, guiding pursuit teams through complex opportunities, and serving as a trusted advisor clientsactually wantat the table.

There is one in every group - the person who dreams big and has the motivation to bring their ideas to life, even as others might roll their eyes and prefer to play it safe. Are you that person?

Are you the one who isn’t afraid to break the mold and who gets passionate about the power of digital to transform organizations and ways of working? Because we are building teams of people like that to help our clients unlock the power they need now and own what is next. Together we do what matters.

What you’ll do

• Lead from the front line of sales.Partner directly with clients and account leaders to scope, shape, and win high-value opportunities — bringing clarity, creativity, and momentum to every pursuit.
• Be the connective tissue of the deal.Orchestrate the people, assets, and decisions that move a pursuit forward, ensuring pursuit teams have exactly what they need, exactly when they need it.
• Shape how we sell.Design the playbooks, differentiators, and cross-sell motions that give our sellers an edge — and continuously raise the bar on how Avanade competes and wins.
• Influence our offerings and go-to-market.Bring the voice of the client and the market back into the business, helping evolve our solutions, industry plays, and territory strategy so we stay ahead of where demand is heading.
• Own the growth picture.Drive account planning, territory analysis, pipeline health, and revenue forecasting that leadership relies on to make the big calls.
• Champion selling excellence.Embed best-in-class pursuit discipline (DEEPR) and enablement tools so every team operates at the top of its game.
• Spot the next opportunity first.Anticipate shifting client and market needs and proactively reshape how we engage — staying one step ahead of expectations.

About you

Characteristics that can spell success for this role:

• You love to workcollaborativelywithenergy,driveanddedicationto overcome obstacles to achieve your goals.
• You takeownershipandencourageothers to make a positive impact.
• You havesuperb interpersonal skillsand canestablish strong relationships.
• You anticipate andneutralize obstacles and objections.
• You are askilful influencerof internal and external resources.

Enjoy your career

Some of the best things about working at Avanade:

• Opportunity to work for Microsoft’s Global Alliance Partner of the Year (20 years in a row), with exceptional development and training (minimum 80 hours per year for training and paid certifications)
• Real-time access to technical and skilled resources globally
• Dedicated career advisor to encourage your growth
• Engaged and helpful coworkers genuinely interested in you

A great place to work

As you bring your skills and abilities to Avanade, you’ll get distinctive experiences, limitless learning, and ambitious growth in return.As we continue to build our diverse and inclusive culture, we become even more innovative and creative, helping us better serve our clients and our communities. You’ll join a community of smart, supportive collaborators to lift, mentor, and guide you, but to also lean on your expertise. You get a company purpose-built for business-critical, leading-edge technology solutions, committed to improving the way humans work, interact, and live. It’s all here, so take a closer look!

We work hard to provide an inclusive, diverse culture with a deep sense of belonging for all our employees. Visit our Inclusion & Diversity page.

Create a future for our people that focuses on

• Expanding your thinking • Experimenting courageously • Learning and pivoting

Inspire greatness in our people by

Accelerate the impact of our people by

• Amazing the client • Prioritizing what matters • Acting as one