Principal Producer, Office, 844555

Job Category: Software Engineering: User Experience
Location: Redmond, WA, US
Job ID: 844555-118537
Division: Microsoft Office Division

This Principal Producer role is a core pivot to the operational success of both top notch creative work as well as seamless integration with the complexities and realities of a broader program. In this position, the successful candidate will collaborate deeply with the creative team to form processes for design problem solving, at the right cadence, in step with adjacent or dependent schedules. He or she will build and maintain a clear understanding of delivery requirements, success measures, and defined process that enable the Design team to function as an integrated whole.

The Principal Producer will have an uncanny acumen for finding a harmonious balance of process, organization, planning, strategizing, scheduling, and driving on the one hand, and maintaining an open, flexible, spontaneous, and fluid creative environment on the other. Instilling confidence both inside a design organization that planned work fits within rationalized schedules and resource allocations is critical. Communication to partner organizations about what work is undertaken, what deliverables can be expected, and how to manage communication of the team is a flawless skill of any producer. Executing team communications with Design first is the talent of this Principal Producer.

Further, as one aspect of a broader program, it is the job of the Producer to deeply understand the work going on around the design team. This understanding will include anything impacting product definition, deep technical decisions or constraints, timelines and dependencies. Willingness and instinct to jump deeply into engineering designs to uncover decisions and designs that could potentially impact experience designs, communicating the impact of technical decisions to the design team, and ensuring timely engagement on the part of design to allow input while options are still open is a requirement.

As the operational leader of the design team, the producer in this role will own, define, and drive multiple significant program work-streams that coalesce technical capabilities and experience design. Regular organized communication into and out of the Design organization by the producer will keep all stakeholders informed and maintain a clear protocol around communication and engagement. In addition, the producer will own and operate design reviews, as required, with internal stakeholders as well as executive management. The Producer coordinates and executes these reviews with the team, and owns the follow-up execution, alignment issues, and integration milestones called for in design reviews.

The Principal Producer is accustomed to navigating dynamic, ambiguous, and complex organizational environments. They have an uncanny acumen for detecting change and quickly forming effective and productive responses to changing requirements. They comprehend the big picture around them and are expert at making smart decisions in the short run that have the right consequences in the long run.

Required experience:
- 5 years success in structuring successful programs from early, formative stages of business: exploratory engineering, long-range market dynamics, and formative design processes
- 10 years + in managing and leading programs and people
- 5 years operational experience guiding a team through product development and delivery, end-to-end
- Creating something from nothing; having explored and created to realize an innovation in engineering, design, or business
- Willingness to play big; be willing to put it all at stake; failure as an impetus to try again and succeed

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