Visual Communications Manager

The Microsoft Events Studios and Production (ESP) team is seeking an experienced Presentation design profession to be a part of the team that delivers outstanding support experiences for Microsoft Executives at events. We create world-ready visual content for Microsoft executives that aligns to strategic messaging and corporate brand guidelines. In this role you will be a part of a team of design/communication professionals, creating impactful design experiences across our entire event portfolio, including key external events, 3rd party events and internal company events.  

This role comprises a mix of design management and creative implementation skills, along with a passion for technology and events. You will be responsible for creating best-in-class visual storytelling solutions for executive presentation needs at events, and continuously drive design/event projects through to successful completion. As a trusted thought leader in the realm of presentation design and communications you will be responsible for navigating a complete realm of storytelling processes and requirements to create stunning and impactful moments for Microsoft’s customers, partners and employees. 

• Act as the primary point of contact for a team of executives aligned to a specific narrative construct, focusing on thought leadership that translates into the implementation of visual narrative solutions, storyboarding concepts and engaging necessary resources to complete presentation design projects, ensuring a constancy in quality and impact 

• Communicate and drive design solutions for executive communication assets that not only follow the varied brand compliance guidelines, but also adhere to the intent and messaging framework set forth by Microsoft Brand team, Experience Design team, or creative production vendors with stakeholder responsibilities to event brand and messaging 

• Engage with a diverse ecosystem of presentation design and communication vendors to create visual storytelling and graphic design solutions related to executive presentations that meet the high standards of visual design our executives and events require, and act as primary point of contact for vendors for resolution of roadblocks and the creation of storyboard/wire frames 

• Ensure design teams are utilizing the latest design best practices and processes, communicating any updates to key stakeholder and vendors that may affect future workstreams 

• Demonstrate a strong fundamental knowledge base in the visual design disciplines (typography, iconography, composition, color, layout, etc.) and creation of a variety of visual mood boards, storyboards, creative briefs, and motion/visual guidelines 

• Effectively manage and assign priorities and workloads, determining deadlines and forecast additional staffing needs for executive support or high impact periods of activity 

• Build visual narratives and concepts that tell the story while adhering to the event strategy goals to ensure presentation success, collaborating closely with other art directors and designers, producers, content teams, and executive management to achieve 

• Impart critical feedback to and guidance on specific projects completed by vendors providing support to this role and the assigned executive’s presentations, during both the pre-event development process, as well after the event is complete  

• Leverage team and company resources into opportunities for sharing content from executives, internally and externally when needed, as well as ensuring all content for executive presentations is properly archived for future reference  

• Establish proactive engagements with the communications team with each assigned executive to anticipate teams and remove potential roadblocks before they occur or develop effective avoidance strategies.  

• Support may include travel to events that may include international travel 

Additional or preferred qualifications