Senior Brand Strategist

• Partner with key stakeholders across MAI to lead or contribute to building the foundational Microsoft AI brand strategy and expression, with a specific focus on how MAI's research and scientific, humanist identity that differentiates against other labs
• Steward relationships across AI product leads, marketing, and MAI Creative Studio to create a coherent portfolio narrative of MAI research and scientific initiatives that fit together within a larger story
• Lead or contribute to workshops and training to educate teams on Microsoft AI's brand strategy and expression
• Partner with MAI product leads and MAI brand leads - Writers, Designers, and Project Management - to translate MAI's research and scientific portfolio of initiatives into semi-annual cultural calendars for MAI brand moment campaigns based on product roadmap
• Partner with researchers, scientists, and product leads to translate technical milestones into audience-appropriate narratives that drive understanding, trust, and cultural relevance
• Proactively anticipate major research moments and model launches, building communications plans that sequence messaging across internal and external channels
• Serve as a connective tissue between MAI Creative Studio, product marketing, and research teams — ensuring brand voice, scientific credibility, and creative expression are never in conflict
• Guide brief writing, provide direction to cross-group teams, and develop strategies to engage cross-company stakeholders
• Partner with UXR and Research & Insights teams to track brand perceptions and reporting through various types of studies (e.g., qualitative, quantitative) to support broader MAI strategy and initiatives
• Partner with internal teams and commission studies with agencies to support research and insight identification as needed
• Monitor brand performance and brand impact, and look for emerging opportunities across the company and portfolio
• In partnership with MAI product teams (e.g., Product Marketing, Engineering), lead or support naming efforts of Models, Research, and other work across the Microsoft AI portfolio
• Direct naming efforts and naming rhythm of business, as needed
• Drive approvals with senior management and work with external partners to support the naming process

• 6+ years work experience at a branding agency or with product marketing, brand building, and/or strategy development OR equivalent experience
• 6+ years brand/creative strategy and communications/connections strategy experience, which could include brief writing and/or managing strategy on the corporate or agency side
• 6+ years of communications/connections planning experience building integrated campaigns that bring brands into culture
• Strong insight into the AI discourse, tensions and implications across various parts of culture (media, arts, etc.)
• Genuine technical fluency in AI/ML: you can read a research paper, follow a model architecture conversation, and know enough to ask the right questions that inform how we go to market
• Comfort operating in ambiguity: this role will define its own shape, and that's a feature, not a bug
• Luxury, lifestyle, or entertainment experience preferred
• 6+ years experience managing projects (e.g., internal stakeholder management, timelines, prioritization, road mapping)
• A strategic mindset, able to balance short- and long-term goals, and to translate business objectives into brand solutions
• Effective communication and presentation skills, able to articulate and justify ideas and recommendations with clarity and confidence
• A collaborative and inclusive work style, able to work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders across different levels and functions
• A customer-centric and empathetic approach, able to understand and anticipate the needs and preferences of target audiences
• A growth mindset and a curiosity for learning, willing to experiment, iterate, and adapt to changing environments and feedback

Luxury, lifestyle, or entertainment experience preferred

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation