Proof That Microsoft Is Worried About Office's Competition

Blogger: Guy Creese

Actions speak louder than words. Microsoft is staffing to compete against OpenOffice.org, according to this job posting on the Microsoft Careers site: https://careers.microsoft.com/JobDetails.aspx?ss=&pg=0&so=&rw=1&jid=9914&jlang=EN. Since the posting will probably go away at some point, here's the text of the posting:

Job Category: Marketing
Location: United States, WA, Bellevue
Job ID: 700901 9914
Division: Marketing

Linux and Open Office Compete Lead, US Subsidiary (CSI Lead)

If you’re looking for a new role where you’ll focus on one of the biggest issues that is top of mind for KT and Steve B in “Compete”, build a complete left to right understanding of the subsidiary, have a large amount of executive exposure, build and manage the activities of a v-team of 13 district Linux & Open Office Compete Leads, and develop a broad set of marketing skills and report to a management team committed to development and recognized for high WHI this is the position for you!

The Commercial Software Initiative (CSI) Lead plays a pivotal role for the Subsidiary GM, the BG leads and the BMO by building a discipline within the US that is focused on competing against. The core mission of CSI is to win share against Linux and OpenOffice.org by designing and driving marketing programs, changing perceptions, engaging with Open Source communities and organizations, and drive internal readiness on how to compete with Commercial Linux and participate with Open Source Communities.

The CSI Lead owns three core objectives for the Area (and Subsidiaries) as follows:

1. Drive compete Strategy. The CSI Lead is responsible for providing a 360 degree view of the US compete environment (directly to the Compete lead and BMO) and ensuring plans are in place to help drive healthy, balanced, and sustained growth. Ability to win share and ensure growth faster than the market (Servers, IW, Web, HPC)

2. Be a Perception Change Agent. The CSI Lead needs to drive perception across a number of key audiences (IT Pros, Government Elites, BDMs, IT Journalists, etc.) Ability to implement programmatic marketing that will CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE think about Microsoft, specifically those with a ‘hostile’ or negative perception of the Microsoft platform.

3. Build ‘Compete Muscle’ in the US. The CSI Lead owns ensuring that the region and subs are fully ready to compete against Linux and participate with Open Source Communities. This includes everything from training to being the subject matter expertise, where needed. Ability to diagnose and share problem, find root causes and pull together a team that will PLAN / DO / CHECK / ACT in the right direction.

•  This includes developing PR, marketing, sales, communication and readiness infrastructure for executing competitive strategies and executing perception changes.
• You will educate our field and partners to compete and win. Work with EPG and other field organizations to profile Linux in key accounts. Drive Linux and UNIX compete content.
• Support competitive sales situations where Linux is a key competitor to help drive marquee wins and grow your US evidence. Work with your account teams and develop growth plans.
• Start a productive and positive culture of ‘Loss Reviews’ Look at the competitive pipeline regularly to see where Linux Server and OpenOffice challenges arise.

The right candidate will have a great blend of strategic, marketing and analytical skills coupled with tenacity for execution and delivery. You must be action and detail oriented with experience in the high tech marketing industry including solid experience working with cross-organizational teams to achieve superior results. The ability to multi-task and manage projects under pressure along with an unwavering persistence, commitment, passion and optimism for this work is essential. When successful, you’ll be looked to as the key expert for the Windows Server business by the entire field sales force, marketing, & executive organizations. Experience with server marketing and an MBA are pluses.

Given the slew of mystifying Microsoft abbreviations and acronyms (e.g., KT, Steve B, CSI, v-team, WHI, BMO, BDMs) within the posting, I suspect they'll only get applications from within Microsoft--and that will be a mistake.