Sarah Arnold Email and Phone Number

Proactively creates, nurtures, and influences Top Gun Partners to drive larger impact for the customer. Facilitates matchmaking to drive opportunities (e.g., digital transformations), connecting partners to sellers and working closely with account teams to align Microsoft solutions to specific business needs across horizontals and verticals. Delivers and integrates partner expertise and solutions into sales cycles that grow consumption of Microsoft products.Manages partner co-selling for Microsoft’s Top Gun Partners to drive joint pipeline and partner consumption of Microsoft products at scale. Connects with Microsoft’s sales and partner communities to bridge and support partner-to-partner engagements as needed.

Microsoft’s success lies largely in the strength of its partner network. As Microsoft Australia Partner Channel Marketing Manager for Enablement, I am responsible for:• Building partners’ capabilities regarding key Microsoft Cloud products and solutions so they can more effectively meet customers’ demands and grow revenue. • Regularly assessing the partner network and sales channels for skills gaps, and ascertaining what training and development is required to drive certification in Cloud and ISV priority workloads. • Sourcing Cloud training collateral and providers, and coordinating highly targeted digital learning, technical and sales certification and in-person training for partners. • Developing strong and strategic relationships with partner organisations. • Working closely with partner organisations to overcome key obstacles, address pain points, and coordinate change management activities to ensure they have optimal knowledge of Microsoft’s Cloud products and services. • Helping partner organisations work together to create innovative business solutions. • Leading and owning the Partner Selling Program – an initiative whereby we select top sellers from partner organisations and connect them with members of our sales team in a highly collaborative way. • Initiating a cost recovery model around training to ensure the cost-effectiveness and value of all training provided by Microsoft Australia. • Lead and consolidate the content landing and feedback process for enablement between Microsoft Australia and Microsoft HQ. • Own the annual Enablement Marketing budget • Program Owner for the Microsoft Australia Awards Program (MAPA)• Program Owner for the Australian contingent of Microsoft Inspire

I was responsible for compiling a development strategy around partner capabilities in line with Microsoft Australia’s business goals and priority workloads. This included: • Focusing initiatives on key technology solutions (business intelligence, collaboration, communications, CRM, data platform, desktop, messaging, Office 365, small business software development, virtualization and Intune). • Designing and implementing development initiatives around digital business model transformation, practice acceleration, Microsoft partner summits and readiness around new product solutions launches • Build executive partner relationships, understanding the partner business models.• Driving and validating partner sales capability excellence through accreditations and certifications regarding sales, pre-sales and technical competencies. • Creating integrated partner experiences with operational excellence• Lead the Australian Partner Capability Development Council• Acting as Strategic Account Manager for Australia’s top two Gold Certified Learning Partners.• Own the annual Enablement Marketing budget • Program Owner for the Microsoft Australia Awards Program (MAPA)• Program Owner for the Australian contingent of Microsoft Inspire

As Microsoft Australia’s Partner Programs Manager, I was responsible for: • Growth and development of the broad Microsoft Partner Network Australian ecosystem through the execution of strategic partner communications and relationship marketing.• Driving Partner Program membership, satisfaction and loyalty as well as being the voice of the Microsoft Partner Network externally and internally to build and maintain relationship with the broad partner community.• Raising awareness and utilisation of Partner Program benefits/offerings through relevant and targeted communication campaigns (including newsletters and partner events), focusing on the value of the Microsoft relationship. • Coordinating the Microsoft Australia Partner Conference and the Worldwide Partner Conference• Own the annual Marketing budget for Australia Microsoft Partner Network• Program Owner for the Microsoft Australia Awards Program (MAPA)• Project Management the change over from the Microsoft Solution Partner Program to the Microsoft Partner Network within Australia.

This fast-paced and dynamic role required flexibility and superior organisational skills. I was required to: • Provide a wide range of personal assistant, secretarial and administrative activities for Microsoft Australia’s Managing Director. • Complex calendar management within Microsoft Outlook. Ability to proactively manage a multifaceted calendar. Be the first point of contact for the Managing Director and respond to all incoming requests in a timely manner.• Exceptional event planning skills to proactively plan and manage logistics for high profile meetings such as All Hands, Leadership meetings, Customer and Partner meetings and Leadership Team off-sites.• Manage frequent ad-hoc requests, ranging from coordinating travel to compiling executive and company-wide presentations.• Procurement of goods and services including computer equipment, reference materials and facility requests, and invoice processing, services, tracking and reconciling payments and expenses. • Work within a team environment and liaise with other administrators across the business; often on confidential matters. • Executive maturity to act as the role model and Community Lead for the administrative assistant community.

For three years, I worked as a group coordinator for several teams within Microsoft, including: communications and media, business operations, solution sales and sales leadership. I was also the personal assistant for the group and the Director of Sales.

For my first two years at Microsoft I served in the capacity of Associate Recruiter for the Human Resources team at Microsoft. During this time I have learnt the business of recruitment and undertaken a range of administrative responsibilities for the team as well as managing the hiring of all Interns into Microsoft.

In this role I was responsible for the top 50 corporate accounts for the prestigious Renaissance Hotel. I had a team of ten staff and was also responsible for the Executive Floor Lounge, as well as managing all VIP’s and customer complaints received by the hotel.