Director of Microsoft Cloud and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP )Operations

Director of Microsoft Cloud & CSP Operations

Full Time Permanent

Remote, anywhere in North America

The Director of Microsoft Cloud & CSP Operations is responsible for the day-to-day management and optimization of the organization’s Microsoft Partner Program participation and Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) business. This role ensures effective licensing operations, partner compliance, cost control, and alignment to Microsoft program requirements across multiple tenants, customers, and business entities.

This position serves as the internal subject matter expert on Microsoft licensing, incentives, and partner benefits, while also supporting M365 and Entra-based solution alignment, governance, and security best practices across Buchanan’s diverse client base. The role partners closely with service delivery, finance, and account teams to ensure accurate licensing, maximize incentives (CPOR, ECIF), and maintain operational excellence at scale.

Key Responsibilities

Microsoft Partner Program & CSP Operations

Own and manage participation in the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program, including compliance, renewals, designation tracking, and partner tenant alignment across multiple entities and clients

Coordinate and track requirements for Microsoft solution designations, including certifications, performance metrics, and customer success criteria

Act as primary liaison with Microsoft, distributors, and indirect providers

Manage and optimize CPOR alignment across eligible customers and workloads, and administer ECIF opportunities including submission, tracking, and compliance

Monitor Microsoft incentives programs, ensure accurate attribution and claims, and develop reporting to track performance and identify missed opportunities

Oversee full CSP licensing lifecycle (direct and indirect), including provisioning, renewals, true-ups, reconciliation, and multi-tenant governance

Serve as internal expert on Microsoft 365, EMS, and Copilot licensing, ensuring accurate SKU alignment to client needs

Identify and remediate licensing inefficiencies to optimize cost, margin, and utilization across the client base

Support billing accuracy, reporting, and forecasting in coordination with finance and operations teams

Establish and maintain standardized processes for licensing governance, partner compliance, onboarding/offboarding, and cost management

Implement controls to prevent over-provisioning, orphaned licenses, and billing discrepancies

Drive continuous improvement initiatives to increase operational efficiency and reduce overhead

M365 / Entra Technical Alignment & Governance

Establish standards and provide guidance on M365 and Entra ID architecture to ensure licensing aligns with technical design and security requirements.

Support standardization of identity and security baselines including MFA, Conditional Access, and Secure Score improvements.

Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure licensing and partner benefits align with deployed solutions (Teams, SharePoint, Intune, Exchange Online).

Evaluate Copilot readiness from both licensing and data security perspectives.

Assist in defining best practices for tenant governance, identity lifecycle, and access controls across multiple clients.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Operational Alignment

Work cross-functionally with service delivery, engineering, account management, and finance teams to ensure Microsoft licensing aligns with deployed solutions, client outcomes, and security standards

Provide licensing guidance and optimization recommendations to internal teams, supporting cost efficiency and service consistency

Partner with finance on cost modeling, margin analysis, and billing accuracy across CSP operations

Support engineering leadership in certification tracking and readiness for Microsoft partner program requirements and designations

Required Qualifications

5 to 10+ years of experience in Microsoft cloud services, licensing, or MSP operations.

Strong expertise in Microsoft 365 and Entra ID environments, including identity, security, and collaboration workloads.

Deep understanding of CSP models (direct and indirect), licensing structures, and billing mechanics.

Experience managing Microsoft Partner Program requirements, including designations and incentives.

Direct experience leveraging and leading CPOR and ECIF processes and associated reporting.

Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify cost optimization opportunities.

Experience working in a multi-tenant MSP environment including logged experience with licensing procurement and management automation tools.

Excellent organizational and cross-functional communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Microsoft certifications such as MS-102 (Microsoft 365 Administrator), SC-300 (Identity and Access Administrator) and/or AZ-900 / MS-900 (Foundational knowledge)

Familiarity with Microsoft Secure Score, compliance features, and Zero Trust principles.

Exposure to Copilot for Microsoft 365 licensing and readiness planning.

Experience managing CSP services on other cloud platforms such as AWS, OCI or GCP.

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