Microsoft Sales Academy launched to train a diverse pipeline of digital sellers
New recruits will join more than 1,000 highly trained sellers at its EMEA Digital Sales centre in Dublin
2nd February 2021 – Microsoft Ireland was joined today by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD to announce a further expansion of its Dublin-based EMEA Digital Sales team with the creation of 200 new jobs. The company also unveiled details of its new Microsoft Sales Academy, which will enable 25 recruits from a variety of backgrounds and with little or no digital skills to establish a career in digital sales. Today’s announcement builds on Microsoft Ireland’s November 2020 engineering investment announcement, which saw the creation of 200 new engineering roles and an investment of €27m in a new Engineering Hub at its growing campus in Leopardstown, Dublin.
Recruitment for the 200 new positions is underway with the intention to have all roles filled before May 2021. Microsoft Ireland is seeking applications to fill a broad array of digital sales positions including Sales Representatives, Technical Sales Specialists, Cloud Solution Architects, Account Executives and Sales Managers. The company is seeking candidates with fluency in languages including English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Italian, and Spanish to help meet the needs of customers across the EMEA region.
Speaking at today’s announcement, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD said: “I warmly welcome this latest job announcement by Microsoft as a strong vote of confidence in Ireland as a destination for investment, and in the talent of our workforce.
“In the coming months we will be focusing on delivering a recovery that is both inclusive and sustainable, central to this will be getting people back to work and protecting and creating employment fit for the future. Attracting highly sought-after digital jobs like those created by Microsoft today is an important step in that journey.”
Cathriona Hallahan, Managing Director, Microsoft Ireland said: “We are delighted to be in a position to announce the further deepening of our footprint in Ireland. Following so soon after our Engineering investment, it highlights the importance of our Irish based operations to Microsoft globally. The growth of our EMEA Digital Sales team reflects the dynamism and growth mindset that is at the heart of our company. Our existing digital sales team has been working hard to provide organisations in Ireland and across Europe, the Middle East and Africa with digital technologies they need to transform their business model and achieve success.
“The creation of the Microsoft Sales Academy further supports those efforts by building and nurturing a diverse pipeline of talent both now and into the future, ensuring our team reflects the diversity of the customers we serve. By adding to the diversity of skills and backgrounds within our Dublin-based team, we can continue to innovate at speed as we reimagine Ireland’s future.”
Lisa Dillon, Vice-President, Microsoft EMEA Digital Sales said: “I am delighted that we are expanding our EMEA Digital Sales team so that we can best meet the evolving needs of our customers. In just four years, we will have established and grown the team to over 1,000 employees. This rapid growth is creating superb career development opportunities for the dynamic team which today represents more than 75 nationalities and fluency in over 35 different languages.
“The EMEA Digital Sales team leverage Microsoft technologies, including AI and machine learning, and enhance them with digital selling capabilities to transform our engagement with customers. This allows us to meet and exceed the needs of our customers and partners, engaging them at the right time in their digital journey to help drive their business success. I am looking forward to welcoming our new recruits and supporting them as they contribute to the continued growth and success of the team.”
The new Microsoft Sales Academy will provide recruits from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skillsets with the sales and technical skills to succeed in a digital sales environment. The Academy builds on Microsoft’s ongoing digital education and training programmes to help people to participate fully in the digital economy. With four intake waves planned per calendar year, the six-month sales training programme will provide recruits with the expertise to support the digital transformation journey of organisations globally. At the end of the programme, recruits will transition into a Digital Sales Representative role with the skills to support customers’ digital transformations. 25 of the new jobs announced today are for Sales Academy positions.
New recruits will join an existing team of more than 1,000 highly trained sellers leveraging cutting-edge technology platforms and analytics to better meet customer needs. First established in 2017 with an initial headcount of 500 employees, the EMEA Digital Sales team in Dublin has expanded rapidly as organisations globally embrace digital transformation. Upon conclusion of the current phase of recruitment Microsoft Ireland will employ more than 2,800 people in Ireland across its Leopardstown campus and within its Data Centre operations.
Microsoft Ireland offers an extensive array of benefits in addition to a competitive package for the right candidates. For those interested in a starting or furthering a career in digital sales, visit: careers.microsoft.com.
