Clare Riley

COMPANY: Microsoft

JOB TITLE: Group Manager, Educational Relations

• To establish Microsoft as a “trusted advisor” on the use of technology for teaching and learning
• Creating a “virtuous circle” between the technology roadmaps the education product developers in HQ are working on and the policy developers for Education in the UK government
• Working with a wide range of organisations and government agencies to advance the use of ICT for teaching and learning and for managing the business of education
• Working with all those in Microsoft who reach out to students: the skills team; the platform evangelists; MSN; the Entertainment division; Microsoft Research
• Managing a portfolio of 100 or so partner schools.

RELATED DEGREE:

• BA in Physiological Sciences (Medicine) Oxon
• DBA with Distinction
• Advanced Management Programme, Wharton, Pennsylvania, USA

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• 10 years as a Journalist / Film-maker with the BBC
• 8 years in Corporate Strategy /  Business Management in the centre of the BBC
• 2 years as Head of New Business Development for education at the BBC
• 5 years with Microsoft education

SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Capable, collaborative team leader
• Skilled implementer of complex plans
• At ease with a wide range of functional disciplines
• Good communicator and manager of key relationships at Chief Executive level and including Whitehall
• Experienced negotiator, leading with Government and Industry and in settlement negotiations on a major litigation
• Knowledge of new and old media and of the education sector

BENEFITS OF THE JOB:

• Very little routine – and a great deal of scope for developing new ideas and big projects
• Flexible working hours
• Working with young and creative people
• The chance to build a great network across the public and private sectors

CAREER GOALS:

• Using ICT to leverage equality of opportunity for all students in the UK