Principal Software Engineer Manager- Windows Serving & Delivery

Work in close partnership with product managers and engineering teams across Windows to improve product quality, reliability, and supportability at scale. This role focuses on leading teams that design, build, and operate scalable software solutions that improve the reliability, performance, and customer experience of Windows. As a Principal Software Engineering Manager, focuses on people leadership, technical direction, and delivery outcomes across teams. Lead, coach, and support a team of Software Engineers by providing clear expectations, regular feedback, and career guidance through one-on-one connections, mentoring, and performance discussions. Set and align technical direction and execution plans by partnering with Product Managers and cross-functional stakeholders to translate customer needs and business priorities into engineering plans. Support operational excellence and delivery consistency by reinforcing engineering fundamentals, planning practices, and coordinated response to incidents and live-site issues. Use customer feedback, telemetry, and product usage data to identify areas for improvement, prioritize investments, and guide teams toward long-term enhancements in Windows reliability, performance, and supportability. Establish and reinforce engineering practices for design reviews, code reviews, testing, and continuous integration to support secure, maintainable, and scalable solutions. Provide technical guidance and escalation support by working with engineers on complex diagnostics using debugging tools, performance analysis, and code-level investigation, and representing the team in cross-organization discussions. Foster a customer-focused and inclusive team environment where engineers understand customer impact, collaborate across teams, and take shared ownership of outcomes that matter to enterprise and commercial customers. Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C# or Python. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, or Python OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C# or Python OR equivalent experience. 4+ years people management experience. 8+ years of experience in software engineering, systems engineering, or Windows client and server environments. 3+ years of experience supporting or mentoring engineers through coaching, feedback, career development, or technical guidance. Experience in customer-facing engineering roles with focus on service reliability, customer impact, and escalation management. Experience troubleshooting technical issues, including analyzing logs and performance data using diagnostic tools. Familiarity with Windows authentication and security concepts, including Kerberos, Local Security Authority Subsystem Service, and cloud-based authentication. Experience communicating technical concepts clearly to support collaboration and decision-making across teams. Experience reviewing code and contributing to troubleshooting and design discussions in languages such as C, C++, or C#. Familiarity with scripting or automation to support operational efficiency and repeatable processes. Familiarity with networking and distributed systems, including diagnosing issues across infrastructure and cloud services. Experience contributing to team outcomes through collaboration and alignment on customer-focused goals.