Category Director, General Contractor

Overview

Microsoft Cloud Operations and Innovation (CO+I) is the team behind the cloud. We are responsible for delivering over 200 Microsoft web portals, Live and Online Services around the world including infrastructure, security and compliance, operations, globalization, and manageability. Our focus is on smart growth, high efficiency, and delivering a trusted experience to customers and partners worldwide.

Within CO+I, the strategic Supply Chain team is responsible for establishing a supply chain that can meet the ever-growing growth of the Microsoft Cloud and our customers. We support a portfolio of complex, multi-disciplinary, multi-billion, multi-year datacenter construction and operations of those assets. We are looking to fill the critical role of Sourcing Director, General Contractor (GC).

In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.

This role is eligible for hybrid or remote work, up to 25% with travel requirements.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities

Strategic Sourcing, Contract & Commercial Management

• Lead sourcing strategies, commercial negotiations, and contract execution for General Contractors (GC), and other critical service providers.
• Collaborate with Legal, Construction, Cost Management, and Execution teams to align commercial strategies with program requirements.
• Provide strategic oversight of contractual agreements, commercial risk, change management, supplier performance, and contract compliance throughout the project lifecycle.

Supplier, Contractor & Stakeholder Management

• Establish and maintain executive-level relationships with suppliers, contractors, and key stakeholders to drive performance, innovation, and business value.
• Lead commercial issue resolution and negotiations with contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and service providers.
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to identify continuous improvement opportunities and enhance program delivery.

Risk, Compliance & Operational Excellence

• Identify, assess, and mitigate commercial, contractual, and operational risks to protect project and business objectives.
• Ensure compliance with corporate policies, regulatory requirements, procurement standards, and governance frameworks.
• Drive operational excellence through performance monitoring, reporting, forecasting, and implementation of best practices across the portfolio.

Behavioral Attributes

• Can create clarity, generate energy, and deliver success; always be planning for the future.
• Have high integrity – must be ethical and strong value-based individual focused on fairness and maintaining confidentiality.
• Bring high energy – a drive to achieve results in midst of ambiguity and a matrix organization.
• Be a high performer – be able to fit the Microsoft “culture” by effectively multi-tasking and managing priorities; have a “sense of urgency” regarding issue resolution.
• Understand the importance of relationships inside the company and with our supply chain partners.

• Capacity Planning: Implement delivery plans to effectively deliver against project goals on budget.
• Negotiation: Implement appropriate negotiation strategies for the specified scope, incorporating cross functional perspectives as necessary to build a holistic plan together with clear allocation of roles and responsibilities.
• Supplier Selection: Participate in supplier selection and performance management; ensure alignment to Microsoft business goals throughout.
• Contracting: Deep understanding of industry contracting norms and ability to rapidly develop understanding of Microsoft contracting requirements; Lead / participate in negotiation of contracts that meet business goals.

Contract Oversight: Monitor key elements of supplier performance to contracted requirements; implement corrective action and lessons learned. Manage the administration of the contract with our stakeholders as the Subject Matter Expert and the appointed person to manage all notices, changes, claims and other Contractual Matters.

• Project Management: Develop and implement plans to effectively deliver goods and services on time and within specification while managing risk.
• Continuous Improvement: Always seek ways to streamline, automate, and simplify processes; includes deployment of tools, using data analytics and working with IT groups to define system requirements.

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Supply Chain, Data Analytics, Business, Finance or related field AND 5+ years experience in Data Science/Analytics, Finance, Project Management, Supply Chain, and/or Operations OR Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Supply Chain, Data Analytics, Business, Finance or related field AND 6+ years experience in Data Science/Analytics, Finance, Project Management, Supply Chain, and/or Operations OR equivalent experience.

Background Check Requirements

Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:

• Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Preferred or Additional Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Supply Chain, Data Analytics, Business, Finance or related field AND 7+ years experience in Data Science/Analytics, Finance, Project Management, Supply Chain, and/or Operations OR Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Supply Chain, Data Analytics, Business, Finance or related field AND 8+ years experience in Data Science/Analytics, Finance, Project Management, Supply Chain, and/or Operations OR equivalent experience.
• Robust knowledge of supply chain, specifically contract management, background on large construction capital projects; large scale engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) experience is a plus
• Knowledge of various contract methods (Design, Design-Build, Design-Bid-Build, CM, EPCM, etc.)
• Familiarity with multiple contract pricing formats (lump sum, T&M, unit price, etc.)
• Ability to manage a large and diverse group of stakeholders
• Road based knowledge of contractual components – T&Cs, technical scope, pricing, and schedule
• Knowledge of the data center industry
• Demonstrated strategic thinker and proven leadership with strong relationship management ability
• Effectively evaluates information/data to influence decisions and drive resolution
• Experience working in construction/capital projects and integration of supply chain activities into Engineering, Procurement and Construction

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Pay and benefits

Sourcing and Category Management IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $130,900 - $277,200 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $165,600 - $303,600 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.