Data Center Contracts Manager

Overview

Microsoft Cloud Operations + Innovation (CO+I) is responsible for delivering the infrastructure that powers Microsoft's cloud services. The ANZ team is seeking a Contracts Manager to support complex, high-value data centre construction programmes, with primary focus on Sydney Campus projects.

This is an individual contributor role. The role has no direct reports, but is expected to operate with significant autonomy, influence cross-functional stakeholders, and own the contracting approach, commercial governance, and risk position across multiple project workstreams.

Role Purpose

• Own end-to-end contract strategy, procurement execution, contract administration, and commercial risk management for Sydney data campus projects.
• Provide commercial leadership through influence rather than formal people management.
• Ensure Microsoft contracting, supplier, audit, and legal governance requirements are embedded in day-to-day project delivery.
• Protect Microsoft’s commercial position while enabling safe, timely, and commercially disciplined project outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Contracting Strategy & Delivery

• Lead project-specific contracting strategies across Sydney campus projects
• Define procurement approaches including competitive tender, framework drawdown, or single-source contracting where appropriate.
• Partner with project management and cost management teams to optimise cost, schedule, delivery, and risk outcomes.

Procurement & Supply Chain Management

• Own end-to-end RFP and contracting processes, including sourcing, prequalification, bid lists, commercial evaluation, and award recommendations.
• Maintain a diversified and resilient supply chain, managing market capacity and programme risks.
• Provide oversight of General Contractor procurement plans, subcontracting strategies, and key supplier performance matters.

Contract Execution & Governance

• Draft, review, and issue contracts in accordance with Microsoft-approved templates, approval pathways, and legal guidance.
• Manage contractual exceptions, approvals, and compliance requirements in consultation with Legal, Procurement, Finance, and business stakeholders.
• Review and support approval of change orders, contract amendments, and commercial modifications.

Contract Administration & Commercial Delivery

• Administer contracts across the full lifecycle, including contractual notices, formal correspondence, change management, and commercial close-out.
• Provide project teams with timely commercial and contractual advice to support decision-making and reduce claims exposure.
• Support Lump Sum, GMP, ECI, framework, and other commercial models as required by the project portfolio.

Claims, Risk & Dispute Resolution

• Lead commercial assessment of EOT, delay, disruption, variation, compensation, and escalation claims.
• Prepare Microsoft’s commercial position papers, negotiation strategies, and recommended responses.
• Drive early dispute avoidance and structured resolution pathways where commercial issues arise.

Cross-Team Leadership

• Operate as the contracts point of contact across project teams, cost management, legal, procurement, finance, contractors, consultants, and suppliers.
• Drive alignment across stakeholders and resolve cross-functional issues with minimal supervision.
• Influence project outcomes without formal people management responsibility.

Governance, Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure contract records, approvals, execution evidence, and correspondence are maintained to audit-ready standards.
• Support use of Microsoft contracting and procurement systems such as LCE, Ariba, Icertis, Compass, and other approved tools as applicable.
• Provide regular reporting on procurement plans, contract status, commercial risks, claims, and supplier performance.

Scope & Impact

• Scope covers Sydney Campus data centre construction projects, with flexibility to support broader projects as business priorities require.
• Accountable for commercially sound contracting outcomes across complex workstreams, not limited to tactical contract administration.
• Expected to identify and resolve issues that affect cost, schedule, supplier performance, claims exposure, and contractual compliance.
• Role requires IC judgement, cross-team influence, and independent ownership of the “how” for contracts execution and governance.

Required Qualifications

• Significant experience in contract management, procurement, commercial management, quantity surveying, cost management, engineering, construction management, or a related discipline.
• Experience managing complex construction contracts, change orders, claims, commercial negotiations, and contractor correspondence.
• Demonstrated ability to work across multiple concurrent projects and stakeholders in a fast-paced capital delivery environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing contractual notices, commercial recommendations, and senior stakeholder briefings.

• Core Capabilities
• Commercial judgement
• Makes balanced recommendations that consider cost, risk, schedule, contract entitlement, and relationship impact.
• Contract expertise
• Applies strong construction contract knowledge to procurement, execution, change management, claims, and dispute avoidance.
• Stakeholder influence
• Builds alignment across project, legal, procurement, finance, and contractor stakeholders without relying on formal authority.
• Risk management
• Identifies commercial risks early, develops mitigation strategies, and escalates with clear options and recommendations.
• Execution discipline
• Maintains strong governance, documentation quality, approval control, and audit readiness across the contract lifecycle.
• Onsite delivery mindset
• Works closely with site teams and contractors to ensure contract decisions support construction delivery realities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in data centre, mission-critical, major infrastructure, industrial, or large-scale building projects.
• Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Law, Commerce, or a related field.
• Professional accreditation such as RICS, CIArb, AIQS, AACE, or equivalent is desirable.
• Experience with Microsoft or comparable enterprise contracting, procurement, and governance systems is desirable.

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.

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