{"id":1902371,"url":"https://alion.io/job/microsoft-category-manager-network-cabling","title":"Category Manager - Network Cabling","company":{"id":18,"name":"Microsoft","domain":"microsoft.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/microsoft","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Eightfold","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":85,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":null,"computed_at":"2026-10-10T05:45:15Z"}},"role":"Operations","role_family":"Operations","seniority":"junior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Hyderabad, India"],"countries":["IN"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":8500,"max_usd":22000,"period":"year","method":"global_role_cell_scaled_by_country","sample_n":2164},"experience_years_min":2,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"ITIL","optional":true},{"name":"Microsoft Teams","optional":true},{"name":"Power BI","optional":true},{"name":"SharePoint","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-18T23:31:23Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-05","last_verified_at":"2026-10-11T00:43:26Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":22,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":22},"description":"OverviewCategory Manager - Network Cabling\nRole focus:This role focuses on the sourcing, contracting, and supplier management of structured cabling and physical network infrastructure within Microsoft's data center environment. The successful candidate will combine technical expertise in network cabling with experience in supplier, project, program, commercial, or contract management. In addition to leading the network cabling category, the role supports selected data center infrastructure, maintenance, operational, and service contract categories.\nAlthough network cabling procurement is the core focus, the role will also manage other data centre contract categories, including selected IT, mechanical, electrical, maintenance, upgrade and operational service agreements.\nResponsibilities\nKey Responsibilities\nLead end-to-end sourcing for network cabling, including technical specification review, supplier identification and qualification, tendering, commercial evaluation, negotiation and contracting for both cabling materials and installation labour.\nPartner with engineering, design, construction and data centre operations teams to translate technical requirements into clear scopes of work, bills of materials, installation standards, acceptance criteria and supplier obligations.\nEvaluate cabling contractors and manufacturers on technical capability, installation quality, safety, capacity, delivery performance, commercial value and compliance with applicable standards.\nManage network cabling contracts through delivery, including changes, risks, milestones, service levels, claims, cost controls and performance improvement.\nBuild strategic relationships with cabling manufacturers, distributors and installation partners, using KPIs and scorecards to improve quality, availability, cost and delivery.\nBring Ability to apply technical expertise to sourcing and contracting decisionsto sourcing decisions, challenge specifications and supplier proposals constructively, and identify practical alternatives without compromising operational reliability.\nManage the financial and commercial aspects of contracts, including purchase orders, invoices, forecasts, benchmarking and cost-saving opportunities.\nPrepare quarterly spend, supplier-performance and contract-management reviews for data centre stakeholders.\nSupport the tracking and commercial management of data centre maintenance, repair, upgrade and project activities.\nApply prior project-management or account-management experience to coordinate stakeholders, manage suppliers and drive work from scope definition through contract execution and delivery.\nIdentify and implement efficiency opportunities across technical systems, operational workflows and resource deployment to improve performance, reduce costs and support scalable data centre operations.\nCapture local subject-matter expertise and promote consistent adoption of network cabling and contracting best practices.\nContribute to improvements in Operations and Service Level Agreement processes, services and solutions for CO+I.\nCoordinate closely with data centre field operations and cross-functional teams to maintain alignment and support successful delivery.\nCapabilities Important to Success\nNetwork cabling expertise:Strong knowledge of structured cabling systemof structured cabling systems, components, installation methods, testing, commissioning, quality requirements and the supplier landscape.\nTechnical-to-commercial capability:Ability to convert engineering and delivery requirements into procurement strategies, scopes, tender documents, evaluation criteria and contracts.\nProject or account leadership:Demonstrated experience managing complex customer, supplier or project outcomes, with strong ownership of scope, schedule, cost, risk and stakeholder expectations.\nCommercial judgement:Ability to compare labour rates, material pricing, productivity assumptions, supplier capacity and total cost while protecting technical quality and operational outcomes.\nStakeholder influence:Communicate credibly with technical specialists, suppliers, senior managers and operational leaders, including influencing without formal authority.\nFlexibility and adaptability:Anticipate change, manage ambiguity and adjust plans, priorities and sourcing approaches as technical or operational requirements evolve.\nTeam contribution:Contribute technical insight and constructive challenge, then support agreed decisions and shared delivery outcomes.\nQualifications\nRequired Qualificationsand Experience\nExperience in network cabling, telecommunications, physical IT infrastructure, or related technical environments.\n\nExperience managing suppliers, contracts, projects, programs, or customer engagements.\n\nExperience supporting sourcing, procurement, contract management, vendor management, or commercial activities.\n\nAbility to interpret technical specifications and translate them into supplier requirements and scopes of work.\n\nRelevant degree, technical diploma, trade certification, or equivalent practical experience.\n\nPreferred Qualifications\nDemonstrated 2years of experience working with critical environment infrastructure such as UPS systems, generators, air handling units, structured cabling, servers, networking equipment, and data center capacity management.\nWe recognize that candidates may develop relevant skills through a variety of professional, technical, military, apprenticeship, or educational experiences. We encourage applicants who meet many, but not all, qualifications to apply\nBachelor's degree, technical diploma, trade certification, or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.\nRelevant industry certifications such as PMP, ITIL, BICSI, CompTIA Network+, Certified Data Centre Professional (CDCP), Microsoft certifications, or equivalent credentials are preferred.\n2+ years experience with critical environment maintenance and repair cost management\n2+ years experience with industry program and project management skills\nExperience supporting data center construction, commissioning, expansion, maintenance, or operational projects\n2years of Experience using collaboration and productivity platforms such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint.\nExperience using reporting and data analysis tools such as Power BI, Excel, or similar analytical platforms\nMicrosoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances.\nThis position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.\nMicrosoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. 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