Principal Field Operations Construction Program Manager

Microsoft Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I) is the engine that powers our cloud services. As a Principal Field Operations Construction Program Manager, you will help deliver the core infrastructure behind Microsoft's online services, including Bing, Office 365, Xbox, OneDrive, and Azure. Our infrastructure spans over 200 datacenters and 1 million servers, supporting more than 1 billion customers and 20 million businesses worldwide. With a focus on environmental sustainability, we continue to grow and evolve to meet changing business demands, maintaining Microsoft's position as a world-class cloud provider.

Data Center Operations Construction (DCOC) delivers complex construction and retrofit programs inside live, operational datacenters. The work spans capacity additions, mechanical and electrical equipment replacement, end-of-life remediation, network and deployment enablement, and first-of-kind retrofits, all executed without interrupting the customer availability the sites exist to provide.

The Principal Field Operations Construction Program Manager owns the Operations Construction portfolio across a group of assigned metros. Where metro program managers deliver the projects in front of them, this role decides what that portfolio contains: which work advances, which is deferred, which is stopped, and in what order, across metros competing for the same capital, outage windows, vendor capacity, and site operations bandwidth. Accountability sits with the health of the multi-metro portfolio as a whole rather than with any single project inside it.

The role leads the program managers and contract construction and safety managers working across those metros, and is measured on their capability and consistency as much as on delivered projects. It carries the most complex work in its portfolio, including first-of-kind retrofits in live space where no established execution method exists, and converts that work into standards and practice the wider program adopts. Reporting to the Director of Operations Construction, this position represents DCOC to site leadership, engineering, commissioning, and enterprise customer programs.

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

• Lead portfolio strategy and prioritization across assigned metros, translating capacity, availability, sustainability, and business objectives into executable construction plans while balancing capital, resources, outage windows, vendor capacity, and operational constraints.
• Own portfolio delivery and governance across safety, scope, schedule, budget, commercial performance, and risk, including forecasting, change management, project controls, commissioning readiness, operational turnover, and closeout.
• Exercise independent judgment on complex, high-impact programs, assessing project viability, investment trade-offs, emerging risks, and delivery confidence, and personally leading the most complex, first-of-kind, or highest-risk initiatives when warranted.
• Lead and develop program capability across the portfolio, providing direction, coaching, and technical leadership to program managers and contract construction and safety teams while building workforce capacity, bench strength, and consistent execution practices.
• Develop and scale construction standards and program practices, establishing execution methods for first-of-kind work and translating lessons learned, root cause findings, project controls, and performance data into repeatable standards and playbooks adopted across metros and regions.
• Influence senior stakeholders and delivery partners across site operations, engineering, commissioning, supply chain, security, legal, and enterprise programs, presenting portfolio performance, investment needs, forecasts, and risk in terms that enable clear business decisions and resolve competing priorities.
• Model and champion a safety-first, accountable culture while embodying Microsoft’s culture and values, holding internal teams and external partners to high standards for safety, security, availability, operational excellence, and responsible delivery.
• Embody our culture and values.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• High School Qualification or equivalent AND 10+ years' experience supporting IT equipment or related technology or delivering server and network deployment projects in large-scale environments OR equivalent experience

Other 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 Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Technical College Degree in Computer Science, Math, Telecommunications, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain Management or related field AND 15+ years' experience in critical environment infrastructures (e.g., UPS, Generator, AHU), or working in physical IT infrastructures (e.g., Servers, SANs, Networking, Capacity, DC Rack/Enclosures, structured cabling) OR High School Qualification or equivalent AND 17+ years' experience in critical environment infrastructures (e.g., UPS, Generator, AHU), or working in physical IT infrastructures (e.g., Servers, SANs, Networking, Capacity, DC Rack/Enclosures, structured cabling) OR equivalent experience.

• Applicable certifications: Microsoft, Network Certifications, CCNA Certifications, ITIL v3 Foundation, Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF) Certifications.

• 12+ years of experience in construction management, datacenter operations, mission-critical infrastructure, or program management
• 6+ years of experience managing complex project or program portfolios across multiple sites, metros, or regions
• Experience delivering construction in live, mission-critical environments while maintaining operational availability
• Experience leading first-of-kind, accelerated, or high-risk projects with accountability for safety, cost, schedule, and risk
• Experience leading and developing teams, including employees, contractors, and cross-functional resources
• Experience managing portfolio governance, commercial performance, vendors, project controls, KPIs, and executive reporting
• PE, PMP, CCM, DBIA, LEED, CQM, ITIL, or equivalent certification preferred

Data Center Operations Management IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $140,200 - $284,400 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 $185,600 - $312,000 per year.

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

https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

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

Microsoft 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. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.