Overview
Microsoft’s Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I) team is seeking a Senior Strategy Program Manager to support Strategic Affairs for global land acquisition and development. This role contributes to shaping and advancing strategic frameworks, partnerships, and governance models that enable Microsoft to scale its physical infrastructure with speed, predictability, and resilience - powering the next generation of cloud services and AI innovation.
CO+I manages the full lifecycle of Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure, from site selection and land development to operational readiness. Our global footprint spans datacenters in 34 countries and thousands of megawatts of capacity, forming the backbone of Microsoft Azure and supporting billions of customers worldwide.
As Senior Strategy Program Manager, you will join an exceptional team responsible for designing and implementing strategic initiatives that remove systemic barriers and optimize delivery pathways for global infrastructure expansion.
This role operates at the intersection of policy, strategy, and execution, partnering closely with government affairs, legal, energy, and engineering teams to create conditions that accelerate development while maintaining compliance and sustainability commitments.
You will work in close collaboration with senior strategy leaders to support global decision-making, contribute to policy-related initiatives, and help develop scalable processes that align with Microsoft’s long-term growth objectives.
Responsibilities
- Support Strategic Enablement Initiatives: Support the development and advancement of strategies to inform permitting, regulatory compliance, and land development processes globally, aligning with business objectives and regional regulatory environments.
- Policy & Advocacy: Partner with Government Affairs to support engagement with regulatory policy makers in the environmental, land use, and construction sectors, including accelerated permitting processes and designated projects of economic interest.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner across land acquisition, energy, network, legal, environmental, and engineering teams to align priorities, clarify interdependencies, and support integrated delivery planning.
- Risk Mitigation: Identify and assess systemic risks impacting infrastructure timelines and contribute to proactive mitigation strategies through strategic analysis and cross-functional coordination.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Establish and maintain trusted relationships with internal executives and external partners to drive consensus on strategic priorities.
- Data-Driven Insights: Contribute to metrics, reporting, and analytical frameworks that measure impact, track progress across a portfolio of initiatives, and inform executive and senior leadership decision-making.
- Thought Leadership: Support Microsoft’s participation in industry forums and regulatory discussions to advance cloud infrastructure policy.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Real Estate, Project Management, or related field AND 5+ years relevant experience OR 7+ years 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 Degree in Business Management, Real Estate, Project Management, or related field AND 7+ years Portfolio Management, Real Estate, or Office management experience OR 10+ years equivalent experience.
- 7+ years of experience in strategic affairs, regulatory policy, or infrastructure development within technology or industrial sectors.
- Demonstrated experience influencing policy and driving systemic improvements in complex, global environments.
- Demonstrated experience supporting land acquisition, permitting, and regulatory frameworks for large-scale infrastructure projects.
- Demonstrated experience influencing and working with regulatory policy makers in the environmental, land use and construction sectors.
- Demonstrated experience in the permitting of projects via accelerated permitting processes (designated projects of economic interest, etc.).
- Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of projects and associated budgets and schedules.
- Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain cross-functional working relationships with internal and external teams including environmental consultants, engineering firms, attorneys, contractors, and regulatory agencies.
- Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail and high standards for quality of deliverables.
- Exceptional leadership skills with experience managing global, cross-functional teams.
- Demonstrated analytical and negotiation capabilities; ability to simplify complexity and drive clarity.
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Real Estate Portfolio Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $116,900 - $203,600 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 $148,400 - $222,600 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
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.
