Technical Program Manager

The AI Delivery organization enables Microsoft to deliver infrastructure capacity faster, more predictably, and at greater scale across an increasingly complex global ecosystem. As demand for cloud and AI services continues to accelerate, success depends on the ability to align dozens of organizations across engineering, architecture, networking, supply chain, design and construction, capacity planning, operations, and regional delivery around a common objective: delivering customer-ready capacity with speed, quality, and operational excellence.

We are seeking an experienced Principal Technical Program Manager to help lead Microsoft's most strategic cloud capacity acceleration initiatives, with particular emphasis on networking and the critical dependencies that enable end-to-end capacity delivery. This role sits at the intersection of business strategy, technical execution, organizational transformation, and operational excellence.

The successful candidate will help build and continuously improve the operating systems, governance mechanisms, and execution frameworks that enable large, cross-functional organizations to move from ambiguity to action and from strategy to results. Rather than owning a single technical domain, this leader will accelerate outcomes by creating alignment, establishing clarity, challenging assumptions, developing leaders, and enabling organizations to make high-quality decisions faster.

This role requires an exceptional systems thinker who can rapidly establish credibility with audiences ranging from engineers and program managers to General Managers, Partners, Vice Presidents, and executive leadership. The ideal candidate combines technical depth, strategic thinking, organizational leadership, and executive storytelling to drive consensus around complex problems, align stakeholders on potential solutions, and move organizations toward decisive action.

Equally important, this leader believes that high-performing organizations are built through diverse perspectives, complementary strengths, and empowered ownership. They actively develop leadership capability at every level, create environments where people can do their best work, and use Microsoft's leadership framework of Clarity, Energy, and Results to build teams that consistently solve increasingly complex business challenges.

In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment where diverse perspectives, continuous learning, and shared accountability enable us to positively impact our culture every day.

Build and Evolve the Cloud Capacity Delivery Operating System

• Design and continuously improve the operating mechanisms that enable scalable cloud capacity delivery across a highly matrixed global organization.
• Establish governance, decision forums, risk management frameworks, escalation paths, accountability models, and execution rhythms that accelerate outcomes.
• Create repeatable processes and operating models that increase delivery speed, predictability, quality, and organizational effectiveness.
• Focus organizations on decisions, tradeoffs, risks, blockers, and outcomes rather than status reporting.

Drive End-to-End Capacity Acceleration

• Lead strategic initiatives that improve how Microsoft delivers cloud capacity at scale, with particular emphasis on networking enablement and critical path dependencies.
• Identify systemic bottlenecks across planning, engineering, deployment, operational readiness, and regional execution.
• Translate business demand and strategic priorities into actionable execution plans with measurable outcomes.
• Drive portfolio-level improvements that reduce cycle times, increase decision velocity, and improve delivery predictability.

Create Alignment and Decision Velocity Across Microsoft

• Serve as a trusted integrator across engineering, networking, architecture, supply chain, operations, regional delivery, finance, and executive leadership teams.
• Facilitate alignment across organizations with differing priorities, constraints, and perspectives.
• Build consensus around complex problem statements, evaluate competing options, and help stakeholders converge on a preferred path forward.
• Influence and drive outcomes without direct authority by combining technical credibility, business judgment, and trusted relationships.

Convert Ambiguity into Clarity and Action

• Lead through uncertainty by defining problems, challenging assumptions, identifying root causes, and framing actionable decisions.
• Develop decision-ready recommendations that balance technical realities, business objectives, risk, and long-term strategic considerations.
• Make progress despite incomplete information by driving iterative learning and informed decision making.
• Continuously challenge the status quo and identify opportunities to simplify, accelerate, and improve existing operating models.

Provide Strategic Leadership and Executive Storytelling

• Develop clear narratives that connect strategy, execution, risk, and business outcomes for diverse audiences.
• Prepare and deliver executive reviews, strategic recommendations, and decision frameworks for senior leadership.
• Translate complex technical and operational challenges into concise, compelling, and actionable business discussions.
• Provide transparent visibility into progress, risks, dependencies, and opportunities while building confidence and organizational alignment.

Develop Organizational Capability

• Build highly effective teams that leverage diverse experiences, perspectives, technical expertise, and ways of thinking.
• Create an environment where the collective capability of the organization exceeds that of any individual contributor.
• Apply Microsoft's Clarity, Energy, and Results framework to develop leaders and strengthen organizational effectiveness.
• Establish clear accountability, ownership, and expectations while empowering leads to operate with autonomy and confidence.
• Grow leadership capability at every level through coaching, trust, mentorship, and continuous development.
• Build scalable organizations and leadership systems that continue producing results beyond any individual.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree AND 6+ years experience in engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development OR equivalent experience.
  3+ years of experience managing cross-functional and/or cross-team projects.

Other Requirements:

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

While not required, we also look for the following Preferred Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience leading large-scale technical programs, cloud infrastructure, networking, datacenter delivery, engineering programs, or related technology initiatives.
• 5+ years of experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives spanning multiple organizations, stakeholder groups, and executive sponsors.
• 5+ years of experience driving business, operational, or technology transformation initiatives in a large-scale enterprise environment.
• Experience designing and implementing operating models, governance mechanisms, business processes, or execution frameworks that improved organizational performance, delivery speed, or execution predictability.
• Experience presenting strategic recommendations, business decisions, operational reviews, or program outcomes to senior leadership.

• Experience supporting cloud capacity delivery, network deployment, datacenter infrastructure, AI infrastructure, or hyperscale cloud operations.
• Experience creating alignment and driving outcomes across engineering, architecture, operations, supply chain, regional delivery, and business organizations without direct authority.
• Demonstrated success accelerating delivery timelines, improving execution predictability, or removing systemic bottlenecks across complex organizations.
• Strong systems-thinking capabilities with the ability to connect business strategy, technical constraints, organizational dependencies, and execution outcomes.
• Experience developing leaders, building high-performing teams, and creating organizational capability that scales beyond individual contributors.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical and operational topics into concise executive narratives, decision frameworks, and actionable recommendations.
• Experience operating in highly ambiguous environments and driving alignment, consensus, and decision velocity across multiple stakeholder groups.

Success Profile:

The ideal candidate is a systems thinker and change agent who thrives where organizational complexity, ambiguity, and scale intersect. They have a unique ability to create alignment across diverse perspectives, rapidly build consensus around difficult decisions, and help organizations move from discussion to action.

They are interested in developing leaders, building teams whose collective capability exceeds that of any individual, and creating environments where clarity, energy, and results build momentum.

Most importantly, they are motivated by the opportunity to improve how Microsoft delivers cloud capacity at global scale by building stronger leaders, better operating mechanisms, and more effective organizations than they inherited.

Impact:

This role helps shape the future of Microsoft's cloud capacity delivery ecosystem by accelerating organizational effectiveness, improving decision velocity, and enabling teams across the company to deliver more, faster, and with greater predictability.

Technical Program Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 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 $188,000 - $304,200 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.